Help! Locked out!

P

Peter Markham

A2OC Donor
Hello All
We have been away from home for two months so as in the past the battery had gone flat I disconnected it and locked the door.
On our return the key blade will not unlock the door. The key turns both ways but nothing happens.
Any ideas what I can do?
Thanks
Peter
 
1 option is to open the bonnet, take some wire and connect battery (12v drill battery or car battery) to alternator. Put small long screwdriver in the gap between bonnet and flap and you can unscrew this screw and flap opens.

20190904_195639.jpg


2. Option is to connect battery to alternator from the bottom of the car.
 
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If you're using the flathead screwdriver approach to the service panel, you can't unscrew the catch directly ; you have to use the screwdriver blade to get the catch and the release cable end it hooks onto to part, thereby releasing the panel. The screw is only accessible once the panel is unlatched. (My '02 project car had this problem in that I couldn't unlatch with the cable until I retrofitted a glossy panel in place of the ridged one that was on it).

With jump cables you should then be able to get enough power to the alternator and an earth to get the doors unlocked, then open the boot and access the battery directly.
 
Second charge battery via alternator from underneath, easier said than done I imagine and a nightmare if engine undertray present.

I once made a 'lock pick' for the service flap, details in post 17 + 19 here..

Service flap not opening

Tried to open the service flap today but the release handle has disconnected from the latch, I tried the latch on its own and still nothing. Any ideas ? Thanks
www.a2oc.net

Will only work for a smooth service flap I think but might work for you.

A case of shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted, but if you often go away for months on end I highly recommend you buy a solar trickle charger such as the AA kit at ~£25. Plug it into the OBD socket under the steering wheel, place on dash and your A2 will likely start first time when you return.

Andy
 
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Thanks so much for all your replies.

This is a great forum!

Andrew I have for several years used a solar trickle charger but last year the battery went flat, a poor connection I think.
Hence this year I disconnected the battery. It would have been better not to as I could always open the door before!

Now for the coat hanger trick.

Kind regards
Peter
 
Can you not just turn the key in the driver's door barrel and open the door? It's a purely mechanical system and requires no power at all. Once you've opened the driver's door, climb through to the back and open the boot using its manual release.

Cheers.

Tom
 
timmus said:
Can you not just turn the key in the driver's door barrel and open the door? It's a purely mechanical system and requires no power at all. Once you've opened the driver's door, climb through to the back and open the boot using its manual release.

Cheers.

Tom
Click to expand...

--------------

Peter Markham said:
Hello All
...
On our return the key blade will not unlock the door. The key turns both ways but nothing happens.
Click to expand...

I think this has already been tried Tom - it may mean that the barrel needs maintenance after the event.
 
Hi Tom

I tried that first and it does not work. It feels as if nothing is happening, I think as sciroccorrado suggested the barrel needs work.

When I opened the gap between the bonnett and the flap I could see the screw and using my longest screwdriver slackened it off a turn or two and it clicked open!

Now to get power to the alternator.

Peter
 
steve_c said:
That's a great tip Andy. Currently £22.95 on eBay here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AA-Car-E...er-With-EOBD-Car-Van-Caravan-Etc/282839997546
Click to expand...
Judging by the size of the panel, it will only be about 10w and that will only be when the sun is out. Putting a panel under a windscreen will reduce that by about half. I know from experience that this will be insufficient in the dark days of winter. This is my solution:

100_1519.JPG100_1520.JPG

30w panel from Sunstore in Worthing and charge controller from here:

www.ebay.co.uk

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RAB
 
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