Flat Battery, can't open vehicle

[tommymac]

Hi,

Just returned today from 6 weeks away, and went to start car, but battery is completely flat. Key, and spare, both indicate that they are sending signals, but doors do not unlock. When I look through the window at the dashboard, I see that the clock has stopped.

Tried the emergency (blade) keys that are hidden within the fob, neither of them do anything.

Called out breakdown recovery people, they had a quick look but couldn't get in; they suggest I engage with a locksmith. I'm waiting for a formal call back from their call centre, to confirm this.

So, any other suggestions out there, or is a locksmith my only option? If I do go down that route, presumably I'm likely to have the lock completely destroyed? Look forward to thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

 

[NBurns]

Hi,

Just returned today from 6 weeks away, and went to start car, but battery is completely flat. Key, and spare, both indicate that they are sending signals, but doors do not unlock. When I look through the window at the dashboard, I see that the clock has stopped.

Tried the emergency (blade) keys that are hidden within the fob, neither of them do anything.

Called out breakdown recovery people, they had a quick look but couldn't get in; they suggest I engage with a locksmith. I'm waiting for a formal call back from their call centre, to confirm this.

So, any other suggestions out there, or is a locksmith my only option? If I do go down that route, presumably I'm likely to have the lock completely destroyed? Look forward to thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

What do you mean by the hidden keys don’t do anything?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tony Dyson]

I would gradually empty the contents of a can of WD40 or similar into the lock, use the straw to get deep, you can actually buy products designed to reach the depths of a car lock from halfords, keep using the key and work the lubricant deep into the lock, I'm sure you'll eventually get there.

 

[tommymac]

What do you mean by the hidden keys don’t do anything?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi NB, sorry for not being more specific. The hidden keys both go into the lock on the driver's side, and turn 90 degrees anti-clockwise. I can't see the lock buttons inside the car move at all, and am reluctant to force it further.

 

[tommymac]

I would gradually empty the contents of a can of WD40 or similar into the lock, use the straw to get deep, you can actually buy products designed to reach the depths of a car lock from halfords, keep using the key and work the lubricant deep into the lock, I'm sure you'll eventually get there.

OK, thanks Tony, that's interesting. Do you know how far the key should turn, and presumably it is anti-clockwise? There is no stiffness at all, until it gets to 90 degrees.

 

[tommymac]

Worth also noting that the emergency keys don't release the boot either. Again they turn a little way easily, before hitting a lot of resistance at around 90 degrees

 

[Tony Dyson]

Clockwise 90° not anti-clockwise, the key goes in as far as around 12mm past the cut flutes into the solid shaft just short of the 'L' Handle.

 

[tommymac]

Clockwise 90° not anti-clockwise, the key goes in as far as around 12mm past the cut flutes into the solid shaft just short of the 'L' Handle.

Depth sounds about right Tony, but are you saying that I should be turning clockwise? There's very little movement in that direction. I'll continue spraying the WD40!

 

[Chrishazle]

If you have a cordless toothbrush, ISTR an old trick recommended by Television (a respected member on here, RIP) was to use the toothbrush to vibrate the emergency key while adding (or having added) WD40 or similar, as the vibration helps get the WD40 where it needs to be and jiggles the insides of the lock.

 

[Tony Dyson]

Yes, Righty Tighty not Lefty Loosey, it is on mine, and I believe the resistance you're experiencing is the stiff locking mechanism that just needs lubricating and easing gently but firmly, give it a good squirt, and the boot this time every Year to keep it working.

 

[Austy]

If your battery is in the boot I'd focus on the boot lock and forget about the door for time being - it'll open with the key fob when you get some charge in the battery. You may have to keep the key turned whilst squeezing the boot handle for it to open. If you decide to open the door I'm not sure the window would drop as per usual without power so may be best to be gentle..

 

[tommymac]

Thanks everyone, I must say that I feel quite flattered that so many of you are taking the time to assist a newbie so quickly.

Chris - I think my wife got the cordless toothbrush (and other vibrating devices) in the divorce settlement!

Austy - battery is under the bonnet, in front of the passenger. Thought there might be an easy way of releasing the bonnet without getting into the car, but seemingly not.

Tony - Thanks for giving me the confidence to push harder clockwise. It didn't take much, but it does now turn 90 degrees clockwise. Still nothing happens though. Should I be trying for more than 90 degrees? There seems to be no spring in the lock. When the key is inserted at 12 o'clock; it doesn't matter if I rotate 90 degrees to 3 o'clock or to 9 o'clock, it doesn't automatically return to 12 o'clock. Is this normal?

 

[Blobcat]

Not returning to 12 o'clock is normal, it's also the last bit of movement that does the unlocking

 

[tommymac]

Not returning to 12 o'clock is normal, it's also the last bit of movement that does the unlocking

Thanks Blobcat. All sounding good so far then. Big question though, is how far clockwise should I turn. 90 degrees is doing nothing. Is it a fraction beyond this, or another 90 degrees? And how hard should I force it?

 

[Tony Dyson]

Yes, as BC stated ^
Turning Clockwise 90° from vertical should unlock your car, turning Anti-Clockwise 90° from vertical should lock your car, it's no further on mine but that's not to say yours may be a little different, keep spraying and turning the key until you see some movement in the button.

 

[M80]

A correct key 'will' turn either way.
An incorrect key 'won't' turn either way.

Clockwise will unlock,
anticlockwise will lock.

The key will go to about 100 degrees but the inside button will be lifting by about 75 degrees.

A simialr thing was happening to a member from t'other site. It may be of interest to read this.
Vito W639 - Unable to unlock the door with emergency key | MBClub UK - Bringing together Mercedes Enthusiasts

The work around does take some effort and that chap didn't have the confidence it seems. But it's the best way to get in if your flat, and the blade fails, imo.

 

[tommymac]

Thanks M80 and Tony.

Nothing at all within the first 90 degrees, either way. No movement at all on the inside button, and the lock just feels loose, as if there is no barrel behind it. I'll persevere for a bit longer but, if no movement by 90 degrees, I am beginning to feel that I'm flogging a dead horse. I'm also a bit wary of breaking the key in the lock, and so compounding the problem.

Thanks for the link M80, an interesting story. My CLK is a convertible, so I don't want to go messing around with the rubber seals too much. One thing that the original poster on that thread said that jumped out at me, and it might have just been a throwaway remark, was about breaking a window. Maybe this is the quickest and cheapest option that I have (if the lake of WD40 doesn't do the trick). It's got to be cheaper to replace a window, than to replace the locks? (note that I'm badly jet lagged, after travelling around 48 hours to get home, so feel free to tell me to sleep on it if this seems a crazy suggestion!)

 

[Blobcat]

Just had a walk out to mine (I lube regularly )

Starting to unlock:


Unlocked:



Starting to lock:



Locked:

 

[Tony Dyson]

I have on occasions in the past used a wire coat hanger bent either with a hook or loop threaded between the rubber weather seal and door/window frame to pull the locking button up, there needs to be at least part of the button available to do this of course and the worst damage was taking the paint off the door frame/pillar edges.
I don't know the construction of your car but if there was access into the cabin from the boot, you could try opening the boot? if there was no access to the cabin via the boot at least you would have access to the car's electrical systems, a boot fuse box would be handy as you could apply a 12vdc supply into a vacant fuse way to temporarily backfeed the installation to unlock your doors? How handy are you with electrics?

 

[Oldspanners]

This video shows how to do it without damaging anything, if you're not up to doing a bit of spannering it shouldn't be expensive to have someone do it for you.