Charging L322 when locked?

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mvoltin

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My 2011 L322 died (very unusual, it was only standing for 5 days and battery seems fully discharged - doesn't respond to remote at all - tried both remotes and changed batteries in them). Unfortunately, neither remote has the emergency physical key. If I can charge the battery, then I can use the remote again but I cannot unlock the car to pop the hood open.

Is there a way to charge the locked car? Is there a positive lead somewhere I can reach (under the car, etc.) to connect to a charger?

Thank you.

P.S. Found this video about unlocking hood on 2002 RR but doesn't work on my 2011.
Also, found this video about finding a battery wire under the body (Discover) but not sure if there is something similar in RR.
 
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joey

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Not sure it is possible to charge the battery without opening the hood. I would call a locksmith, the odds are they can make you a key.
 

mvoltin

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Per some of the online forums, I removed some of the plastic cowling on the bottom of the left fender/bumper. I was supposed to see the hood release mechanism between the radiator and grill but cannot (I know what it looks like and where it is but cannot see that spot based on what I have removed so far). So, here are my two options:

1) remove the left wheel cowling to see if I can get to the hood release mechanism
2) remove right wheel cowling to see if I can reach up to the battery from inside.

Anybody has any input which approach would make more sense first? Can someone look inside their L322 engine bay to see if removing cowling would allow access to the battery? Thanks in advance.
 

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mvoltin

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Not sure it is possible to charge the battery without opening the hood. I would call a locksmith, the odds are they can make you a key.
So far I found few options: one of them was to open the hood but people had success plugging in trailer lights (don't have one), or alternator wires from the bottom. My best bet seems opening the hood somehow but need to get to that point.

P.S. Per my other post, I have read that people are unable to unlock the car with a completely dead battery with physical keys - key doesn't seem to be totally mechanical - so, a locksmith may not be successful either if I went that route.
 

Shoshone

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Any luck? I'll look for a way in. The release cable runs along the right fender so I don't think you can access from the grill
 

mvoltin

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Yes - got in: you can reach in to unlatch the hood through the grill on pre-2010 models but not 2010-2012. I had to pull back the front part of the left wheel well lining and reached pretty easily from there. I could do it in 10 minutes now if I had to do it again. I also ran a wire from the battery to the grill if I need to charge it again in the future.
 

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