[Eurogreg]

Hi mates,

I'm actually on my ski holiday. The R parks outside in a yard, temeprature is less, than - 10 C. I started the car one day after arrival and it started a bit heavier then usual. I'm afraid that my battery goes empty, its a 3 years old car with OE battery. I have additional alarm and immobiliser (previous owner) and the main thing, that I do not have keyloks.

So if battery goes empty, I can not get in the car. To avoid this, I left open the bonnet (to be able to charge the battery if it goes empty) and locked the doors. Factory alarm was not engaged.

What do you think? Is it safe? Is it normal that factory alarm did not engeged with bonnet open? Does it consume any electricity in this case?

Thanks!

 

[cookci]

If the bonet is lifted disconnect the battery?

 

[Eurogreg]

If the bonet is lifted disconnect the battery?

No, it's not disconnected, should I?

 

[cookci]

I guess if somebody shuts the bonet you won't be able to get in? Would be difficult to steal the car though

 

[mpn_daedalus]

I would disconnect the battery if you're worried about it dying on you.

This will reduce the drain on it to an absolute minimum.

 

[mpn_daedalus]

I guess if somebody shuts the bonet you won't be able to get in? Would be difficult to steal the car though

The key will still work in the door with or without the battery connected I would have thought.

 

[FWH]

What do you mean by no key locks?
Have you removed these?

If you did have key locks then you could disconnect the battery and even take it inside.

However, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
Do you have some jump leads in case the battery is flat later?

 

[tomtank62]

Hi mates,

I'm actually on my ski holiday. The R parks outside in a yard, temeprature is less, than - 10 C. I started the car one day after arrival and it started a bit heavier then usual. I'm afraid that my battery goes empty, its a 3 years old car with OE battery. I have additional alarm and immobiliser (previous owner) and the main thing, that I do not have keyloks.

So if battery goes empty, I can not get in the car. To avoid this, I left open the bonnet (to be able to charge the battery if it goes empty) and locked the doors. Factory alarm was not engaged.

What do you think? Is it safe? Is it normal that factory alarm did not engeged with bonnet open? Does it consume any electricity in this case?

Thanks!

The alarm will not set if the bonnet is not fully closed.

 

[FWH]

If it makes you feel any better, my Civic is 4,5 years old and sat outside all last week, most of it at close to -20C.

 

[mpn_daedalus]

What do you mean by no key locks?
Have you removed these?

If you did have key locks then you could disconnect the battery and even take it inside.

However, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
Do you have some jump leads in case the battery is flat later?

Ah, I didn't even see that point lol :facepalm:

In that case I guess the OP will need to leave the bonnet open.

 

[Terry H]

Do you have clear sky's ? why not get a solar charger ?

 

[Eurogreg]

Thanks for the advice. Problem is, that the previous owner removed the doorlocks. So if the remote key does not work, due to - let's say - my battery is flat, I can not get in the car. That's what I worried about. Thereofore I left open the bonnet a bit, to be able to charge the battery if it happen to flat. Which may happen as the somewhat paranoid prev owner had installed one aftermarket alarm and an aftermarket immo.

And that's right, if the bonnet is open, the alarm will not set, I checked the manual. So my decision, I left the bonnet open a bit.

 

[Terry H]

Short out the bonnet switch or just tape the switch down so it thinks the bonnet is closed.