Leaving the radio or the lights on in your Cadillac Escalade can result in a dead battery. With a dead battery, the central locking system of your car may be non-operational, making it impossible to open the car with your key. But you still need to access the vehicle. How do you open your Cadillac Escalade when the battery is dead? We talked to the experts, and this is what we discovered.
The technique used will depend on the model of your automobile. But you may use either of these methods to open your Cadillac Escalade with a dead battery:
- Use a key to unlock the mechanical lock on the driver's door of your car.
- Use a slim jim.
- Call a locksmith/roadside assistance.
- Enter your Cadillac Escalade via the trunk and try to recharge the battery.
- Clean the battery contacts.
- As a last resort, break a window to open the Cadillac Escalade.
- Replace defective alternator.
Before trying these methods, it is prudent to consider your insurance to avoid violating the contract.
This article focuses at greater length on how you should go about each of these methods to open your Cadillac escalade with a dead battery. We will also discuss how you can jump-start the 2018 Cadillac Escalade model and ways to resolve issues that may cause your automobile not to start. Dive in!
Why will the Cadillac Escalade not open?
Although the Cadillac Escalade is a dependable road companion, it may fail to deliver as expected from time to time. Awareness of why your vehicle won't open is crucial in troubleshooting the car.
Weak or dead battery
Usually, car batteries will serve you for three to five years. However, extreme climatic conditions can adversely affect the battery's life, thus shortening its lifespan. Furthermore, leaving the lights on can drain a battery.
If the battery is dead, you may be unable to open your automobile using the key fob since the central locking system may not be functional.
Corrosion on the battery
If your car's battery contacts are eroded, there will be a loss of connection and reduced current flow. Because the body controller will not supply power to the door-lock actuator, the door will not open.
Weak or dead key fob battery
The key fob battery is used to send the signal for locking or unlocking the vehicle. Consequently, if the key fob battery is drained, the door will not close or open at the push of a button.
Malfunctioning alternator
The alternator produces electricity which charges the battery. If it is defective, the battery will not power any of the car's operations, including opening the door.
Troubleshooting to Open Cadillac Escalade
Use a key to unlock the mechanical lock on the driver's door
If your automobile's battery is dead, it is recommended that you turn the key in the lock while pulling the door handle. You may also use a key to unlock the mechanical lock if the key fob battery is weak or empty.
Use a slim jim
You can try to open your Cadillac's door by sliding a slim jim or a thin rod between the weather stripping on the car door and the window. This way, you will gain access to the door lock. Pulling the latch upward will connect the outside door handle to the opening mechanism. Thus, the door will open.
In the absence of a thin piece of metal, you can use a hanger, although the hanger has a higher chance of damaging your automobile due to its thickness.
Call a locksmith/roadside assistance
A locksmith has the technical know-how to unlock your car by causing as little interference as possible. It can also be cheaper to call a locksmith than to repair any damage you may cause while trying to open the Cadillac Escalade yourself.
If your vehicle does not have a mechanical lock, the locksmith can reprogram the code using a VATS passcode and allow you access to your car. The locksmith can also repair or replace any defective parts that may cause your car not to start.
Contact your insurance company to determine if your policy covers roadside assistance.
Try to recharge the battery
You can either jump-start your Cadillac Escalade using a healthy battery from another car or by using a battery booster. Read on as we discuss further how to jump-start the Cadillac Escalade.
If you cannot use the key to open your car manually, you would need to go through the trunk to open the hood and recharge the battery.
Inspect your vehicle for a hidden trunk lock since some models are not built with it. You can then insert and turn the key to unlock the trunk. Open the hood using the hood-pop button on the interior, and recharge or jump-start the battery once you have access to your car's battery.
Clean the battery contacts
If the battery has white or silver-green deposits, you may need to clean it to restore current flow.
Cleaning the battery requires that you remove the pole cables first. Since the order is critical, begin by removing the black cable from the negative terminal followed by the red cable on the positive terminal. You can then clean the eroded battery after detaching it from the circuit.
Reconnect the terminals after cleaning the battery. Connect the positive pole first, then the negative pole.
Break a window
If you cannot unlock the door, you may break a window as a last resort. Although this method is efficient, it is also quite costly as you will have to buy another window to replace the broken one. Carefully choose which window to break since the smaller ones are more expensive to purchase and more complicated to install.
It is paramount that you review your automotive insurance contract before breaking a window to avoid violating it.
Replace defective alternator
Although it is rare for the alternator to break down, it can still break down depending on how you use the car. Most modern models expect the alternator to last about 200,000 to 300,000 miles. If your vehicle does not start because the alternator malfunctions, the alternator would need to be replaced.
How to jump-start the 2018 Cadillac Escalade
It is crucial to ensure that the car battery used to jump-start your Cadillac Escalade is a 12-volt battery with a negative grounding system to avoid damaging both automobiles.
Step-by-step guide
- Position both vehicles close enough for the jumper cables to reach, but they should not touch each other! If the cars are in contact, they will create an unwanted ground connection that could destroy their electrical systems.
- Set the vehicle with an automatic transmission on 'park' (P). If the car has a manual transmission, set it to 'neutral'. Set the transfer case in 'drive' rather than 'neutral' for a vehicle with a four-wheel drive.
- Turn off the ignition in both cars. Further, detach any unnecessary accessories plugged into power outlets. Also, switch off the radio and non-essential lights to avoid sparks and save both batteries.
- Locate the positive and negative terminals on the battery.
- The positive terminal is covered by a red plastic cap, while a black plastic cap covers the negative terminal. Open the covers to access the terminals.
- Inspect the jumper cables for loose or missing insulation to avoid being shocked or damaging the automobiles.
- Fasten one end of the red (positive) cable to the dead battery's positive terminal, then affix the alternate end of the cable to the positive terminal of the healthy battery. Using a remote positive terminal if the car has one is advisable.
- Secure one end of the black (negative) terminal to the negative cable of the good battery. It is suitable to use a remote negative terminal if it is present. Secure the alternate end of the negative cable to the negative grounding point for the dead battery.
- Start the car with a good battery and let the engine run for a while.
- Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. It probably needs service if it doesn't start after a few tries.
- Work in reverse to remove the jumper cables. Ensure that you remove the cables in the correct order by beginning with the negative cable to avoid electrical shorting, which may damage the vehicle. Further, ensure that the cables do not touch each other or other metals.
- Allow the vehicle that had the dead battery to idle for several minutes to charge the battery.
Final Thoughts
You do not need to worry if the battery of your Cadillac Escalade is dead, as you can still open the car and jump-start it. It is prudent to keep the key to the mechanical lock in an easy-to-access place if you need it.
It is also essential to have the condition of your vehicle's battery and engine checked every time the car goes to the dealer or mechanic for service. Regular inspection will help you avoid malfunctions with your vehicle.
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