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Help...Locked out of Car

Rapmastac1

Rapmastac1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 5, 2006
1,120
47
In the Depths of the SLC!
Alrite, so I just got my first car, a 1995 Olds Aurora. This car was a great buy and I knew most if not all the problems it has before buying it, the owner was really honest.

Well when he owned the car he had lost the door key (which locks/unlocks the doors, trunk, and glove box) So all I have is the ignition key and the key fob to auto unlock the doors. Apparently the solenoid in the drivers door doesn't work, so i have to lock and unlock the door manually, so when I lock it by hand, i have to unlock all the doors with the key fob and get in the passenger side and manually unlock my door, which is a pain and one reason to get a key.

I tried getting into my car the other day and the doors wouldn't unlock. I don't know whether it's the remote or the car battery. And like I said, i don't have a door key (Damnit). So I don't know what to do, i want to get into my car but I have no way. I think it's the battery but I can't find that out becuase I have to open the hood from the inside. Is there any way to get a key made, I just barely had the car registered and haven't put my ownership papers inside yet so I have those. I heard i could go to a GM dealer and get a key made, but I don't have the original so the lock smith making a duplicate is out of the question. Becuase all I have is the ignition key. I already tried the ignition key on the doors.

Is there anything i can do that will take less than a half an hour and how much would it cost to get a key made (not duplicated) i would rather get a key made first and get batterys for the remote later. Would I have to have a locksmith and have him get it unlocked, or can I just get the key made?
 
I think the folks at GM are the only people who can help you now.
 
I went to get another door/ignition key for my 1998 Jeep Cherokee, and they guy only wanted the VIN #. With that he came out with a key, never had to even look at mine. Maybe try that?
 
The original dealer should be able to make you a new key for around $10.

That or buy a slim jim.

This is why I don't use keys to unlock my car.
 
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Yeah. You'll be able to get a replacement from GM. They'll need quite a few different details though. However, don't try putting your elbow through the window. It doesn't matter how many times Wesley Snipes has done it, it doesn't work... and it hurts... a lot...
 
Well, I tried using a coat hanger and was able to get it in (the cars windows don't have any frames, a lot like convertables, so it was an easy squeeze. But I just couldn't get it to be stiff enough to have any effect. Tried the whole mythed cell phone remote thingy, but that don't work, and I wonder why :rolleyes: .

While I was doing that, a car had driven by, then backed up and stopped. The guy was on his phone, I think he called the police to report I was trying to steal the vehicle (if he did, that would be perfect, they could unlock my door) but no police came by yet....but I did see one, whom pulled me over....

.... They had jus put up a new light near a Cosco, and you can barely see it when you are driving (damn, should have taken the freeway home tonite), and I ran the red light, I think i was focusing more on the cop right next to the light (the one who pulled me over) than I was the light. I got a red light violation (82bucks!) I knew I was going to go straight through that light one day, and it happened. I was about to ask him for help with the locked car, but he left in such a hurry.
 
joepunk said:
Police might be able to help in unlocking the door if you can find any.
Click to expand...

don't bother with the police. Call a tow truck. They'll be able to get in.

after that, get the VIN number and go to the local GM dealership...make sure you bring a copy of the vehicle registration with you (and the title, if you have it. They're likely going to want some proof of ownership). Tell them you want a replacement key set. I dunno what the fee is, but it would undoubtedly be worth it.
 
'95... that's borderline. But you might have had some success with a screwdriver and a tennis ball, had you have been fortunate enough to have had both of them on your person at the time.

It used to work on every Vauxhall up until the mid '90's at least. :D
 
Well, ok as you know now I finally got in the car using a coat hanger! So I tried starting it and doing the door unlocks and nothing works, the battery is dead. So about an hour ago my friend came over and after a while we got everything set, we got the batterys connected and my door lights turned on, YAY!

So after a few failed attempts to start, we let them sit for a few minutes then it finally started. I took it for a drive and later found out why my battery went flat (my interior lights button had been left on, damn!) So it's sitting out front and I have succesfully started it on it's own again, it's on a charger now, but it has a CHECK ENGINE LIGHT on, he said I need ignition fluid...would this be a likely thing?

Another question, leaving the charger on a 10 amp quick charge over night would be safe right? Like leaving a cell phone charging over night is safe?
 
Rapmastac1 said:
Well, I tried using a coat hanger and was able to get it in (the cars windows don't have any frames, a lot like convertables, so it was an easy squeeze. But I just couldn't get it to be stiff enough to have any effect. Tried the whole mythed cell phone remote thingy, but that don't work, and I wonder why :rolleyes: .
Click to expand...


The cell phone thing does work, I've seen it happen.
 
Well, I started it again and YAY, it started without any external help. What I think is, the first time i got it started, it kinda stumbled and the check engine light came on becuase there wasn't enough charge in the battery to kick the alternator, so the check engine light came on, but I started it and there is no check engine light, so I think I'm good, and I'm never leaving my INTERIOR LIGHTS switch on again, and I'm always leaving a door unlocked (different door every night) seeing as my car has the right protection so it can't start!
 
Go to the dealer and get another complete set of keys made, should not be too expensive.

The ignition key with the little chip isn't much, and the ones with no chips are dirt cheap.

It is only the new immobilizer-style keys that are insane in price.
 
Any ideas on leaving the charger on the battery all nite? Can you "overcharge" a car battery? This isn't your normal car battery either, this is a wicked battery, the ports are on the side and it has a wider skinnier shape.
 
How old is the battery, If its over 5 years its not worth it, you can charge it all you want and it wont do much good. I would check it after 12 hours to see how the charge is doing.
 
Remove battery, drive to Wal-mart and swap it for a new one.

They will likely also install it free if you want to wait and drive there, but likely the battery you do have is low on fluid and has 1 or more half dry cells.

Batteries are generally all the same, so Wal-mart low cost batteries are generally a decent deal. Though they have reduced the brands to the Wally World variety.
 
SFVCyclone said:
The cell phone thing does work, I've seen it happen.
Click to expand...
No, it does not work. It can seem to work if the person on the other end of the call is close enough for the remote to work. There is no way to transmit a remote's transmission over a networked cell phone call.
 
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