I searched several pages of threads to no avail.

Car is dead - and by dead, I mean totaled - and I need to clean it out before the tow comes tomorrow.

Would prefer not to try and jump it, if possible.

 

I have less than 24 hours to figure this out before the car goes bye.

Note: car is bricked; jumping it won't work.

Thanks in advance.

 

Temporarily disconnect your battery and put in a good battery from another car.

Most likely your dead battery is pulling in too much current for the jump to work.

 

You could try connecting a set of jumpers or a battery charger to the internal fusebox main cable, under the black plastic cover (big red cable) at the top of this pic: Jaginfo - Jaguar XF Forum
This fuse box is in the RHS footwell near the kickpanel, so passenger side on a LHD car.
Connect the positive lead of the jumper cable or battery charger to that connection and the negative lead to a convenient earth.
That might juice up the battery just enough to get the glovebox open.

 

Thank you both for the replies, however, I had the car hooked up to another car's battery that was strong enough to operate most of the car's electrical system. The glove box still would not work. Is there no mechanical release mechanism anywhere in the car for this?

 

Many XF owners have had problems opening the glove box, even with a fully charged and healthy battery. The secret is to touch the button dead on with the tip of your finger. No angle, no swipe, tap/push it at exactly 90 degrees. If all/most other electrical systems are working with the car hooked up to another car's battery then the glove box button should work. No mechanical release AFAIK.

 

Big screw driver or flat pry bar. If it is dead, what does it matter?

 

That's what I was thinking

 

 

Clarkson had it figured out...

you don't open it with a dead battery, you open it with a hammer...

 

 

I think the problem is we don't quite know what the OP meant by "totalled".
Is the whole car totalled, a write-off, so it doesn't matter if the glove box is destroyed, or is it just the battery which is fubar and he doesn't want to destroy the glove box?

 

Ha, great replies. Yes, I've considered the pry bar route, but...

The car is totaled due to flooding. My concern was affecting the value of the claim if I caused interior damage to the vehicle. Car has already been inspected/rendered a total loss.

 

No other way than a pry bar...You can try hooking up a battery to the original battery cables to power enough to maybe energize the opening solenoid. But use a small 12 volt battery or battery charger..

Saltwater or freshwater flooding?

 

Well the flooding may have taken out the electrics and or the solenoid so even with a battery source it may not open. I doubt that forced entry to the glovebox is going to affect your claim further but ask your insurance company....

Sorry for your loss BTW.

 

Thanks. It was flooded in Houston's floods from 3 weeks ago.

Got put on a flatbed two hours ago for parts yards unknown!

Funny, when the tow driver lifted it onto the bed, water was still draining out of it! Unreal.

Never could get the glove box open despite all the helpful suggestions from this forum and elsewhere.