Technical Door unlocking puzzle

[popster]

My wife tried to go to work this morning in her trusty - and it has been - 2009 1.2 Pop. Pressed the button on the keyfob, lights flashed - but the doors remained locked. Tried the key - nada.

I took her to work and have played around some more. The remote flashes the lights as expected (different pattern for lock, unlock and boot open) but nothing happens - no clunk from the central locking, no doors unlocking, no boot opening. And the key does nothing.

T'interweb suggests a door lock actuator (which would explain both remote and key not opening the door, but not the boot failing to open?) or a low battery (which I'm dubious of).

The puzzle is - how do I get in to the car to start to find out which it is when I can't open the car?! Obviously, I can't check the fuses or even pop the bonnet because the release is in the footwell!

I have AA Home Start, but I'm not sure if they'll come out for this.

 

[puntodeltathema]

Key should always work mechanically in the lock - is it seized or something?

 

[popster]

Key should always work mechanically in the lock - is it seized or something?

There's a fairly common failure where the pull rod for the lock comes adrift and the key won't open the door, but as far as I can tell, usually when that happens the fob will still work.

The key turns freely, but nothing happens. The fob doesn't unlock either door or the boot. There's no clunk sound when you actuate it (although the lights flash).

 

[Jockstrap]

I'd be more concerned by you playing around a bit after driving the wife to work . Bit of wrong key m'lord .

 

[popster]

Well, I'm in. Ordered a grand theft auto kit from Amazon yesterday, which arrived at 7 this morning. Two airbags to squeeze open the top of the door frame and then tried three tools to pull the interior door handle. After lots of fiddling, the third one worked.

Now I just have to work out why it wouldn't unlock! I don't think removing the doorcard is going to be fun, so I'm hoping it's the central locking fuse! Now, to find the fuse...

 

[John202020]

Leave the window open or the boot lid so you can access the bits in the door with the window up?

 

[vexorg]

It might need the door card ripped off to get into the mechanism and rods.
The key should always work, even if none of the electrics do.

 

[popster]

It might need the door card ripped off to get into the mechanism and rods.
The key should always work, even if none of the electrics do.

The door card is coming off, but my working theory is that there are two unconnected problems. The rod for the key mechanism became disconnected. We didn't notice, because we never use the key. Then the fuse went, so we couldn't use the fob and that's when we discovered the mechanical problem.

 

[A3jeroen]

...two unconnected problems...

That made me laugh

gr J

 

[popster]

I went away for the weekend, missus went out in the 500. Got back to the car and the fuse had blown again, so the AA had to get her in to the car again.

Doorcard off yesterday and re-attached the lock rod to the actuator and changed the fuse again. She now has working key and fob entry.

Any suggestions as to what might be causing the fuse to blow? That's 15 years the first time and 3 days the second time...

 

[steveras57]

guess you will just have to keep,an eye on it! -you would think if it was anything obvious it would blow the fuse instantly! so might be worth checking the hatch wiring just in case!, did you give the actuator a spray with lube while you was in there just in case it was sticking?,and ensure the rod clip was in good condition? dont want the ro)d coming out again and having to take the door card off allover again! it will probably work fine now !, just to keep you guessing (and worrying.

 

[A3jeroen]

My money is on the hatchwiring.

gr J

 

[jrkitching]

Any suggestions as to what might be causing the fuse to blow

Whatever it is, it needs fixing before something worse happens.

Don't just keep replacing the fuse, or, worse, put a higher value fuse in.