F-Type ( X152 ) 2014 - Onwards
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

GAH I locked my keys in my car. Dead battery.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 10-10-2020, 04:22 PM
maxiedaniels's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default GAH I locked my keys in my car. Dead battery.

My keys I locked in the car are the only ones that have a manual key inside. Story time:

My battery died due to that stupid ODB bug after I went to a mechanic for an oil change. I called AAA to get my battery jumped, and the manual key wasn’t working.. the guy tried to get the door open through my window, and shattered the window.

That window is now replaced, but it took four days and the guy didn’t jump the battery because he thought I should wait until the car is drivable (not shattered window). In those four days, apparently the battery completely died - I had it jumped earlier today, drove for an hour, but it doesn’t hold charge.

I just got home and found a company to come replace my battery, but realized my keys fell out of my pocket. I’m intensely frustrated and hating myself.. what can I do here? Do I call AAA again and hope they don’t shatter the window??
 
  #2  
Old 10-10-2020, 05:39 PM
Lani Kai's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: New York
Posts: 255
Received 177 Likes on 97 Posts
Default

How were you able to lock the car with the keys inside? My car won't lock via keyless if the fob is still in the car.
It also won't lock if the fob is more than a few inches from the door handle (e.g. I'm standing with my right leg near the handle but the fob is in the left pocket) but that's a different story.
 

Last edited by Lani Kai; 10-10-2020 at 05:41 PM.
  #3  
Old 10-10-2020, 05:40 PM
maxiedaniels's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Lani Kai
How were you able to lock the car with the keys inside? My car won't lock via keyless if the fob is still in the car.
Car battery is completely shot.
 
  #4  
Old 10-10-2020, 06:35 PM
sov211's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Victoria, Canada
Posts: 3,638
Received 2,245 Likes on 1,361 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by maxiedaniels
Car battery is completely shot.
Yes, but the question still stands: how were you able to lock the car with the fob inside - I think it should not lock under those circumstances. Do you have only the one fob?
 
  #5  
Old 10-10-2020, 06:52 PM
Unhingd's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Maryland, US
Posts: 16,939
Received 4,661 Likes on 3,366 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by sov211
Yes, but the question still stands: how were you able to lock the car with the fob inside - I think it should not lock under those circumstances. Do you have only the one fob?
Even with another fob, there’s no way to get juice to the car to open the rear hatch or to use the fob to open the door to access the bonnet latch. With the wheel well liners and various engine compartment panels currently removed on my car I took the opportunity to explore the possibility of opening the bonnet from another location and discovered that they did an impressive job routing the entire release cable with zero access when the bonnet is closed.
The only options the OP has are to risk another window break, or wait until the dealer can secure a replacement key. I have found that failure to successfully use the emergency key stems from not fully inserting it in the hole. It should be slid in deeper than one would expect.
 
  #6  
Old 10-10-2020, 07:08 PM
scm's Avatar
scm
scm is offline
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Southampton, UK
Posts: 4,328
Received 1,460 Likes on 1,105 Posts
Default

Aren't there any electrical points accessible under the car to connect a booster to get the trunk open?
 
  #7  
Old 10-10-2020, 07:24 PM
Unhingd's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Maryland, US
Posts: 16,939
Received 4,661 Likes on 3,366 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by scm
Aren't there any electrical points accessible under the car to connect a booster to get the trunk open?
Bingo! Remove the front right wheel well liner, strip just a bit of insulation from the big red cable and use this and any exposed chassis bolt head to energize the trunk latch.



 
The following 3 users liked this post by Unhingd:
OzXFR (10-10-2020), schuss (05-03-2021), stirlingsilver (06-24-2024)
  #8  
Old 10-10-2020, 07:53 PM
sov211's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Victoria, Canada
Posts: 3,638
Received 2,245 Likes on 1,361 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Unhingd
Even with another fob, there’s no way to get juice to the car to open the rear hatch or to use the fob to open the door to access the bonnet latch.
The only options the OP has are to risk another window break, or wait until the dealer can secure a replacement key. I have found that failure to successfully use the emergency key stems from not fully inserting it in the hole. It should be slid in deeper than one would expect.
My question about a second key fob was related to having a second door key within the second fob! If the door can be opened then the bonnet can be opened to access the charging/boosting points.
 
  #9  
Old 10-10-2020, 10:50 PM
Unhingd's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Maryland, US
Posts: 16,939
Received 4,661 Likes on 3,366 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by sov211
My question about a second key fob was related to having a second door key within the second fob! If the door can be opened then the bonnet can be opened to access the charging/boosting points.
oh...I believe OP already mentioned that the fob locked in the car was the only one with the emergency key.
 
  #10  
Old 10-11-2020, 02:55 AM
takeapieandrun's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Bay Area CA
Posts: 414
Received 111 Likes on 75 Posts
Default

That could be a lifesaver, Unhingd. Hopefully never have to use it but would definitely prefer over a shattered window. Sorry that happened to you OP.
 
  #11  
Old 10-11-2020, 03:00 AM
Unhingd's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Maryland, US
Posts: 16,939
Received 4,661 Likes on 3,366 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by takeapieandrun
That could be a lifesaver, Unhingd. Hopefully never have to use it but would definitely prefer over a shattered window. Sorry that happened to you OP.
Removing a 3/8”x3/8” section of insulation should be sufficient, and easy enough to patch afterwards with a couple winds of red electrical tape.
 
  #12  
Old 10-11-2020, 11:56 AM
maxiedaniels's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Unhingd
Removing a 3/8”x3/8” section of insulation should be sufficient, and easy enough to patch afterwards with a couple winds of red electrical tape.
Thank you for the pointer, amazing to know! I didn't see this until today, yesterday I had a locksmith come out, he said he could get in via the window without a problem. I reminded him of what happened last week, he said don't worry, and he got the door open without a broken window in under 20 seconds. Obviously way more skilled than the other guy. Crisis averted!!
 
  #13  
Old 10-11-2020, 01:07 PM
19FRG's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 362
Received 115 Likes on 66 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by maxiedaniels
My keys I locked in the car are the only ones that have a manual key inside. Story time:

My battery died due to that stupid ODB bug after I went to a mechanic for an oil change. I called AAA to get my battery jumped, and the manual key wasn’t working.. the guy tried to get the door open through my window, and shattered the window.

That window is now replaced, but it took four days and the guy didn’t jump the battery because he thought I should wait until the car is drivable (not shattered window). In those four days, apparently the battery completely died - I had it jumped earlier today, drove for an hour, but it doesn’t hold charge.

I just got home and found a company to come replace my battery, but realized my keys fell out of my pocket. I’m intensely frustrated and hating myself.. what can I do here? Do I call AAA again and hope they don’t shatter the window??
That sucks, however dont both sets have an emergency key in them if not thats stupid by jaguar.
 
  #14  
Old 10-11-2020, 01:24 PM
Unhingd's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Maryland, US
Posts: 16,939
Received 4,661 Likes on 3,366 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 19FRG
That sucks, however dont both sets have an emergency key in them if not thats stupid by jaguar.
Normally, yes, but by the time the car gets to the 2nd or 3rd owner, it’s anyone’s guess what happens to the emergency keys.
 
  #15  
Old 10-11-2020, 03:44 PM
OzXFR's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 8,433
Received 3,208 Likes on 2,365 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Unhingd
Removing a 3/8”x3/8” section of insulation should be sufficient, and easy enough to patch afterwards with a couple winds of red electrical tape.
It looks like there is a clip on cover on the bottom of that fuse/relay/power box, maybe you can unclip it and open it up and access a bare bit of the power cable on the inside of the box and save having to cut some insulation off?
My guess though is that there is no bare cable inside the box, but worth a look by the next person who removes that wheel well lining.
 
The following users liked this post:
JacksonvilleJag (10-12-2020)
  #16  
Old 10-14-2020, 07:46 AM
2004XJ8's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Boston Ma
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 105 Likes on 56 Posts
Default

Ok so this post got me curious. I bought my car used and never tried the emergency keys on either fob that came with the car..

Just went down to the garage to try both. Neither appears to work? I did not want to snap the key off by forcing it. I have a couple of questions.
Both fobs work fine.

1. How far in to the key hole do they keys need to be inserted?
2. How difficult is it to get new emergency keys?
3. Any idea how much these keys cost to replace?
 
  #17  
Old 10-14-2020, 10:21 AM
scm's Avatar
scm
scm is offline
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Southampton, UK
Posts: 4,328
Received 1,460 Likes on 1,105 Posts
Default

When you say "doesn't work", do you mean you turn the key and nothing seems to happen? I got caught like that - once you've turned the key you pull the handle as usual.
 
  #18  
Old 10-14-2020, 01:41 PM
2004XJ8's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Boston Ma
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 105 Likes on 56 Posts
Default

The key doesn't turn at all.

I pushed the handle out far enough to insert the key. Tried turning the key and would not turn. I did not use too much force as I did not want to break the key off.

any help with this would be great.
 
  #19  
Old 10-14-2020, 04:20 PM
Carbuff2's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Exit 30 in NorthWest NJ
Posts: 1,770
Received 579 Likes on 397 Posts
Default

Be careful not to twist too hard, I had to get a second key for a fob from the dealer. They are matched to the VIN.

My lock lubricant of choice is Lock-Ease, a graphite lock lubricant. It is available in drip bottles or aerosol. There are other 'dry' lubricants too.

You MAY need to use a penetrating oil to free the cylinder up. PB Blaster or Kroil are good, but lubricate the lock cylinder properly afterwards after you finish.



Graphite lubes do not attract dirt, the drip stuff has a liquid carrier that evaporates.

I lubricate the locks once a year, yes the emergency key is not the easiest thing to turn but they DO work.

Don't forget the manual key-hole in the trailing edge of the driver's door (near the door latch).
 
  #20  
Old 10-14-2020, 04:52 PM
2004XJ8's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Boston Ma
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 105 Likes on 56 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Carbuff2
Be careful not to twist too hard, I had to get a second key for a fob from the dealer. They are matched to the VIN.

My lock lubricant of choice is Lock-Ease, a graphite lock lubricant. It is available in drip bottles or aerosol. There are other 'dry' lubricants too.

You MAY need to use a penetrating oil to free the cylinder up. PB Blaster or Kroil are good, but lubricate the lock cylinder properly afterwards after you finish.



Graphite lubes do not attract dirt, the drip stuff has a liquid carrier that evaporates.

I lubricate the locks once a year, yes the emergency key is not the easiest thing to turn but they DO work.

Don't forget the manual key-hole in the trailing edge of the driver's door (near the door latch).
is there a key hole other the under the handle? how much did the dealer charge you for a key?
 


Quick Reply: GAH I locked my keys in my car. Dead battery.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:55 PM.