Need help opening driver door manually.

[vin]

My battery is so run down that I can't even open my driver door. the manual is safe inside the car, so i can't look up the solution. I believe the fix has something to do with back fender buttons--but this is as far as my memory stretches.
Anyone able to help?

 

[Rob]

Welcome to the XLR Net.

Moving from the New Member Introductions to the XLR Tech forums...

 

[XLRATING]

Mines in the shop so I can't look in my hard copy manual, BUT the manual is on this site in the tech center. Here's a link (better than the real thing because you can run a search in it!): https://www.xlr-net.com/specs/2006/2k06xlr.pdf.

 

[vin]

Rob, thanks! i'll dive in and look up answer.

 

[Phrede]

Use the emergency key to unlock the trunk through the covered hole on the left side of the rear bumper.
Manually lift the trunk lid.

Look for slits in the trunk liner. The emergency door release cable is in different spots depending on the year. Mine is under the floor liner on the drivers side. I think earlier years may be behind the side liner?

 

[BusaMan]

Use the emergency key to unlock the trunk through the covered hole on the left side of the rear bumper.
Manually lift the trunk lid.

Look for slits in the trunk liner. The emergency door release cable is in different spots depending on the year. Mine is under the floor liner on the drivers side. I think earlier years may be behind the side liner?

Vin, Phrede has it right. I have the same car as you, and had to do the same thing to get into the car to open the hood and try to charge the battery. On the '06 base model, there's a small plastic cover with a turnable latch on the left side of the trunk, right above the floor compartment housing the hydraulic pump and a bunch of pricey electronics. Removing that cover on the side of the trunk will get you access to a couple of cables, with plastic tabs on them: one opens the gas-fill door and the other unlocks the driver door (works better with someone opening the door as you pull on the cable). Be advised that the trunk lid is quite heavy, and a bit of a workout to get up. Once raised, mine stayed by itself.

If your battery turns out to be like mine, it won't hold much of a charge after being that discharged. Look up the threads here regarding the "Yellow Top" battery. Mine works like a champ (I think Phrede will also endorse that selection).

Welcome to the site!



Tim

 

[vin]

You're both on the money! And o so right about the weight of the trunk. Unfortunately, I'm so scrawny, I'll have to give in and call my Cadillac Roadside Assistance tech. But, I remain optimistic because I've joined this Forum with very helpful members who really know what you are talking about.
Thanks very much,
Vin

 

[2007XLR]

XLR Team, is that emergency key on the 2007? I had the same thing happen to me, but I ended up calling roadside assistance as well... If some one has a picture, can you please post... Thanks much


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[BusaMan]

XLR Team, is that emergency key on the 2007? I had the same thing happen to me, but I ended up calling roadside assistance as well... If some one has a picture, can you please post... Thanks much


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The '07 has the new style of fob, and the key's inside of it. There's a raised bar about a centimeter long and a millimeter wide on the fob that you push to release a retention latch. The aluminum-colored part of the fob (where the keyring would attach) comes out; the key's part of it. It's really a weird key.

After that, remove that little square cover on the left side of the rear fascia. The key will fit in there. It helps if you have a second person to unlock the lock while the other is lifting up that heavy trunk lid. Remember, you're also lifting the hard tonneau cover, and you have to overcome the hydraulic system. Put the strongest person on the trunk lid detail.

Go for it. It's not that hard to do.



Tim

 

[2007XLR]

Thanks Phrede!![emoji1]


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[lextoy]

my 07 has the older style fob. with the key separate.
hmmmm.

 

[2007XLR]

This is what I found in the manual...

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[Fireduck]

Mine Is an early 2007 model and has the old style fob also


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[BusaMan]

Mine Is an early 2007 model and has the old style fob also


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I stand corrected then, but I was under the impression that the '07s had the new fob.



I believe the rest of the note was OK. Hope so, anyway.

Tim

 

[srs244]

...
After that, remove that little square cover on the left side of the rear fascia. The key will fit in there. It helps if you have a second person to unlock the lock while the other is lifting up that heavy trunk lid. Remember, you're also lifting the hard tonneau cover, and you have to overcome the hydraulic system. Put the strongest person on the trunk lid detail.

Go for it. It's not that hard to do.



Tim

i second the 2 person part. i had a problem just yesterday and found that the only way i was able to complete the process was to have my wife hold the key in the full "on" position to release the trunk latch as i lifted the trunk lid. it seems that when i tried it alone, turning the key released the locking latch but it locked right back as soon as the key pressure was released due to the weight of the lid causing the trunk to settle back down the small amount it was raised upon latch releasing. it's a pain in the butt, but the system does work. mine is an 08 platinum and i noticed that the release for the door, etc is located on the sidewall driver's side about a quarter of the way from the rear of the trunk toward the front behind a flap in the trunk "rug" material.

 

[65Tuxedo]

After reading a few posts like this and thinking about my car under a cover in the garage, I will be popping the hood in the next few minutes.

Future plan, pop the hood when I don't plan to drive for a few days!!

 

[davey]

Many thanks to the forum!
My battery conked out and I finally got the hood open and got a charger on it, nut it wasn't easy.
To get the trubk open, I rigged up the emergency key by clamping a whench on the key, turning it (right), and propped the wrench up against a milk crate to hold it in position. This freed up both hands to lift the trunk lid - which is necessary to get a good grip on it.
My car is an '05 Canadian spec car (don't know if that means anything in this case). I found the release switches (pictured) but they don't do anything. Maybe they need power?
Anyway, I pulled back the carpet after disconnecting the cargo net and unscrewing the net mount that holds the panel in place.
Feeling around in behind the carpet panel, I found two small cabled. The gas cap cable just came off (see pic #2). Tanking on the cable a couple of times the gas door popped open.
The door cable was a problem - I tugged on it several times, tried yanking on it with pliers a few times, and no luck.
I yanked on it several times more in rapid motions, and finally the door opened. Yay!
I do have trickle charger cables and as suggested on this forum I re-routed it to the cowl next to the wipers so that I can access it without getting stuck again. When I hooked up the trickle charger, the tail lights started flashing madly. I took the trickle charger off and put on a regular charger set to 4 amps. It seems to be working.
I notice that the driver side window won't go up more than a couple of inches, but hopefully with the help of this forum I'll get that sorted out when I get a new battery...

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

View attachment 9022View attachment 9023Many thanks to the forum!
My battery conked out and I finally got the hood open and got a charger on it, nut it wasn't easy.
To get the trubk open, I rigged up the emergency key by clamping a whench on the key, turning it (right), and propped the wrench up against a milk crate to hold it in position. This freed up both hands to lift the trunk lid - which is necessary to get a good grip on it.
My car is an '05 Canadian spec car (don't know if that means anything in this case). I found the release switches (pictured) but they don't do anything. Maybe they need power?
Anyway, I pulled back the carpet after disconnecting the cargo net and unscrewing the net mount that holds the panel in place.
Feeling around in behind the carpet panel, I found two small cabled. The gas cap cable just came off (see pic #2). Tanking on the cable a couple of times the gas door popped open.
The door cable was a problem - I tugged on it several times, tried yanking on it with pliers a few times, and no luck.
I yanked on it several times more in rapid motions, and finally the door opened. Yay!
I do have trickle charger cables and as suggested on this forum I re-routed it to the cowl next to the wipers so that I can access it without getting stuck again. When I hooked up the trickle charger, the tail lights started flashing madly. I took the trickle charger off and put on a regular charger set to 4 amps. It seems to be working.
I notice that the driver side window won't go up more than a couple of inches, but hopefully with the help of this forum I'll get that sorted out when I get a new battery...

Here’s a few things, anytime your car is going to be garaged more then about 2 weeks, hook up that trickle charger or actually spend a couple of dollars and purchase a good battery tender that will not over charged the battery! Another thing you can do is pop the hood during the time in storage then you will always have access to under the hood anytime, without needing to go through all that trouble to get access from the trunk! When you get the new battery installed, you will need to index both drivers and passenger windows. Hold both window power buttons down after they roll down, then hold for about 10 second, then do the same thing after you roll the windows back up, then hold again for another 10 seconds. You may need to reprogram your radio pre sets also. Another thing to try is if the access door cable in the trunk pulled hard for opening the drivers door, see if you can spray a little WD-40 or any spray lubricant, I also like using a silicone with lubricant also, spray it in the end at the pull handle and try and operate it a few times while door is still open, to get it moving smoothly! I do mine at least 2 times a year so they don’t freeze up! Hope this helps you! Good Luck


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[davey]

Thanks for the great tips

Here’s a few things, anytime your car is going to be garaged more then about 2 weeks, hook up that trickle charger or actually spend a couple of dollars and purchase a good battery tender that will not over charged the battery! Another thing you can do is pop the hood during the time in storage then you will always have access to under the hood anytime, without needing to go through all that trouble to get access from the trunk! When you get the new battery installed, you will need to index both drivers and passenger windows. Hold both window power buttons down after they roll down, then hold for about 10 second, then do the same thing after you roll the windows back up, then hold again for another 10 seconds. You may need to reprogram your radio pre sets also. Another thing to try is if the access door cable in the trunk pulled hard for opening the drivers door, see if you can spray a little WD-40 or any spray lubricant, I also like using a silicone with lubricant also, spray it in the end at the pull handle and try and operate it a few times while door is still open, to get it moving smoothly! I do mine at least 2 times a year so they don’t freeze up! Hope this helps you! Good Luck


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I actually already have a couple of battery tenders as well as a couple of chargers/

When I first started the car up, the dash displayed just about every warning there is. I shut the car off, got out and locked the car with the fob. Then I unlocked, got in, put on the seatbelt, closed the door, started it up and put the car in gear, then reverse gear.
Then turned the car off, repeated the process and now it seems that everything is back to normal.
I think that if there are any gremlins I'll hook up a scan tool and see if there are any wayward codes.
Cheers!

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Believe me when I say, the car battery may be weak, when this happens It causes other issues, back in the spring I had just changed my FOB Battery and then about a month later, the FOB won’t work again, so I figured it was a weak FOB Battery, put In a new one then, I started having car battery issues, so that’s what was wrong not FOB Battery itself. You may want to test the car battery.


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