Hi everyone, I finally managed to lock myself out of my xj! The car has been sitting in the garage for three months. Just had the battery replaced but it is empty now as my remote will not open the car. I have replaced the batteries in the remote just to be sure, but that didn't help.
The keys that came with this car *ONLY* start the engine; I can only open the car using the remote and that includes opening the trunk as well... Now if I could A) open the trunk, then I could recharge the battery and I'm done or B) open the hood so I could use a battery charger to open the trunk so I can goto A). However the car is locked so I cannot do both.
I was told that I might have to drill a hole in the trunk behind the license plate to get hold of the rod that opens the trunk but I do not know where to drill it (and I really don't want to unless there is no other option). Suggestions anyone?

 

I the engine compartment you will find a pos. connection to the battery next to two of the fuse blocks. I don't have a XJ8 so I can't tell you exactly where. You can charge the battery from them or just use a jumper battery to get power to open the trunk.

Note: Never attempt to jump start the engine from those connections

 

Thanks for replying, but in order to get to the engine compartment I have to pop the hood, for which I need to get into the car, which I cannot because I cannot open it. Or is there another to pop the hood from *outside* the car?

 

A key that can start the car "should" be able to open the drivers door.

But failing that, you can crawl under the car and attach a battery charger carefully. Negative to ground and positive to the main positive stud on the starter. The stud can be identified as the one where the fat cables connect from the battery and the alternator output. Or, if it is easier attach positive to the alternator output.

I say charger rather than jumper cables because the clips are smaller. You do not want to accidentally make a shower of sparks.

Also be careful that you do not accidentally short across the relay and engage the starter.

As soon as you have it attached, your remote should work.

Homework assignment: get keys that can open the door and trunk.

 

I don't know what I was thinking about, probably the old 'can't open the trunk but the doors open' problem. Sorry about that. At least plumbs came through.

 

There is a thread that shows a way to poop open the trunk through a hole using a rod or wire. Sorry don't know the thread name. Try searching locked out or something like that. I will search too to help if I have the time. Good luck

 

Thanks for your reply. I didn't know I could reach that from underneath the car. I assume it will be obvious to spot once I am under it. And yes, new keys are long over due!

 

No harm done! Thanks again for replying!

 

Thanks BigCat777, I'll try and find it!

 

As Plums said, the drivers door tumbler and the ignition are on the same key. Have you replaced the door tumbler at some point?

And then there's always the jimmy method. Buy a set of door jimmies, try your hand. It's not easy. Locksmiths usually know how to do it and have a kit. If you can't find a kit, full service car washes almost always have a set for the inevitable car that gets locked when it's put on the line, and they will sometimes let you borrow them. I worked at one in high school, and my manager could jimmy just about any car open in about 20 seconds. Made me wonder what he did before I met him

 

Yes.

Jack up the car and support securely and safely on the right front. The starter is at the interface of the engine/transmission. The stud is reachable without any difficulty. It will have a rubber boot on it that needs to be pulled back a bit.

 

The U.S. X308 already has holes behind the rear license plate.

But rest of the world X308 have the long plate area where you will have to drill a hole to gain access the the boot lock mechanism.

Here is forum thread on locked key in trunk weblink (see post# 11):

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...y-trunk-67757/

Here is weblink to the other forum thread on the False Bulkhead Stud location (Photos - look at posts# 4 and 5):

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...nnector-92454/

Jim Lombardi

 

Update: I followed plums advice and a charger is now attached to the starter. Currently the doors still don't open but I reckon since the battery is pretty depleted, I'll charge it for a few hours. However, my big black cat is showing signs of recovery as the little red light near the shifter is blinking again. Keep you posted, thanks for all the replies!

 

Yes, I'm driving again! Here is the full story.
Recharging the battery overnight did not help in opening the car using the remote. That was strange as the battery was only four months old or so. Still everybody I spoke to had suspicions about the battery. So I finally bit the bullet and drilled a hole in the trunk (from the center of the switch that normally opens the trunk, down 8cm under the ridge then 3 cm to the right. My jaguar garage said use an 8mm drill and try to nudge the rod that connects the trunk motor to the lock with a screwdriver, but be careful not to separate the rod from either side. Alas, i managed to do just that! And as always, that is the exact moment when you realize that you should have drilled a slightly larger hole through which you can stick a fine pair of pliers to move the rod to open the trunk! Too late. Now a larger hole was drilled and using a bit of wire we were able to pick up the rod and open the trunk. Next the battery was disconnected and then reconnected. Doors still would not open using the remote. After half a minute however, I could turn on the headlights using the remote! And after a minute or two the doors unlocked!
My conclusions: when the battery is depleted and charged, it apparently can happen that the remote will not open your car. I think this due to the fact that the on-board computer 'hangs' when a slow rising voltage is applied to it and it seems not to have some kind of 'watch dog timer' that will reset it after a while. This is why the doors will not open even after the battery is fully charged. Only disconnecting it and connecting it again will get it out of this zombie state.
Then you still have to wait a minute or two until it has started up completely to open the doors.
Now all that remains is to seal the hole and get new keys...
Again, thanks for all the advice you guys offered.