New Zealand couple manages to lock themselves in keyless car for 13 hours

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 6:41 pm

Okay, my first reaction is to call them idiots. I think in 13 hours I would have tried everything and eventually found the door locks, but then again if you ASSUME there is no way to do it, then you limit your own options. I also wonder if they weren't senior citizens, because the article says they failed to smash a window with a tire iron.

I don't know how long they've had the car - maybe it's brand new. I know I only just discovered by accident that my wife's SUV has electric rear vent windows, and we've had that car for almost two years.

http://arstechnica.com/cars/2014/12/new ... -13-hours/

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 7:41 pm

yep....Idiots!

Although it's said here:

However, the door doesn’t automatically unlock when the interior handle is pulled—and therein lay the problem for the Smiths

I find that hard to believe too as I believe that'd be a major safety issue if true and to my recollection, every car I've seen has an interior release handle that undoes the lock.
Even if there was an electric switch that had to be switched to unlock (on each door too) and I'm sure that there is, they were too stupid to look for that? and yeah.....blame the salesman! Don't think about that owners manual in the glove box.
For rear seats, they have child safety locks that can be set so that the door can't be opened from the inside but that's only in the back seat area and has to be set to do that.

Err · Post by **Err** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 9:59 pm

This was a Mazda 3 hatchback. If the doors were truly locked and they couldn't get out, they could've hit the switch to open the hatch. I don't believe the doors don't open if you pull the handle. Cars haven't been built like that since the mid-1970s. The strangest setup I ever saw is on the BMW where one pull unlocks the door and another pull opens the door.

I'm assuming they had the key fob since they just drove the car. All they would have to do is hit the unlock button. I would've been trying every button in the car or pull out the owner's manual. It's amazing how many people never read them. There's lots of good information in them like where buttons are located.

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:23 am

It is odd. But cars do have mysteries. I was cleaning out my 6 year old Rav4 and discovered an extra storage compartment built into the rear deck cover that I never knew was there. I guess to be on the safe side in the future, we'll all need chip implants like dogs have to be 100% sure we can operate our vehicles and toys

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:45 am

Err: They didn't have the fob:

The couple apparently got into their car without the car’s wireless key fob and somehow managed to lock the doors—and then couldn’t figure out how to get out.

Err · Post by **Err** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:57 am

FlyingPenguin wrote:Err: They didn't have the fob:

I missed that part. Now I'm wondering how they got into the car at all.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 11:20 am

Yeah, I was wondering too. Maybe it was already unlocked? Maybe it has a combo keypad?

Losbot · Post by **Losbot** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 1:10 pm

Idiots. I just don't see, unless they're idiots, how you get into that situation.

It's a toss up with cars, as to how their handles work. I've had 4 BMWs and they required one pull to unlock, then the next one will open the door. Safety measure so you don't accidentally open the door.

My current vehicle opens the door with just one pull, regardless of the lock. My old VW had to be unlocked or the door would not open but the lock was easy to pull up by hand if the power unlock didn't work.

All depends on the car but DAMN, there's always a way out. Sheeeeeesh!

RubberDuckie · Post by **RubberDuckie** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 5:54 pm

Thin the heard.

Scary part of the story is not in the article, These people have drivers licenses and are allowed to drive on the public streets. Now that is dangerous.

Losbot · Post by **Losbot** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 7:46 pm

RubberDuckie wrote:Thin the heard.

Scary part of the story is not in the article, These people have drivers licenses and are allowed to drive on the public streets. Now that is dangerous.

Shit, agreed, that's the really disturbing part.

Koo Koo Mouse · Post by **Koo Koo Mouse** » Tue Dec 23, 2014 7:39 pm

I once was leaving an overnight visit with a gal. Had a good time but wanted to leave fast in the morning with other stuff to do. Bad headache also. Found my 94 Camaro locked with the keys in the back seat. Grrrr!
Got a coat hanger from her and wrestled with the drivers side window until I finally snagged the keys! Ya!
Piled my stuff into it and notice some leaves had blow in.. Wha?
Yup, the passenger window was all the was down.. DOH!!!!!