Locked out of your car? This is the way in! Topic is solved

[jared3227]

at least on my 01 v70 t5 there is a lock cylinder on the back hatch. it is to the right of the handle underneath. it is covered by a rubber plug that you pull out and up in the door is a key hole. it seems to operate mechanically unlike the drivers door lock which seems to be electronic. of course if the key is in the car then this doesn't matter but if its an issue of the battery being dead then this is pretty handy

[TerrDawg]

As a former tow truck driver and professional thief (Repo man) the one car in the 80's and 90's we absolutely hated was Volvos ... The lock out kit included packing strap that was plasticy and tough, known as the Volvo tool. It's intent was to be folded in half, slid past the weatherstrip on the rear door (that's what we were instructed to do) until it is in and visible .. Then hook the lock button ... And pull it until it pops up and opens
Having worked on many Volvos in the body shops over 16 years, these are incredibly well designed with a plastic sheath the covers the lock/unlock rod that goes to the door mechanism ... For what it's worth

[oragex]

Good tip, but not sure I'd want to share it on a forum? It makes it too easy if someone sees a cell phone/purse inside in a parking lot, knowing well that most of alarm sirens don't work anymore on these cars not to mention the 10 sec. delay before it starts screaming.

[93SCMax]

Maybe this is why we should replace/fix dead alarms rather than disconnect them (as many have recommended). I never understood going cheap and disconnecting the alarm, but to each his own. Even a 15 + YO car has value and I assume nobody wants to let someone into there car w/o some notice.

Nice info (in thread), but we don't need to give thieves info on how to easily access our cars. TerrDawg, glad to know Volvo engineer designs were working to protect their customers.

[matthew1]

Good tip, but not sure I'd want to share it on a forum? It makes it too easy if someone sees a cell phone/purse inside in a parking lot, knowing well that most of alarm sirens don't work anymore on these cars not to mention the 10 sec. delay before it starts screaming.

Nah. The only people reading this are Volvo owners. Thieves would not hang out here trying to learn how to get into 20-year-old cars.

They'd be on Acura forums learning about say how to defeat anti-theft features on 2015 MDXs, either to steal the car or something inside it.

I'm probably giving thieves too much credit. Generally, their actions fall into one of a handful of categories like "simple crime of opportunity", "casing a known car with known valuables in it", "smash and grab", etc.

It's like radio codes. IMHO those were never useful for stopping radio thefts. Not even when the P80 and P2 models were brand new with brand new Volvo radios in them.

The best anti-theft feature EVER in Volvos was the double-DIN height of factory radios. No thief ever wanted to steal a dorky OEM double-DIN radio. Worthless compared to the trouble to get one (possible probation for first offense, probable jail if you're on probation).

[jonesg]

If the engine is running and you're locked out, call the fire dept. I had a flat battery in my key fob that constantly locked the doors at random times.
It happens.

[oragex]

Makes sense Mattew. As per se, the information is useful. I was at the scrap yard coming back, put the goodies inside the trunk along with the keys (bad habit) then shut the trunk, car being locked. Bunch of guys had to help me open it.

[pierremcalpine]

If you ever lock your keys inside the car or need a way in....here is a simple solution.

I will try to explain how in case you ever encounter this problem. First of all my windows weren't moving at all. It was nearly impossible to stick a coat hanger between the door and the seal. I try to pry the door open a bit but it is a tight fit so i would have to use a crow bar or screwdriver, and that would have demolished the body.

Simply, I pulled a bit of weather strip from the driver window just above the lock. I slid a straightened coat hanger down with a simple "J" shaped on the end of it. Straight down, then twisted 90 degrees, and "gently" pulled up. The door lock knob rises and bingo your in.

I hope you never have to experience this because you feel stuck for a solution, but this works. Good Luck!

I removed my door panel today after this experience to see why the manual lock wasn't working. There is a thin metal rod that attaches from the key cylinder and when you turn it, a leaver either gets pushed down, or pulled up. I simply reattached by using duct tape, It worked! This is also the leaver that you want to hook with the coat hanger.

My friend, you just saved me from having to call the locksmith. Thank you so much! I was repairing the lock actuator (a bit ironic) on the drivers door and forgot that I had locked all four doors for demonstration purposes on my youtube video. I shut the drivers door and boom...locked out. Took me 10min of "fishing" until I popped the lock. Awesome.

[abscate]

There is a gorgeous Sonic Blue R down in NJ that the owner won't miss, as he paid nothing for it.

Hmmmm

[oragex]

Good tip, but not sure I'd want to share it on a forum? It makes it too easy if someone sees a cell phone/purse inside in a parking lot, knowing well that most of alarm sirens don't work anymore on these cars not to mention the 10 sec. delay before it starts screaming.

Nah. The only people reading this are Volvo owners. Thieves would not hang out here trying to learn how to get into 20-year-old cars.

They'd be on Acura forums learning about say how to defeat anti-theft features on 2015 MDXs, either to steal the car or something inside it.

I'm probably giving thieves too much credit. Generally, their actions fall into one of a handful of categories like "simple crime of opportunity", "casing a known car with known valuables in it", "smash and grab", etc.

It's like radio codes. IMHO those were never useful for stopping radio thefts. Not even when the P80 and P2 models were brand new with brand new Volvo radios in them.

The best anti-theft feature EVER in Volvos was the double-DIN height of factory radios. No thief ever wanted to steal a dorky OEM double-DIN radio. Worthless compared to the trouble to get one (possible probation for first offense, probable jail if you're on probation).

This is an off topic story, but speaking of thieves, back in the days my first car was a Honda Civic (1991, an amazing little car by the way). So I was hanging on Honda forums located here in Quebec (Canada). These little Honda (Civic, CRX, Prelude) were the car of choice for swapping more powerful engines, including 'imported' engines from Japan (JDM stuff, here the 'imported' is just a big word, surely many were stolen from Japan). Anyhow, we new well thieves were reading these local forums because members that were 'tuning' or upgrading their cars and put pictures with specs on the forum had the surprise to find days later the parking spot empty.. Pretty painful as these people put a lot of time and passion to modify their cars. Back then there were a lot of thieves around Montreal, well organized and, as it's always the case when the police doesn't care about less expensive cars, they could not care less about getting caught (if that ever happened), they would spend a few days at cold, a fine and back in business. Anyhow, just for the sake of the story, that was quite a few years ago, I think with the new generations of Civic that must have calmed down.

All this just to describe how a pretty low miles Audi Q5 vanished 2 years ago from my parents driveway during a summer night. The car had very low miles (they don't drive often) and, unfortunately the amazing 2.0T engine which I think fits other cars, maybe the A4 or even a VW. I think they stole the car only for the engine (a guess) and the 'fun' fact is I've see the thieves just the day before. Being a quiet neighborhood, those two male in a very old Acura Integra (think that makes a link with the Honda thieves I was talking here) were just not at their place here, plus their turned around just near my parents house, and stared at me (I was walking near the Q5) with a weird look. Next night the Q5 was gone. It seems these Q5 have/had a stupid 'mechanic' key placed inside the glove box from the factory, that could drive the car away given one could enter the car.

Anyhow, I've seen on Youtube a trick they do in Europe on cars using smart keys. Thieves stay at the proximity of a parking lot with an electronic device, that blocks the lock command when the owner parks and tries to lock the car. If the owner doesn't realize the doors didn't actually close... Another thing is also with the keyless remotes: these remotes keep communicating with the car if we keep them inside the house close to the garage. It seems there are devices that can read at distance this communication and drive with the car. It is good to always keep the fob far from the garage and also to place it inside a metallic jar (or a Faraday cage - google up) to cut any communication www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR8RrmEizVg