i have nissan primera se auto, v reg. Battery went dead two days ago, today tried to open car door with my remote key, it didn't respond as battery was totally dead. tried to open door manauly with the key, it wont open. can any one help please?

Barry, November 2008

You can recharge batteries via cigerette lighter sockets such as solar trickle charger etc. which would have prevented initial problem as well, you could also jack on to live + earth in interior assuming no diodes between attachment point and battery to recharge battery - trickle charge via this method to avoid electrical damage.

dave, June 2013

Written by someone on another forum:
On my 2004 P12 Primera (from handbook - but I have seen the slot) :
"The left-hand side door can be locked or unlocked with the door key when the vehicle's battery is dead".
It goes on to tell you to carefully remove the side protection cap on the left hand door handle by inserting the key in the cap's base-slot and prising it off ; insert key in cylinder and turn & turn it towards the rear.

Steve, March 2013

I had today the same problem, found the following (and it is correct) :

The left-hand side door can be locked or unlocked with the door key when the vehicle's battery is dead.
Carefully remove the side protection cap on the left hand door handle by inserting the key in the cap's base-slot and prising it off (there is a small hole in it ... and ... a little key sign on it to tell you about the cilinder under it); When this cap is removed, you see a normal key cilinder. insert key in cylinder and turn & turn it towards the rear.
The car opens and your in !
(so no breaking, wedge the door open or something like that ... also the new Nissans have the same !)

Best regards,

Paul

Paul Falleyn, July 2009

simply call AA/AAA - i had the same issue where my key wouldn't work due to the battery being dead

they used an air cushion to wedge the door open slightly and used a hook to reach the latch to open the door

primera, January 2009

Yes i am afraid so.

It was a terrible ecu/design fault (the ecu was made in china but nissan no longer use shangaiishimatsui ecu's-now commonly siemens nixdorf)

I have seen many primeras and micras being scrapped because of this. But there will be plenty of spares at a local breakers or on ebay

regards

Lindon Lewis

Roebuck Nissan , Slough SL1 4HZ
Formerly the Dan Perkins Group , Berkshires most competitive new car dealership,massive savings on all new models

roebuck nissan , slough SL1 4HZ, November 2008

Roebuck Nissan

are you really serious?

barry, November 2008

only options are:

1/force bonnet open to get to battery and jump start/replace

2/Obtain angle grinder and cut a plate out of the bonnet just big enough to reach battery terminals, then add jump leads to put power to locking/deadlock system, then replace the plate you cut out by putting it back in the hole and using bodyfiller to resecure it and then if fussy get an aerosol can of paint the right colour to touch up

3/ smash window , climb inside car (IF DOOR WONT OPEN THEN DEADLOCKS ARE ON STILL) If this is the case then get a neighbour to tow the car at exactly 45mph and then while in motion put the gearselector in reverse if auto, 5th gear if manual and enough generation will be produced to automatically unlock the deadlocks

roebuck nissan , slough SL1 4HZ, November 2008