[JrodStone]

I am at a loss as to what to do next with my 2018 ZL1 1LE. The battery has been weak since I bought the car a few months ago. I recently had an injury that prevented me from driving the car. I went to try to start the car earlier this week, and the battery is totally dead. That means I cannot open the trunk to access the battery. I have tried to jump start the car with a jump machine and using jumper cables with my Ram 1500. The starter would not engage either way. The trunk also would not open while connect to the jump machine or jumper cables, and I tried using the key fob, the button near the trunk and the button on the driver's door. I now have a trickle charger connected to the positive and negative post in the engine bay, but I do not have any objective evidence that the battery is actually charging. I have seen other posts on this forum suggesting that the trunk would open once the car is connected to power in the engine bay, but that is not working for me. The back seat is in a fixed position in my car. I am not sure what to try next.

[ariZona28]

Usually the jump start trick works in these situations. Do you have headlights, horn, dome lights with your jump start setup?

[Sweptwing]

Originally Posted by JrodStone

I am at a loss as to what to do next with my 2018 ZL1 1LE. The battery has been weak since I bought the car a few months ago. I recently had an injury that prevented me from driving the car. I went to try to start the car earlier this week, and the battery is totally dead. That means I cannot open the trunk to access the battery. I have tried to jump start the car with a jump machine and using jumper cables with my Ram 1500. The starter would not engage either way. The trunk also would not open while connect to the jump machine or jumper cables, and I tried using the key fob, the button near the trunk and the button on the driver's door. I now have a trickle charger connected to the positive and negative post in the engine bay, but I do not have any objective evidence that the battery is actually charging. I have seen other posts on this forum suggesting that the trunk would open once the car is connected to power in the engine bay, but that is not working for me. The back seat is in a fixed position in my car. I am not sure what to try next.

Give this a try!


Quote:
Originally Posted by firstcamaroowner View Post

Hi all,

So I had one of those moments today. I had disconnected the negative battery cable in the truck. Some time later, I accidentally closed the trunk, so now it will not open. Given that this is a ZL1 1LE, the back seats are fixed. Any one know how to open the trunk now? I called the dealer and they mentioned about a hole in the back seat behind the driver but I cannot find that darn hole. The service person has not seen it before either?

Any help appreciated.
If the car is unlocked, skip to step 4.
1. Remove metal physical key from the key fob.
2. Use it to pry the cover off the fixed portion of the driver's door handle (take care not to scratch things).
3. Then use it again to open the car.
4. Pop the Hood.
5. Connect a 12v source to the jump posts at the fuse box.
6. Push the trunk button on the driver's door.

[arpad_m]

The rear seatback is not fixed even on the ZL1 1LE, it just doesn't have the pull cord. See below how to fold it down, then you can climb into the trunk and open it with the glowing emergency escape/release handle.

[Uncle Sam]

I'm stuck on Step One. I have opened the gas filler door ...

[JrodStone]

I managed to get the trunk open. I used a trickle charger for several hours and then the door button popped the trunk when I reattached the jump machine. Not sure why that made any difference, but I’m glad the trunk finally opened.

[cfeagin]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

The rear seatback is not fixed even on the ZL1 1LE, it just doesn't have the pull cord. See below how to fold it down, then you can climb into the trunk and open it with the glowing emergency escape/release handle.

Thank you so much for posting this procedure. Even you thought it wasn’t needed you saved me from destroying my seat to access the trunk release.
Where did you get this manual?

[Mountain]

In my experience, charging the battery from the access point in the engine bay, related to the power distribution box, can be very slow and hit or miss in jumping. Jumping or charging the battery fast and at a more traditionally expected rate has been through the trunk. It shouldn't really make a difference, but that is what I have noticed.

It seems that GM had an issue with a lot of their batteries 2016-ish and a few years onward. This coupled with all the modules and OnStar, on ZL1's and SS's with more electronic options, the battery can drain down quick as the car sits. I keep my car on a slow trickle charger if it will sit for more than a week. I also replaced my battery with an aftermarket, non-AC Delco/GM battery and things seem a bit more reliable.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by cfeagin

Thank you so much for posting this procedure. Even you thought it wasn’t needed you saved me from destroying my seat to access the trunk release.
Where did you get this manual?

You're welcome. The illustration is from the service (shop) manual that I purchased from Helm Inc., but it's also available from ACDelco's TDS website and other sites in a subscription format.

(The latter is your only option for 2019+ model years, as GM no longer makes the shop manuals available in printed or full PDF formats.)