[danalotus]

This is my husband's car. He is the most unhandy man in all of North America so I've got to try to resuscitate it. I've already called our dealer and left a message.

Meanwhile, the user manual is in the boot, and I have no idea how to open the boot manually. Can someone give me detailed directions? As well as instruction on manually opening the engine bay. Ugh.

Thanks in advance!

 

[NVMcLaren]

Is there enough reserve to open the door? The windows should have been lowered a bit automatically.

 

[danalotus]

Yes, the windows are rolled down. Just have no idea where the lever is to open... anything.

Thanks!

 

[Gentspy]

Use battery charge?

 

[danalotus]

Alright, just got a call back from the dealer. For anybody else who may be frantically searching, here is what I was told to do.

1. always try with both keys first. sometimes the car looks dead, but in fact one key has become decoupled from the car.
2. if not that, and then do the following:
* mechnical release for the door: strap on the window sill , next to the vertical seat bolster. undo leather strap button, then pull strap to open the door
a. get in, and hit the start button a few times and see if it will start up. sometimes it does. didn't get an explanation for this.
b. mechanical release for the boot: front of the driver's side door where the hinge is, behind the hinge is a plastic round tab to grab with two fingers, possibly need a flashlight to find and pull it
i. now that you're presumably in, get the battery tender and plug the thing in. will take at least 12 hours to hopefully get enough charge to start.

I hope that helps someone. Or maybe me again in the future.

 

[danalotus]

Use battery charge?

Oh, I guess maybe I wasn't clear that part of my problem is that everything is in the boot - specifically, the battery tend. Strategic error.

 

[NVMcLaren]

Glad you're in; fwiw if both keys are dead there is a 2nd door release tucked way back behind the drivers side turning vane

 

[uid0]

There (should have been) a "quick guide" for the car that tucks into a small pocket in the footwell of the passenger side. I know this is all hind-sight at this point, but I keep the quick guide in the car, and the full size manual in the house. $.02

Very glad you managed to hear back from the dealer. If I'd seen this earlier, I would have sent you the directions out of the manual

 

[MyMp4-12c]

Do we now know how to "steal" a mclaren?!?

 

[Italia]

Alright, just got a call back from the dealer. For anybody else who may be frantically searching, here is what I was told to do.

1. always try with both keys first. sometimes the car looks dead, but in fact one key has become decoupled from the car.
2. if not that, and then do the following:
* mechnical release for the door: strap on the window sill , next to the vertical seat bolster. undo leather strap button, then pull strap to open the door
a. get in, and hit the start button a few times and see if it will start up. sometimes it does. didn't get an explanation for this.
b. mechanical release for the boot: front of the driver's side door where the hinge is, behind the hinge is a plastic round tab to grab with two fingers, possibly need a flashlight to find and pull it
i. now that you're presumably in, get the battery tender and plug the thing in. will take at least 12 hours to hopefully get enough charge to start.

I hope that helps someone. Or maybe me again in the future.

Might also be a good idea to take it into service and get them to check the overall health of the battery in case a cell is damaged.

 

[uid0]

Do we now know how to "steal" a mclaren?!?

I think it'd be easier to just pick it up on a flatbed. If the battery was dead, the alarm wouldn't go off and you could totally play it off as towing it to the dealer

 

[uid0]

Might also be a good idea to take it into service and get them to check the overall health of the battery in case a cell is damaged.

So much of this!!! Li-ion batteries *really* don't like being discharged and you can easily "destroy" one by letting it drop below what would normally be a pretty high percentage compared to an old Pb one. Not trying to sound like an alarmist, but please please please have your dealer check the battery

 

[andy c]

There (should have been) a "quick guide" for the car that tucks into a small pocket in the footwell of the passenger side. I know this is all hind-sight at this point, but I keep the quick guide in the car, and the full size manual in the house. $.02

Very glad you managed to hear back from the dealer. If I'd seen this earlier, I would have sent you the directions out of the manual

Just to be safe,the outside door release is a standard key opening(key being inside the fob)
It is under a panel that sits on the underside of the top strake after the door opening just before the vane,this inturn has to be removed by a small finger hole.This panel is also on the nearside of a uk spec car and offside if you drive on the wrong side of the road
I also go on the premiss that if the car is to be left more than 3 days ,put it on charge.Although many owners have left it for days without problems but why take the risk

 

[LimeyBloke]

I also go on the premiss that if the car is to be left more than 3 days ,put it on charge.Although many owners have left it for days without problems but why take the risk

Andy, for future reference: Exactly where is the charging port for the car's lithium-ion battery charger/maintainer located?
(or, does it clip directly to the battery terminals?)

 

[Jerry]

Andy, for future reference: Exactly where is the charging port for the car's lithium-ion battery charger/maintainer located?
(or, does it clip directly to the battery terminals?)

There's a socket in the front luggage compartment. The lid of the luggage compartment can be left ajar whilst the rest of the car is locked and alarmed.

Have to admit that my charger has never been used and remains in it's original packaging in the luggage compartment.

 

[andy c]

There's a socket in the front luggage compartment. The lid of the luggage compartment can be left ajar whilst the rest of the car is locked and alarmed.

Have to admit that my charger has never been used and remains in it's original packaging in the luggage compartment.

This,but i always close my bonnet on the cable as its only thin and the rubber distorts around it without putting strain on anything

 

[dennis]

So much of this!!! Li-ion batteries *really* don't like being discharged and you can easily "destroy" one by letting it drop below what would normally be a pretty high percentage compared to an old Pb one. Not trying to sound like an alarmist, but please please please have your dealer check the battery

Agree. Just for reference, I was gone on a 10 day trip and left the car in the garage without the charger hooked up, just as a test. When I returned yesterday and checked the battery status, it was 93%!

So if the battery went dead there is definitely something wrong with it.

 

[AdmiralMubutu]

Agree. Just for reference, I was gone on a 10 day trip and left the car in the garage without the charger hooked up, just as a test. When I returned yesterday and checked the battery status, it was 93%!

So if the battery went dead there is definitely something wrong with it.

This-^ I typically only drive mine on weekends, it's never on the charger during the week, and the battery never budges off 99%.

I have noticed though that if you aren't careful, it's possible to turn off the engine without turning off the whole car, which could run the battery down in a hurry. I think this happens if you don't hold the start button for at least a full second when powering down. When the car is truly off, the IRIS displays the time, and the dash display should only say "Remove key from vehicle" or something like that. It's happened to me a couple of times but fortunately I noticed before too much time went by.

 

[dennis]

I have noticed though that if you aren't careful, it's possible to turn off the engine without turning off the whole car, which could run the battery down in a hurry. I think this happens if you don't hold the start button for at least a full second when powering down. When the car is truly off, the IRIS displays the time, and the dash display should only say "Remove key from vehicle" or something like that. It's happened to me a couple of times but fortunately I noticed before too much time went by.

I have noticed this many times but did not connect it with the amount of time holding the start/stop button. I do know that if you lock the car it will shut everything down even in the mode you are talking about. So I have made it a habit to lock the car even when it is parked in my garage.

 

[6th element]

I have noticed this many times but did not connect it with the amount of time holding the start/stop button. I do know that if you lock the car it will shut everything down even in the mode you are talking about. So I have made it a habit to lock the car even when it is parked in my garage.

Ditto - I just lock the car and it shuts everything OFF.