My van has one of those keys that lock/unlock the vehicle at the touch of that little button on the key fob. The internal battery got weak, so I bought a new one to replace it. Mistake!!!
What was supposed to be a corrective measure has become a challenge. The doors will still lock/unlock, but they seemingly do so at their whim. Sometimes it takes 5 depressions, other times 7 or 4, or whichever random number that thing decides.Today I had some mechanical work done, and my mechanic ( not a dealership guy ) noticed this quirk. He advised me to take the key back to the dealers and get it re-programmed to work properly. Apparently these sending devices also will "lock you out" of your own vehicle, if they are allowed to lapse into a low charge. They also have some anti-theft deterrent in that they will let you into the vehicle, allow you to start it, but will shut it down completely after about 15 seconds. Repeated tries to start the vehicle when the sensor is in this "mode" will result in it shutting down completely, and the only solution is to have the vehicle towed to the dealership for re-programming.
What's your experience with your keys ? Is this information accurate ? Have any of you had your own ride balk, and shut you out ?
I'm one who has a staunch belief in an ounce of prevention, and I thought I'd seek out your collective advice. Posted by Frank Smith (Member # 146) on :
No trouble yet with our 4 year old one.
I jumped when I saw your topic title, though. Must be 20 years since I've left the keys in the ignition and locked myself out, but it happened this afternoon!
Posted by Rene Giroux (Member # 4980) on :
OnStar...
Posted by Jon Butterworth (Member # 227) on :
Haven't locked myself out for years, but I did have a recent experience with remote keys.
Sue lost her key for the Honda CRV. We looked everywhere in the house & garage for days. Used mine in the meantime.
Finally went down to the Honda Dealership with the car and my keys to get a replacement for Sue. Told, although the key was only $20, it was going to cost another $240 to program the keys, reprogram the car and my keys too!
They didn't have any stock keys for the new Honda and had to order one in. I booked the car in for a couple of days later. Would you believe, the night before I was due to take it down, Sue found hers in her dressing gown!!!!! How the hell they got there beats me. Maybe she went for a midnight drive?
So now I have an unprogramed "spare" key costing $20.
By the way, I have "dog-chained" Sue's keys to her purse Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
I used to have a Honda Accord that was possessed by a demon. It would randomly lock and unlock at the worst times. I have a couple of bad stories involving it...
Our dumpster was next to the street behind our building. One day I parked in the street for a minute to run around to the passenger side of my car to get out some trash. About half way around, I heard the doors lock. Waited for a minute, they didn't unlock so I run into the shop to get the Slim-jim. While in the shop they tell me I have call holding... so I get on the phone and totally forget about my car. About 15 minutes later, it hits me and I run outside... it's still there, people pulling around it, wondering who the idiot is that decided to park in the street. Was going to use the Slim-Jim and notice that meanwhile the doors have unlocked.
Another time I left after work to head for Mobile, AL for a birthday party for a friend. I know this is bad (and I don't do it anymore) but I dipped into my ice-chest and was sipping on a Bud Light on the way... well, in a little while I needed to take a leak and since I was in a hurry and it was dark, I pulled up a little used exit ramp and relieved myself beside the car... Didn't even occur to me to shut the car off and take my keys with me... yup.. was just going around to get back in, and 'CLICK' the demon struck. I beat fruitlessly on the side window demanding that it unlock the car immediately... to no avail. I knew I couldn't wait for the highway Po-po to come along to open it because of the open beer in the cup-holder, so I was left with no choice. Picked up a fallen over reflector sign post and POWWW... right through the side window... unlocked my doors and away I went.
It was after that I put a spare key in a magnetic holder under the car.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
I still remember taking my daughter cross country at about 10 months of age, to meet her grandparents in Chicago.
Her mom and I left to drive back to Oregon on a rainy evening with some new cassette tapes, a cooler with snacks, and a big thermos we intended to fill repeatedly at truck stops along the way.
Back then, I dont think it was illegal to leave a child in a parked car, and we didn't think anything of leaving her sleeping right outside the coffee shop while we sat down for a cup & a thermos fill... but when it started pouring rain cats and dogs, I ran out to see if the sound of the rain might wake her up... sure enough, she was waking up, the keys were locked inside... & I was getting soaked while watching my baby girl starting to cry...
...called cops & had to get soaking wet for several more excruciating minutes until the patrol car showed up with the first slimjim I ever saw.
That was not the way I liked to start a 4 day road trip.
Now days, since I have one of those self locking trucks... when I want to jump out for a fast look at something, or unloading something, with the engine running... I just roll the window down!
Posted by Ricky Jackson (Member # 5082) on :
Jon, I feel your pain bro. My mustang has automatic locks and I've been locked out a few times. The last time I busted a window too; the most expensive one on the car. The window (the small triangular one on the sides of the "back seat" cost over $600 plus the installation. The first thing I did was buy a handful of magnetic key holders and put them on every vehicle I have. I've had to use them a time or two too. Personally, I think the inventor of the automatic lock should be hunted down and flogged with a dirty, wet jock strap.
Posted by Bob Peach (Member # 2620) on :
My Honda is sensitive to the UPS scanner. I was sitting in the car in a parking lot and as the UPS guy was walking by punching in numbers for his delivery...my doors were locking and unlocking!!
Posted by Ricky Jackson (Member # 5082) on :
Wow, next time I want to get in a car, I'm calling UPS! They're cheaper than a locksmith and if they're not there by 10:30, they'll open your car for free. Posted by Dana Stanley (Member # 6786) on :
When I start my 97 Chevy pick up the doors lock automatically. In the winter when I start it and don't want to get in and get white stuff all over the floor, I Start it with the door open. Now I have a spare key in my wallet.
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
Believe it or not I once fell out of a car I was steering when the electric door malfunctioned and opened the door. It was a full custom 54 Merc which was being towed via chain and I collected insurance money over it after the lawsuit. I was doing the guy a favor and only after he treated me so rotten did my parents sue him, I was about 16 then. I couldn't work for two months and yet no one ever said my lines were any worse during that time.
Posted by Dana Bowers (Member # 780) on :
Make a long story VERY short...
While staying at my folks place, my car wouldn't start. AAA came out to start it, with my Dad there and me at work.
They started it, then left, and my Dad came out to the car after it ran awhile to charge the battery.
AAA locked the keys in the car.
Took them about 5 hours or so to come back to unlock it.
You think PT Cruisers get lousy gas mileage when moving? They get even worse when standing still...
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
A while back, I was leaving the Home Depot parking lot and noticed some debris in the road. No traffic was in sight, and being a nice guy, I quickly stopped, jumped out of the pickup, tossed the object in the back, and realized I'd locked myself out of my own truck. There I was, halfway out of Home Depot's parking lot into a major street. I had to wait over thirty minutes to get in touch with my wife and have her come over and rescue me.
During that half hour, many considerate people showed they appreciated my altruistic nature by hand signs, signaling that I was #1 in their book.
Posted by Michael Boone (Member # 308) on :
drive old junk....you wont have that problem
Posted by The Moon (Member # 452) on :
Amen Boone!
Ole' Red- '55 Chevy P/U The Ice Queen- '66 Ford Mustang The Beast- '77 Chevy Blazer and my new "baby" '94 Toyota Celica I call Dani... I drive her like I think I'm Danika Patrick. LOL But she handles so well on these Mountain Roads that wind about the forest trees and around the peaks and valleys.
None of them have auto lock and I can open three of them with a butter knife. (if neccessary, via the wind wing windows... found that out when I was having a truely blonde moment one day)
Jon- My daughter has the same demon living in her Jetta- auto locks go on/off on a whim. When I drive it the windows are ALWAYS down.
I think the guy that set up the auto lock feature must be related to the computer guy that set up the mood swings in our computers. (tell me these things don't have personalities and attitudes! LOL My computer throws tantrums weekly)
I think this all a preview as to what we'll have to deal with when personal robots make their debut.
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