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I'm an EV mechanic - you need to open Tesla's secret compartment if your battery dies

Author

Christopher Harper

Published Sep 20, 2026

A MECHANIC has shown how a dead battery doesn’t have to stop you from entering a Tesla through its electrically-powered doors.

The knowledgeable technician outlined his troubleshooting steps in a TikTok posted to his service garage’s massive 189,000 follower base.

Andy is a mechanic at Royalty Auto Service in Georgia

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Andy is a mechanic at Royalty Auto Service in GeorgiaCredit: TikTok/royaltyautoservice
A body shop next door to Royalty Auto Service dropped off a Tesla whose electrical doors they couldn’t open since its battery was dead

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A body shop next door to Royalty Auto Service dropped off a Tesla whose electrical doors they couldn’t open since its battery was deadCredit: TikTok/royaltyautoservice

Royalty Auto Service’s (@royaltyautoservice) TikTok video begins with one of their mechanics, Andy, saying how the body shop next door brought in a 2019 Tesla Model 3 with body damage.

Andy highlighted that the body shop dropped the vehicle off since the key to its electric doors wasn’t working due to a dead battery.

Next, Andy goes to the Model 3’s front grille and points out a circular cover beneath the car’s left headlight.

This technician showed how to pop open the cover using your thumb before mentioning that you may need a trim tool for additional assistance.

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Removing this cover allows Andy to pull out two wires that operate the latch for the vehicle’s front trunk (frunk.)

The experienced mechanic then links a pair of jumper cables to the two wires before transmitting power that immediately opens the frunk.

But Andy still had to open the Tesla’s door, so he lifted a panel between the Model 3’s hood and windshield, revealing the vehicle’s 12-volt battery.

Andy hooked into the battery with his jumper cables, which allowed him to feed the car power to open its door.

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The technician added: “The older models, guys, just so you’re aware, they didn’t have the jumper right there in the [front] bumper.

“You had to remove the inner fender liner, and there were two release cables on each side to pop it to get the frunk to open.”

One viewer commented on Royalty Auto Service’s TikTok: “So don’t leave anything of value in the frunk. Got it.”

Another TikTok account replied: “This only works if the 12-volt battery is dead. If it has power, the frunk won’t open.”

Two wires behind a circular cover beneath the Tesla Model 3’s left headlight jumpstarts and opens the car’s front trunk

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Two wires behind a circular cover beneath the Tesla Model 3’s left headlight jumpstarts and opens the car’s front trunkCredit: TikTok/royaltyautoservice
Removing a cover between a Tesla Model 3’s hood and windshield reveals the car’s 12-volt battery, which you can feed electricity to that opens the vehicle’s doors

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Removing a cover between a Tesla Model 3’s hood and windshield reveals the car’s 12-volt battery, which you can feed electricity to that opens the vehicle’s doorsCredit: TikTok/royaltyautoservice