Need Help! Key is locked in the car cant find spare.
 

I had my car detailed today with the Finish Kare products I got for Christmas. I got a call from the detailer and he has locked my key in the trunk along with the rest of the car. I have turned my house upside down looking for the spare. Now my car is sitting in a parking lot fully clean with the key locked in the trunk!

Question is, can I just get a valet key cut to open the door and get the main key? If so, any idea how much this would cost.

Thanks.

first off if i were you the detailer would be paying for what ever happens but usualy you can pull the door window out with light force and slide a ruber wedge in. hmm any tow truck driver would know i was a lock smith for one year and we did it many times to norman cars but for a convertible theres no padding so you have to do it fron the back top right of driver window and with a 1/4 or smaller rod push the inside door lock and open button with a normal car there is a 1/4 inch rod that you use to lift the lock witch boxsters dont have so i would try the center consol button all try to get some pics of what to do 2 moro if you dont get any where. but any tow truck driver or locksmith should be able to do it very simple takes about 20 seconds pull window slide rubber wedge insert rod in the wedge

ps:the window should pop out of the cill its like when you open the door with out a battery it just uses some force to get it to pop open dont use to much force tho I would just call caa or in the US aaa? umm just incase here its free for a call

exactly like this here just there is no lock to pull so press center button
http://www.hightechtools.com/catalog.php?catid=1&objectid=21&productid=21

hope that helps good luck

Hi,

Sorry for your trouble. Seems like we have our 1st Guinea Pig - http://www.986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9402

If not, just get a locksmith and charge it back to the detailer. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

damn it Jim, i was looking to find that thread, couldnt remember the title...

but yea id like to see if this works too, sounds interesting

well, which trunk is it? id try to pull those cables (trunk release cables) and just get the key.

i think he said the whole car is locked, so pull what cable?

All you need is the metal part/shank to get in. I forget how much I paid. Call you dealer. It can be made from your VIN.

Or, a tow truck guy might have this tool. Shown on a 996, but have been told it also works on a Box.

Thanks boys! I do have Emergency Lockout Coverage on my Geico policy and am calling them this morning. I am fairly confident a Locksmith will be able to use a Lockout kit to get in. I am more upset that I cant find my spare... I usually dont lose things. As for charging the dealer for the service... I am the dealer. I work there and the guy that detailed my car is an employee.

That damn car better be look excellent!

I will take some pix of the escapade for fun!

I guess worse case is I will have to buy a key blank and get my buddy at Porsche to have it cut for me. I will just be embarrased that my car is sitting in the middle of the parking lot on a Monday morning clean and locked!

By the way, the tennis ball thing looks totally bogus!
Did you guys notice the dent around the lock cylinder. I wonder how many times they did this. Even if this were to blow the tumblers up inside the lock, it still requires turning to actuate the lock. Funny though!

Excellent news! The towing company arrived and I knew the driver thru prior business. He advised that he has "broken into" a few Porsches in his day. The most difficult part of the operation was to drive the plastic wedge between the door glass and the inner-most weatherstrip of the top. This took about 5 minutes of careful manipulation. Once the door tool was into the cabin of the car, I guided him from the other side until he hooked the interior door handle. Once I saw the door handle moving, I knew it was a matter of time before we were in. My wife watched in horror from the other car thinking "this is going to be an awful day if they dont get in". A few more tries and the ex-con slash lockout assistance rep was in. The door popped open and I was able to click the rear trunk open and retrieve my keys...
Thru Geico insurance, no charge for this service by the way!!

On a positive note, the detailing job was excellent! I will post some pix shortly.

Thanks for the advice!

I'm glad all ended well for you.

Not long ago I accidentally locked the keys in the bonnet at Target. I was with my fiance and she gave me 'the look' then suggested we walk home to get the spare. It was about 6 miles and I knew she'd be too tired and it would take too much time so I called a cab. $15 and 30 minutes later we were back at the Porsche and got her open.

Point of the story: locking your keys in the car happens, and it sucks. ;)

I bet you have a shiny new spare key as a result of this?

Since your detailing guy did it, you can't take this personally, but I consider cars with keyless entry to be 'idiot-proof'... because you REALLY have to be, uhh... stupid... to lock your keys in the car. However, of course, the trunks to present a little of an exception... I think I set my key down in the rear trunk once already, and thought 'if I close this, I might not be able to get my key out!' Luckily the driver's door was open, as I was doing some cleaning in the car.

I still do need to get a spare key... or at least a complete new key with remote, so I can relegate my current well worn key to backup duty.

Fray,
I am with you on that one... how the hell do you lock a key in the trunk of the car? The detailer claims that the car "locked itself" . If anyone has ever had their car do this, let me know. I believe that he probably hit the lock button trying to unlock the rear hatch. After the hatch opened, he was so proud of himself that he found the right button, he forgot that he had already locked the rest of the car. Duh.

I suppose that I will get a spare key some time soon.
He should clean the car again for me some time for free.

I don't know the exact details of why, but I've noticed that when I use the fob to open the bonnet or boot, then close either one without opening the car doors the car locks itself again. That's how I locked the key in the bonnet. *shrug*

I know thieves and vandals can get in with a sharp knife, But didn't know it was THAT easy to get in otherwise. Glad to know the technique. Sooooo sorry that sooooo many others know it also. :eek:

Wonder if slim jims work? Why bother I guess.

Hi,

If the fob is used to unlock the doors, and the door isn't physically opened within 60sec., the whole system re-locks and re-arms. So, it's quite possible that the detailer was correct...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

That's gotta be it Jim. I figured you would have an explanation. It is a "dumb smart" system. The good news is that it is possible and quite easy to "break into" the Boxster without causing any physical damage.

It's the same for all cars, locks are for honest people.

It could have been worse
 

You actually got lucky.
Almost the same happened to me last year when I was at Porscheplatz parking at the American LeMans race in Laguna Seca.
I opened the rear trunk to throw in my jacket (it was a nice and sunny day). Unfortunately I also threw in the keys...
I closed the trunk and the car auto-locked itself after 30 seconds.
In my case after AAA had opened the doors I was still out of luck as the car had sensed that it was "broken into" and disabled ALL buttons. So I could NOT open the rear trunk and get to the keys. (And the alarm was blaring to everyone's annoyance). Did I mention that I also locked my wallet and my cell phone in the trunk?
Long story short: I finally found a very nice Porsche owner (Gerry from Santa Barbara) to drive me from Laguna to my home in San Carlos (where I had my spare key) and back to Laguna.

Well,

The Airwaves are getting crowded with electronic devices and the system has a Fail-Safe in case a Garage Door Opener, Airliner, or other Car Fob accidentally opens your car inadvertently. It re-locks and re-arms after 60sec. to keep you protected...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Keys Locked in Boxster Front Storage (Bonnett?)
 

My first post and already, I have done something really dumb!! I locked my keys in the front storage area and I do not have a spare. I just bought the car a week ago and had a spare key on my list, but did not get it done. Anyway, a locksmith was able to get the door open, but the neither the front or rear lid will open.

It is an '03. Is there any way I can get the switches to work (some kind of reset) or is there some sort of emergency release or access? The lights, stereo and locks all work fine.

Thanks for any help you can offer. One day I'll tell the whole story so you can all laugh your butts off.

clamem

My lock-out story
 

This didn't happen in my Boxster, but I think I have everyone beat in the "stupid lock-out stories."

A few years ago I was meeting my wife after I got off of work at a funeral. I called her as I was driving there and told her I needed to change into my suit and I would meet her inside in about 15 mins. When I got there, I pulled in and parked all the way in the back where I could be hidden from view since I planned on changing in the vehicle. I was driving my (then) company car, a Ford mini van, and got in the back and changed. I didn't close the sliding door completely, just one click so it was ajar.

After I finished changing, I went to get out----------and that is when I realized the child safety locks had been set and I was locked in the back of the van. My keys were with me but my mobile phone was in the front of the van (which was isolated from the rear by a metal mesh screen.) After about 15 mins, I had broken both inside handles in frustration trying to get out and now I was sweating profusely since in was mid-July in Florida. I stripped down to my underwear and undershirt as I planned my next move. My phone kept ringing (my wife) but I couldn't get to it. I kept hoping she would come out to look for me but hadn’t up to this point. By now I did care if I destroyed the van as long as I could get out. I started slamming my shoulder against the rear of the sliding door and every time my shoulder would hit the van, a different swear word would leave my mouth as I vented my frustration. Eventually the sliding ball joint gave up and I was able to bend the door far enough out to exit the van.

I'm sure it was a funny sight to see the van rocking back and forth, the door eventually bending out, and a half naked very sweaty and mad person exit. I was able to snap the door back into place enough to open it and proceeded to redress. Just as I was tying my tie, my wife finally came out to check on me. She was mad that I was over an hour late and I was mad that she did not come out earlier to check on me. After she found out what had happened she was no longer mad but found it entertaining that I was stupid enough to get locked IN my vehicle.

We have owned several cars with safety locks on them since then and the first thing I did was to make sure they were NOT set (we don't have kids yet.)

Think You have Me Beat, But...
 

So... I pick up my "new to me" 03 boxster and enjoy driving it all over DFW for week while on vacation. When we were ready to head home to TN, I followed my wife over to the u-haul place to rent an auto transport.

I got the car on the trailer and strapped down, when the u-haul guy asked me where he was supposed to put the safety chains. There was not place exposed under the car, so I got out the manual. It showed the info on the tow hook, so I went to find it in the front hood. After seeing how it worked, I knew the chain would mess up my paint and noticed that the recommended method was to run tie downs (ratchet tow straps) through the rims. In a hurry to get down to the auto parts store and on the highway, I threw everything in the front trunk, including my keys. I knew as soon as I shut it.

I first called Porsche roadside assistance to leverage my one remaining week of coverage. They told me the only thing I could do was have the car towed to a local dealer and send off for a new key.

I called several locksmiths, most were unwilling to even try. I finally got one who was able to get in the car, but apparently the car recognized the break in and disabled the front and rear trunk openers.

I was now faced with my car being stuck on a rental trailer, no way to get it off and a possible 10 day wait for a $300 key. Ugly!!!

It was looking like this car was already going to cost me a bunch of money and none of it was for problems or mods.

Anyway, after finding a link in a related post, I went to a posting on the renttech site and found a solution on how to use the emergency release. The solution required that I remove the front tire.

So... I went to wally-world, bought 2 jackstands, a hydaulic jack, 2 wheel chocks and a lug wrench. I used the jack stands under the front and one side of the trailer to ensure it wouldn't tip. I used the hydrualic jack on the same side of the car I was going to jack up, as I knew the weight shift would cause the trailer to move. I used on wheel chock on the trailer and one on the car.

Sure enough, as I jacked up the car a little, the trailer tilted back a little. So... I jacked up the trailer with the hydraulic jack to compensate. I continued to do this until the car was high enough to remove the wheel. This allowed me to remove the necessary parts to get to the emergency release and finally get my key.

All I can say is thank you for these forums!! Long story, but still does not beat busting out of the mini van in your boxers.

use your cell phone to unlock your car.
 

Have you locked your keys in the car?

Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come

in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If

you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at

home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your

cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your

car door and have the person at your home press the unlock

button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end.

Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive

your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be

hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other
"remote"

for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk ).


:cheers:

Urban Legend... Cell phones transmit audio waves perceived by their microphone not radio waves which your keyless entry system uses. They are not created equally.

I wish I had boxers that day. Tidy whities FTW! ( **Note** I had to put that second line in to make sure no one guessed, incorrectly of course, a different type of underwear)

At least my ordeal was over after an hour and didn't cost me any money. So, in some ways, you were worse off.

how to open your locked car with a tennis ball
 

check this one out...http://www.nothingtoxic.com/media/1170481334/How_to_Open_Your_Locked_Door_with_a_Tennis_Ball