Opening locked doors with no power
 

Unfortunately the D3 has just chosen to self-immolate in the work car park. Damage is confined to the engine bay but the car is electrically dead, which gives the conundrum of opening the door.

The fire brigade have sawzall'd the drivers window for access to the bonnet release as it wouldn't smash (yay for double glazing) but the interior door handle does nothing.

Is there an override somewhere so I can get access and empty it of personal effects before it's collected by the insurance company?

No guarantees it will work, but have you tried the key in the drivers door (under the handle), and also the lock in the boot (anti-clockwise about 45 degrees from vertical).

Worked like a charm, never even knew they were there. +++ At least now I can empty it properly before collection.

Just curious, but is the wiring damaged to one side of the engine bay? Reason for asking is because I was reading of another D3 owner (on Facebook) whose car decided to do the same thing. He finally got it going again, and it was due to the wiring harness that runs down the side of the engine bay short circuiting, caused by excessive rubbing of wires.

It's the OSF corner. Headlight, wing, inner guards, airbox etc are all gone, the front strut has collapsed, with the bonnet and rest of the front bumper falling casualty to the fire brigade having to break into the engine bay. The admin might want it for parts as the rest of the car was untouched but I don't see it going back on the road.

Sounds like it started in the same place, but been burning longer.

Did anyone else have to look up ‘immolate’? :o

+1 Every day is a school day

Bizarre that it's popped up in two different threads on the same day :D (D2 engine swap thread - Project Judas reference)

I was going to, but figured it out from the clues in the post 'Damage is confined to the engine bay' and 'The fire brigade'. That, and I was aware of the same thing happening to someone else.

Highly unlikely that I'm going to be dropping it into conversation any day soon.