Need Help Fast! 1991 300SL

[KleinGuy]

Hey everyone! I just want to say that I am a car person, but know nothing about Mercedes. A friend I work with has a problem. he has a 1991 300SL with a dead battery. I have found out that the battery is in the trunk....but so is his trunk key, ha. Is there a way to get into the trunk without a key? I have searched for a while and found a couple of things for different models, but don't know if they are the same as this one. I saw the post about charging the battery from under the hood. If I can do this on his car, is there a button or anything inside that releases the trunk once the battery is charged? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[tecqboy]

Good question. I have a 91 300sl. There is no seperate trunk release inside the cabin. My car is in storage, so I can't try this... But, once the battery is charged enough to run the vacuum pump, try locking and then unlocking the car via the driver side door lock lever. Then try pushing the trunk open button on the trunk lid. There is no way into the trunk from inside the car: the gas tank is in the way.

[LUVMBDiesels]

You can get one of those chargers that plug into the cig lighter. Plug it in and turn the key to 'acc'

here is one...
http://www.buymebuyme.com/retail/customer/product.php?productid=45176&partner=g&gclid=CPqWws6l65cCFQrFGgodShAGCw

Another...

http://www.smarthome.com/92801/Self-Charge-Auto-Jumper-with-AC-Adapter-EA2045/p.aspx

If you look, you can probably get on at Sears or AutoZoo

[JimFreeh]

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

You can get one of those chargers that plug into the cig lighter. Plug it in and turn the key to 'acc'

here is one...
http://www.buymebuyme.com/retail/customer/product.php?productid=45176&partner=g&gclid=CPqWws6l65cCFQrFGgodShAGCw

Another...

http://www.smarthome.com/92801/Self-Charge-Auto-Jumper-with-AC-Adapter-EA2045/p.aspx

If you look, you can probably get on at Sears or AutoZoo

Great idea, lighter is switched so you need the key.

Wait, isn't the key in the trunk?

I'd suspect the vac/pressure pump is not switched, and if you can get a cable on the 12V positive starter connection and one to ground, you might be able to power up the pump as suggested.

Do these cars have a jump terminal in the engine compartment? I'm afraid I'm not intimate enough with the R129 to know the config.

Jim

[elau]

That is my exact pet peeve. A car with this price tag does not come with remote trunk and gas door opener. What in the world were the MB engineers thinking?

[KleinGuy]

Anyone have anymore ideas on this? Is there a way to jump it from under the hood?

[Lexxani]

my 107 has a positive post under the hood (above the right wheel well) where the positive battery line from the trunk runs to the engine bay, it has a black plastic cover over it with a + sign on it. Obviously your ground spot would be your engine block. Look around, I suspect its probally in a similar location, MB would not have been neglectful enough to not include this in their later cars.

Worse comes to worse, take pictures of the engine bay and post them, someone here will find it or it doesent exist.

[Roncallo]

My 1996 129 has a power terminal similar to the one under the hood of the 107 but it is in the interior just at the passenger side foot well. You could put a positive jumper cable at this point and a negative to any good ground.

[clm]

Originally Posted by elau

That is my exact pet peeve. A car with this price tag does not come with remote trunk and gas door opener. What in the world were the MB engineers thinking?

I dont think they were on 129's