How to Open the Frunk if Your 12V Battery is Dead

A quick video showing you how to open the frunk to get access to your completely dead 12 Volt Battery.

Other Videos in this Series:

1. Why Your Tesla Needs a 12 Volt Battery:

2. My 12 Volt Battery Experience:

3. 12 Volt Battery Options:

4. How to Install a 12 Volt Battery:

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Contact me on Instagram: Frugal Tesla Guy

[nn]

I love that this small 9V battery did the trick.

[wo]

Great video. My wife and I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to create and upload this informational video.

[Jdban]

Only downside to a portable jumpstart kit is that it's probably in your trunk, which is locked until you get the frunk open and power to the 12v battery :P

[DavidBajayo]

You can tape a 12v camera battery to the cables and be sure you have a battery accessible to use all the time Battery A123

[DracoGuitars]

One tip if using a NOCO booster as shown in the video -- it has polarity reversal protection so that it won't apply 12V unless it detects it's hooked up with the right polarity. So if your 12V battery is dead enough, the NOCO won't recognize that it's hooked up correctly and won't apply 12V, unless you press and hold the "!" button for about 5 seconds. Be sure its clamps are not touching each other if you do this.

[Beakerzor]

thanks for this video! Personally I don't like to put the electric tape stick against the metal, so I wrap backward with the sticky side out for one revolution, then wrap the sticky side out with sticky side in. This keeps the metal free of nasty stickiness.

[KM-qxnh]

Yes…… just another pain in the ass, proudly presented to you, by the designers at Tesla. Have fun figuring out how to make your car work when it won’t work ! 😊

[jersey-dude]

Project Farm did a really good in depth comparison on those charger packs. I suggest you watch that before deciding which to purchase.

[happysalesguy]

Good info, thanks. I knew about this on a theoretical level, but I had never seen it done.

[AlanDayley]

Nice to see that a 9V battery will work to open the frunk! Those can be purchased almost anywhere and are easy to carry with you.

[Swift]

I just tried it out with 12v battery (tested), careful contacts, proper polarities, doors unlocked. Trunk didn’t open at first, but I’ve realized you need to keep the contact on for two seconds, then it opens. Model 3, Dec 2018.

[billligon]

While my 2019 M3 was parked for 37 days and plugged in to home charger, the 12v battery died. I thought it was my Tesla phone app so I updated my phone app and re-booted the phone still car would not 'start'. Called roadside assistance and then discovered how to open the port in the front bumper as I watched the Tesla RA tech. Connecting a battery to the two leads that pop out you are able to raise the 'frunk' lid and get to the 'little' battery. While his charger was connected drove the car out of condo garage where my Tesla was loaded onto a flat bed tow trunk and this was about 5pm Sunday evening. Next day Tesla repair replaced the defective battery free of charge and now my car is new again. Tesla even sent me a coupon for free UBER ride to pick up my car. This is the one and ONLY problem I have ever had with my Tesla. Tesla is a great car and a great car company.

[jmock]

Thanks for this video! Really convenient that it can be powered with a regular 9-volt battery!

[jefffenton]

Good to finally see a demonstration of this. Thanks!

[brandonroberts]

Glad to see it works with power Frunk installed

[nickg]

Good video Mike! I like the way you explain things. Shortly after getting the car, I tried to be a little proactive and decided to pop off the round cover and open the frunk with a 9V battery. Guess what? There were no wires! I thought the factory forgot to install the wires. Tesla sent a mobile repair technician out. He said he had run into this a few times before. He somehow fished around and located the wires under the left fender, and moved them to the round access hole. He mentioned that if he was unable to snag the wires, the fender would have to be removed😖😖 Luckily it never came to that.

[paulbeaudette]

Thank you for another informative and clear video on an important topic. You have convinced me to keep that 9v battery in my console or glovebox. again thanks

[yhdez]

Yeah I have it, the Noco, and it’s amazing. Recommend it.

[shahphone]

Really helpful to hook up a 9-volt battery plug on to those wires

[GregHassler]

Note that if you have a portable booster and you are in this situation with a dead 12v, you won't be able to access the booster if it's kept ANYWHERE in your Tesla - cabin, glovebox, console, frunk and trunk will all be inaccessible. Keep something in your garage and have AAA service.