C70 S70 V70: - Locked out (battery dead) but have the keys!

wirtzfeldvalley · Apr 28th, 2011, 09:14

C70 convertible
model year 2000
mileage 85000 miles

Problem:
deadlock? battery dead, cannot open the doors although I have the keys

I've had a shoulder surgery and was unable to drive my C70 convertible for 6 weeks, so the battery was dead.

With a spare battery I was able to start the engine last week

This week I wanted to open my car again, but the remote control was only able to open the trunk, not the driver's door. Using the key in the (only key hole) of the drivers door, had also no result: the key just turns completely around with no effect!

Cannot enter the car, and so cannot open the motor compartment to switch a new battery in it.

Please help, my volvo dealer is saying
"just spray some rust remover in the key hole"
but this is of no help...

hubert from Belgium

NI_Volvo_Nut · Apr 28th, 2011, 09:22

WD40 is your answer, the key will override the deadlocks, if you can get the key to turn in the lock

Until I fixed the door lock in my S70, I had to enter through the boot, punch the arm rest down, reach in, release the seat back, crawl through, release the bonnet and crawl out again, took a god 20mins of messing about, but probably not an option if you've just come through a shoulder op, also, I'm not sure if the seats fold down on a C70.

Would you have a trailer socket or caravan socket, it would be possible to power the vehicle through this to unlock it

wirtzfeldvalley · Apr 28th, 2011, 09:33

tried entering the trunk, but backseats cannot be fold down,
and the armrest hole is too small, even for my skinny nephew
and no, have no trailer socket

tx anyway, hope to get some other solutions?

coldfield · Apr 28th, 2011, 10:05

I was working on my V70 a while back and left the key in the ignition, for some reason the doors all locked and i was unable to gain entry back into the car..

My mate is an RAC man and he got into the car in 20 seconds !!! He used a wedge and a special hook that enabled him to lift the button on the inside of the door.

Maybe this would be your answer...RAC or AA.

hth.

wirtzfeldvalley · Apr 28th, 2011, 10:29

@ coldfield

I tried with a long metal wire to pull the inside door lever of the opposite door, but did not succeed to open it.

Jimcoted · Apr 28th, 2011, 10:53

I had a similar thing when my mates young grandson left an interior light switched on, it sat for days like that and flattened the battery. I had to crawl in through the boot with the car parked right beside a crowded bus stop!!

I don't know if this will help but just after I bought my V70 I found that the left side bonnet release was faulty. Following the death of it owner who cherished it the car sat for a few months. The Philistine I bought the car off the family had gained entry to the engine compartment by sliding the grille sideways, I worked this out by the fact that nearly all the clips were missing. The grille will slide either to the right or let (cannot recall which) this MAY give some sort of access to the release cables.

PS my key would not unlock the earlier car either when it had a flat battery because the deadlocks were on. I had to do it from inside.

Luxobarge · Apr 28th, 2011, 11:50

You can get into the boot, right? (I presume that's what you mean by "trunk")

OK, sounds bizarre, but what you could try is to find a permanent live wire in the boot (trunk) area. The feed to the boot light (or better still the boot light switch) should be permanently live. Connect this to the positive feed from a battery charger, and the negative lead of the charger to a good body earth somewhere.

Leave it for a few hours and it should charge the battery.

A bit fiddly I agree, and make sure you don't short out the live wire to ground, but I'd imagine this would work IF the only problem is a flat battery.

When leaving your car unused for a lengthy period of time, I'd recommend connecting up a battery conditioner - usually pretty cheap, and will greatly increase battery life, as they don't like being left half charged or even flat. Plus of course you'd avoid this sort of problem.

Hope this helps!

wirtzfeldvalley · Apr 28th, 2011, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luxobarge

You can get into the boot, right? (I presume that's what you mean by "trunk")

correct, I meant the boot indeed.

I'll try this idea, and will post the result later.

Hubert from belgium

wirtzfeldvalley · Apr 28th, 2011, 16:20

I could not yet load the battery via the idea as described here before (i'll wait for the volvo engineer who promised to pass by one night...)

but

I finally managed to put a steel hook/wire at the back of the door lever

I even can pull the lever, but the door lock will not unlock !

As I don't know how to post pictures in the forum, I've put links to my pictures that show the steel wire with the door lever...

Looks like it will take some days longer before entering my car again...

Hubert from Belgium

http://www.wirtzfeldvalley.com/wp-co...9/P1010375.jpg

http://www.wirtzfeldvalley.com/wp-co...9/P1010372.jpg

acshortt5 · Apr 28th, 2011, 16:32

It's because the deadlocks are engaged - that's why the door handles don't work.

It will be very tricky doing it all the way from the boot but have you tried to get the bonnet lever with your wire?

Apr 28th, 2011, 09:14	#1
wirtzfeldvalley New Member Last Online: May 4th, 2011 16:18 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Wirtzfeld Valley	Locked out (battery dead) but have the keys! C70 convertible model year 2000 mileage 85000 miles Problem: deadlock? battery dead, cannot open the doors although I have the keys I've had a shoulder surgery and was unable to drive my C70 convertible for 6 weeks, so the battery was dead. With a spare battery I was able to start the engine last week This week I wanted to open my car again, but the remote control was only able to open the trunk, not the driver's door. Using the key in the (only key hole) of the drivers door, had also no result: the key just turns completely around with no effect! Cannot enter the car, and so cannot open the motor compartment to switch a new battery in it. Please help, my volvo dealer is saying "just spray some rust remover in the key hole" but this is of no help... hubert from Belgium __________________ C70, convertible, black, model year 2000 mileage 85,000 former cars: 740, 260, 960, 850, C70, S60 and S80 Last edited by wirtzfeldvalley; Apr 28th, 2011 at 09:46.

Apr 28th, 2011, 09:22	#2
NI_Volvo_Nut Volvologist Last Online: Dec 6th, 2023 11:13 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangor - Norn Iron View Photos By: NI_Volvo_Nut	WD40 is your answer, the key will override the deadlocks, if you can get the key to turn in the lock Until I fixed the door lock in my S70, I had to enter through the boot, punch the arm rest down, reach in, release the seat back, crawl through, release the bonnet and crawl out again, took a god 20mins of messing about, but probably not an option if you've just come through a shoulder op, also, I'm not sure if the seats fold down on a C70. Would you have a trailer socket or caravan socket, it would be possible to power the vehicle through this to unlock it __________________ What's the matter with the car I'm driving? Can't you tell that it's out of style? Should I get a set of white wall tires? Are you gonna cruise the miracle mile?

Apr 28th, 2011, 09:33	#3
wirtzfeldvalley New Member Last Online: May 4th, 2011 16:18 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Wirtzfeld Valley	tried entering the trunk, but backseats cannot be fold down, and the armrest hole is too small, even for my skinny nephew and no, have no trailer socket tx anyway, hope to get some other solutions? __________________ C70, convertible, black, model year 2000 mileage 85,000 former cars: 740, 260, 960, 850, C70, S60 and S80

Apr 28th, 2011, 10:29	#5
wirtzfeldvalley New Member Last Online: May 4th, 2011 16:18 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Wirtzfeld Valley	@ coldfield I tried with a long metal wire to pull the inside door lever of the opposite door, but did not succeed to open it. __________________ C70, convertible, black, model year 2000 mileage 85,000 former cars: 740, 260, 960, 850, C70, S60 and S80

Apr 28th, 2011, 11:50	#7
Luxobarge Premier Member Last Online: Apr 26th, 2024 09:37 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Horne (Nr. Horley)	You can get into the boot, right? (I presume that's what you mean by "trunk") OK, sounds bizarre, but what you could try is to find a permanent live wire in the boot (trunk) area. The feed to the boot light (or better still the boot light switch) should be permanently live. Connect this to the positive feed from a battery charger, and the negative lead of the charger to a good body earth somewhere. Leave it for a few hours and it should charge the battery. A bit fiddly I agree, and make sure you don't short out the live wire to ground, but I'd imagine this would work IF the only problem is a flat battery. When leaving your car unused for a lengthy period of time, I'd recommend connecting up a battery conditioner - usually pretty cheap, and will greatly increase battery life, as they don't like being left half charged or even flat. Plus of course you'd avoid this sort of problem. Hope this helps! __________________ Some people are like Slinkies, they serve no useful purpose but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.

Apr 28th, 2011, 10:05	#4
coldfield Senior Member Last Online: Oct 17th, 2011 14:24 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: london	I was working on my V70 a while back and left the key in the ignition, for some reason the doors all locked and i was unable to gain entry back into the car.. My mate is an RAC man and he got into the car in 20 seconds !!! He used a wedge and a special hook that enabled him to lift the button on the inside of the door. Maybe this would be your answer...RAC or AA. hth.

Apr 28th, 2011, 10:53	#6
Jimcoted Senior Member Last Online: Oct 28th, 2016 20:44 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: london	I had a similar thing when my mates young grandson left an interior light switched on, it sat for days like that and flattened the battery. I had to crawl in through the boot with the car parked right beside a crowded bus stop!! I don't know if this will help but just after I bought my V70 I found that the left side bonnet release was faulty. Following the death of it owner who cherished it the car sat for a few months. The Philistine I bought the car off the family had gained entry to the engine compartment by sliding the grille sideways, I worked this out by the fact that nearly all the clips were missing. The grille will slide either to the right or let (cannot recall which) this MAY give some sort of access to the release cables. PS my key would not unlock the earlier car either when it had a flat battery because the deadlocks were on. I had to do it from inside.

Apr 28th, 2011, 16:20	#9
wirtzfeldvalley New Member Last Online: May 4th, 2011 16:18 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Wirtzfeld Valley	still not inside !! I could not yet load the battery via the idea as described here before (i'll wait for the volvo engineer who promised to pass by one night...) but I finally managed to put a steel hook/wire at the back of the door lever I even can pull the lever, but the door lock will not unlock ! As I don't know how to post pictures in the forum, I've put links to my pictures that show the steel wire with the door lever... Looks like it will take some days longer before entering my car again... Hubert from Belgium http://www.wirtzfeldvalley.com/wp-co...9/P1010375.jpg http://www.wirtzfeldvalley.com/wp-co...9/P1010372.jpg __________________ C70, convertible, black, model year 2000 mileage 85,000 former cars: 740, 260, 960, 850, C70, S60 and S80

Apr 28th, 2011, 16:32	#10
acshortt5 Volvo Nutcase Last Online: Jul 14th, 2023 12:57 Join Date: May 2007 Location: N/A View Photos By: acshortt5	It's because the deadlocks are engaged - that's why the door handles don't work. It will be very tricky doing it all the way from the boot but have you tried to get the bonnet lever with your wire? __________________ Andrew 1998 S70 T5 CD AUTO Previously a 1990 240 GLT-R Last edited by acshortt5; Apr 28th, 2011 at 16:35.

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