Last night after work I stopped at the new house to do a water volume test that is required to discuss methods of treating the well water. After testing I stopped the truck in the drive on the way out to cross the road and get the mail. I left the engine running, the lights on and shut the door. When I got back to the truck all the doors were locked with my keys inside.
I tried to call the Boss at home and on her cell phone with no luck. She was off somewhere with a bunch of women. I waited an hour and tried again with no luck. So I called one of my sons who went to the house and brought me all the keys hanging on the key storage hooks. One of those should've been a spare for my truck. Unfortunately that key wasn't there, so he drove me home.
The Boss had the only spare key with her, so by the time we retrieved my truck it was 10 PM.
I don't remember hitting the lock, and I'm beginning to be convinced that I did not. Today I heard 3 stories of vehicles with automatic door locks, locking themselves when the door is shut with the engine running. That's 3 people having the same issue with 3 different brands of vehicles.
The key to the truck has a chip in it, so I just can't go anywhere to get another spare made. The local dealer wants $60 to cut and program a key for me. I've been told that's actually inexpensive.
Since I don't like automatic door locks anyway I asked if that feature could be disabled. The guy at the dealership said no.
There are times when I hate today's technology.
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3 comments:
does the chip affect unlocking of the doors or only starting?
If the chip doesn't come into play in unlocking the doors, it still wouldn't be a bad idea to see if you can find a blank that would work and have a new, chipless, key cut that can be used just for unlocking the doors in cases like you described.
I had a spare key for my truck made several years ago. Due to a flaw in the way it was cut (probably something really minor), the key works on the doors, but won't turn the ignition.
I thought about returning it, but it occurred to me that that's not a bad idea. I got one of those magnetic keyholder things and keep that key in it, stuck to the frame. That way, if I lock the keys in the truck, I can still get them out, but if someone finds the key magneted (is that a word?) to the frame, they can get in, but can't start the truck.
Having worked for AAA a while back I can say that yes, vehicles with power locks can and WILL lock themselves when they are running, even if their programming is such that they're not supposed to unless the vehicle is moving or some such. And no, its NOT related to one brand. The problem always seemed more prevalent in the winter, but I've no way to tell if that was actually because of the cold or because more people are likely to leave the vehicle running while they step outside (to clean ice/snow off the car) in the winter.
Sailorcurt's advice is good, if the chip is only needed to START the car (and unless you have a higher end vehicle that is likely the case) then you can have a plain key made for emergencies to unlock the vehicle. (and yes, $60 is not expensive, if I had to have a new one made it would be closer to the $100 mark, I asked when I got the car)
Actually having worked for AAA I hate all technologically enhanced cars. I wish for my old civic regularly. All that technology is nice...till it doesn't work.
I've seen it often enough that I usually crack my window far enough that I can reach in if I need to whenever I get out while it's still running.
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