Audi E-Tron GT Locked Out While Charging – A Real-World Callout

By Northcap – Roadside Rescue Mechanic

He plugged in his Audi E-Tron GT to top up the charge and figured he’d kill two birds with one stone—very efficient.

Only problem? When he came back out, the car didn’t want to play.

Locked Out

First red flag: the key fob wasn’t unlocking the doors. No lights, no clicks—just a whole lot of nothing. He wasn’t the sort to sit on his hands though. He’d already hired a car and was back on the road when I got there. I respect that kind of hustle.

The E-Tron was still plugged into the hotel charger, key was on-site, and it was now my problem. I gave the fob a try—still dead.

Many E-Tron owners don’t even realise there’s a hidden manual key blade inside the fob. Flip the release, slide the blade out, and then pop off the plastic door handle cover. There’s a little recess underneath, designed for prying with the key blade. With that off, you’ll find a hidden key barrel. I inserted the blade, gave it a twist, and we’re in.

Dead Inside

Once in the driver’s seat, I tried to bring the car to life—dead as a doornail. No ignition lights, no screens, nothing. Seemed clear the 12V battery was flat.

To confirm, I needed to access the battery or at least the jump-start terminals. On these Audis (same platform as the Porsche Taycan), they’re under the hood—or frunk—just below the windshield cowl.

Manual Frunk Release

Thankfully, I’d just done a similar job on a Taycan, so I knew the trick. The emergency frunk release is tucked behind the front kick panel. You’ve got to give the panel a firm pull to remove it. Inside, you’ll find a power terminal.

I pulled that terminal out and connected my jump pack, grounding it on the door strap. Boom—hood popped.

Battery Access

With the frunk open, I removed the plastic covers beneath the wipers to get to the battery terminals. Sure enough, the 12V was stone dead. I connected the jump pack to the terminals, and the car powered up—but it still wouldn’t start since the charger was still locked in place.

Releasing the Charger

I tried the usual approach: locking and unlocking the car, pressing the charger inward to relieve tension, but no luck. That cable was staying put.

On the E-Tron GT, each front charge door has a hidden manual charge port release—one for each side since the car can charge on either side. Inside the door jam is a small, discrete button attached to a pull cord. Give it a tug, and it releases the charge cable lock.

I pulled the release—click—and the charger is free.

Power Restored

With the charger released, the car started and began charging the 12V battery from the main lithium battery. I tidied up the covers under the hood and the kick panel and fed the manual release string back into its slot.

I checked for a drain on the 12-volt battery; all was fine, no drain. Before leaving, I rang and explained that the charge door may require a reset and that he should probably have the car checked by Audi, but as things stood, the car was running and charging fine, and no battery drain.

As for why the 12V battery went flat—there was no obvious culprit. Nothing had been left on, and no clear signs of a drain. The most likely explanation? An over-the-air software update. We’re seeing more of these updates draining the 12V battery, as they wake up multiple control modules and can run for quite a while, especially if the internet connection is slow.

Takeaway for EV Owners

• Know where your manual key blade is—and how to use it.
• Understand how to access your frunk in a no-power situation.
• Learn how to manually release a charge cable.
• Know how to safely jumpstart your 12V battery—it’s still the heart of your EV’s electronics.

EVs are fantastic machines, but when they go dark, it helps to know your way around them.

Until next time—stay charged and stay sharp.

– Northcap