Unlocking doors without key

[oneyedfatguy]

Sorry for the hiatus. We have been increasing our collection of DSM vehicles and attempting to work on our son's blown up 97 420A.
My question is, Can I use a standard slim jim to unlock the doors on this car? Or do I need to have a lock smith come out to do it? I sure hope not since we are twenty miles from the nearest locksmith. My son locked his one set of keys to the house, shop and his car in the car the other day.
Thanks in advance, Chip.

 

[plymubishi]

If there is a decent reputable(sorry don't know correct spelling) towing company close to you, they should be able to get in your car in a breeze. Normally about $50.00 area though (+ or - a fiew bucks depending on the company) for them to come out. They are most likely goeing to use a old school slim jim or the Big Easy(as it is called) and be there for about 30s getting in and 10m writing a bill.

 

[rossb]

If you had a spare remote, regardless of whether it is in another city or even country there is a way to use that in conjunction with a cell phone to unlock the door but it sounds like he doesn't have the spare.

Just so you dont waste your time, THIS IS NOT TRUE. Here is proof(10th one down), the only way this would work is if the remote worked on a sound frequency(which none of them do to my knowledge). The remote uses a radio frequency, which a cell phone can not receive or transmit via its microphone/speakers. Bust out the slim jim or a window.

P.S. sorry about the rant on the keyless entry cell phone thing, I cant stand that myth

 

[Defiant]

Put duct tape on the end of a piece of coat hanger wire, thread it in through the rubber at the back edge of the window and press the unlock button.

Or, start whomping on the kid until he figures out a way.

 

[oneyedfatguy]

Power lock idea would be great if the entire driveline weren't sitting on the shop floor. I guess I will break out my lockout tools and give it a shot. Thanks for the replies, Chip.

 

[Defiant]

Is the electrical system stripped? It doesn't care about the driveline.
Reach across the car and hook the lock lever on the other side.

 

[oneyedfatguy]

All the electrical is out from under hood. We are going to repaint the car either yellow or Alsa Corp Chrome. He is still trying to decide which way to go. His girlfriend was in the car when we dragged it out of the shop and out of habit she locked the driver's side door. Obviously she didn't check for keys.

 

[99gst_racer]

Anytime I lock my keys in the car, this is what I do.

Use a nylon wedge between the window glass and the seal to pull the glass away from the seal. Be careful not to break the glass though. This will cause a gap, large enough to snake a straightened clothes hanger into the interior and then test your hand-eye cornination to try to hook the set of keys.

I've secessfully done this a half dozen times on my '99 alone.

 

[turbosax2]

You need to make yourself some spare keys

 

[oneyedfatguy]

Anytime I lock my keys in the car, this is what I do.

Use a nylon wedge between the window glass and the seal to pull the glass away from the seal. Be careful not to break the glass though. This will cause a gap, large enough to snake a straightened clothes hanger into the interior and then test your hand-eye cornination to try to hook the set of keys.

I've secessfully done this a half dozen times on my '99 alone.

At least I only have to coordinate one eye with both hands.

 

[99gst_racer]

You need to make yourself some spare keys

Honestly, I only use this method when I accidentily lock my regular key set AND my spare set in the car together. Believe it or not, I am extremely accident prone with keys.

At least I only have to coordinate one eye with both hands.

It took me a couple seconds to put two and two together.

 

[Defiant]

I happened to be carrying the extra shop key the one time I lost one at the fairgrounds. Since that day, I've carried a spare in a separate pocket.

When the Talon went in for a fender repair, the shop found a Hide-A-Key I'm sure the second owner I got the car from had no idea was there.

If you're reaching into the car, I'd go for the lock lever instead of the keys. Oh, and if you resort to a locksmith, you can expect he will use the wedge method.

 

[99gst_racer]

If you're reaching into the car, I'd go for the lock lever instead of the keys.

I've tried that a handful of times as well. But due to the rigidity and shape of the plastic buttons, it's near impossible (and extremely frustrating) to actuate the button with a clothes hanger. Slips off every time. It's also partially due to the angle of attack. With the way the 2G window is designed, the wedge method pulls the rear of the window away from the seal, but the front remains seated. If it were possible to pull the front away and dive in there with a hanger, you could be directly above the buttons and only then would it be feasible to poke the unlock button.

 

[wret]

I once dropped my only key in six inches of snow, somewhere between my car and a department store entrance. Since then I've been paranoid about losing keys. When I bought my Geo Storm in 1990, they were coming with a plastic credit card sized card with a fold out plastic key. Basically a single use, emergency key. I never got one but it gave me an idea later. I took a spare key and cut the handle off, cut a slit out of the middle of an old card, and taped the the key piece into the card. I think I had it in my wallet for about 5 years and never had to use it.

 

[99gst_racer]

^^^ They actually make/sell credit card looking cards that are made to contain an entire key. I had one for my Honda about 8 years ago, and I used it often.

 

[tenn-gsx]

Onr other option is to use the wedge system but hook the hatch release. VERY easy to do once you get something long enough down there. I used .44 lockwire double twisted and looped at the end. 5 min and I was in.

 

[Defiant]

The time a locksmith got into my Supra, he had a long rod with a piece of hacksaw brazed to the end, and a rope on it. Used the hacksaw teeth to grip the lever, and the rope to operate it.

 

[ryedog878]

I repo cars for a living, and the wedge is the best method to go. I have a kit that contains a door wedge that we pry back on the door from assembly and insert a air bag that pumps up and keep a gap between the the door and the frame. We have two bars one is just a long rubber coated bar that has a hook on the end for grabing the power door latch or to hit the power lock button, and the other is a long poll that has a metal loop inside the poll and on the other end has a handle that pulls up once you grab the nub for the lock. Our company usully has to break into about 4-8 cars a night and it takes about 20-30 secs at the most. You could always go to the dealership with just the vin number a some proof of ownership a they can cut a pat key that will get you in the door but wont start the car until you take the car to the dealership to have the transponder key programned. The key cut should be no more than $10.00-25.00 cut than they usully will want to charge you $60.00 to reprograme the key to your ecu. Locksmiths can do all the same stuff and usully its alittle cheaper through them. We have a locksmith that we use exclusively for all our, he will cut and reprograme our car for $75.00.

 

[edenTSI]

^^ i work at a dealership. most dealerships have this for when keys get locked in. works real good. i've used it on my car a few times at work ha

 

[Defiant]

(DSMs don't have transponder keys.)

 

[oneyedfatguy]

He found the sunroof stashed in the shop attic and asked if he could have it, I said sure. He used the cordless Sawzall to get into the car. Looks like the car will have a sunroof this summer.

 

[Defiant]

Holy crap, he cut the roof to get into the car?


My effing god.

 

[99gst_racer]

Classic!

And to think, I was going to recommend a brick through the window as a joke....

 

[roadrunner2176]

The best method I have found is to take a nice piece of heavy gauge wire. About twice as heavy as a cloths hanger. Put a small hook on one end, the other end you will bend it 90 degrees. Go to your passenger door, right above the door handle and push it through between the glass and the rubber. Right in the corner it works perfect. The wire is heavy enough that it will bridge the gap from door to door without flexing, use the hook to grab the door handle, and grab the remaining angle on the wire to open the door. It takes about 30 seconds, No chance of breaking any windows, no prying, no scratches, and keep a cheap spare in your wallet. Not to mention that the wire costs maybe 5.00. so its a cheap alternative.

 

[wret]

Hmmm, there's some good information in this thread but guess what? I just googled unlock "slim jim" dsm and guess what's at the top of the list?