Locked in the Car and Unable to get Out - Food for Thought

[big bubba]

my sister's beemer at least decade old doesn't have engine dipstick...relies on sensors, etc. bs to me

 

[cqaigy2]

Hmm, now i'm going have to check my subaru. My pickup is manual locks and window cranks, so that's a no brainer. I'd have assumed you just would use the inside door handle to open/unlock the car door.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Interesting...
I've never been in a car that I couldn't unlock the door with no power.

 

[BnRidge]

Family had a 07 Saturn with a dead battery. The battery was in the trunk, with an electric latch on the trunk. No worky. Had to lower the back seat, crawl into the locked trunk from the inside, find the inside latch to get it open.

 

[stuckmotor]

This happened to my wife's friend today. She is elderly and lives alone in a rural spot. She got in the car to go to their little weekly rug hooking session at the town library. Her habit is to lock the doors. She started cranking the car over and it wouldn't start. She cranked until the battery was totally flat. The the doors would not unlock w/o battery power. Panic... Finally she thought to call the dealer to ask how to get out. You can't !!! The dealer came over and jumped the battery before she could get out. Can you believe it.

It is going to be below zero tonight. Wonder if she was in a no cell service zone of which there are many around here or she had no phone with her. No good.

gg

There are tools sold in many places that are comprised of a hammer to break the door widow and a seatbelt cutter. I suspect the elderly and infirm might be their main market. In a panic situation, I'd never find mine, if I owned one.

 

[civilian]

my sister's beemer at least decade old doesn't have engine dipstick...relies on sensors, etc. bs to me

So how do you know when the oil is at full during an oil change? Wait for the sensor? Jon

 

[Molalla1]

Damn Gordon that would be terrible for an elderly person, sorry this happened to her.

 

[civilian]

There are tools sold in many places that are comprised of a hammer to break the door widow and a seatbelt cutter. I suspect the elderly and infirm might be their main market. In a panic situation, I'd never find mine, if I owned one.

Would an elderly lady have the strength to bust a window with the hammer or have the funds to replace a broken window because of a dead battery and being locked inside. Bad situation in my mind. Jon

 

[MossRoad]

This happened to my wife's friend today. She is elderly and lives alone in a rural spot. She got in the car to go to their little weekly rug hooking session at the town library. Her habit is to lock the doors. She started cranking the car over and it wouldn't start. She cranked until the battery was totally flat. The the doors would not unlock w/o battery power. Panic... Finally she thought to call the dealer to ask how to get out. You can't !!! The dealer came over and jumped the battery before she could get out. Can you believe it.

It is going to be below zero tonight. Wonder if she was in a no cell service zone of which there are many around here or she had no phone with her. No good.

gg

I'm guessing there's a door release lever inside the car somewhere, probably down low near the seat.

We'd really like to know make/model/year of the car if possible.

Then look up the manual and show her where it is. Then have her use it so she no longer has to worry about it.

 

[scootr]

So how do you know when the oil is at full during an oil change? Wait for the sensor? Jon

I have no dipstick in the Porsche. It's 12 yrs old. You ask it to check the oil and it does so. Gives you a little visual dipstick with a clear readout. I even added a half quart and rechecked - it was spot on. But this car has a real key and a manual trunk(s) release for the battery.