Urgent Help Needed!!!

I have just accidentally managed to lock my only key to my 960 CD estate into the car. I had the door open with the key in the ignition, I was talking to friends outside the car and pushed the driver's door closed. Unfortunately I think I may have knocked the inside door catch, which locks the doors manually, as I moved away from the car so that when I shut the door, they all locked, including the tailgate. I only have one key and I need to get in without damaging the car. Any advice please!!! Do you think that if I contact Volvo and give them my registration number, they might have a record of the key number to issue me with a duplicate key? If anyone can help please could you telephone me on 01745 369221. Would be eternally grateful!!!

Really not sure about the contact volvo thing... for sure they could get a new key but I imagine this would take several days, at least, to get one made up, they'd need ID as well I would think.

Best bet is call AA or whichever breakdown service you are with, they're used to breaking into cars for people without damaging as this sort of thing does happen. Maybe a locksmith could do it also, or any other breakdown service if you're not registered with one.

I'm sorry but I don't really know much about your car but hopefully "Mr. 900 series" will come along soon.

The only possibilities I can think of (which *may* cause damage) are:

1) Can you unlock doors by opening the drivers handle? Using a piece of wire or coat hanger, lever it between door and pillar and pull the handle open (might have to bend the doorskin a bit for this).

2) If you can (somehow) get the bonnet open (by reaching / breaking catch from underneath) and disconnect the battery (might spark if ignition on) then quickly reconnect it might fool the central locking into suddenly unlocking the car.

Only other thing I can think of is smack a large screwdriver through the doorskin so you can get to the lock lever.

Sorry, not much help really was I

[MissDMeanor]

I'm not sure if it'll work for remote control locking cars but.....

Have you tried getting a coat hangar or a long slim metal rod and sliding it down the glass to where the mechanism is for the door lock? You may be able to hook the mechanism to unlock it????

Thanks. We are trying with the wire suggestion. The bonnet is actually open because I was showing some friends something under the bonnet when the doors locked, so we could disconnect the battery, but I have read elsewhere on the forum about problems with the remote central locking functioning afterwards if we do this, so I would prefer to avoid that if I can. I am not with a breakdown service. My boyfriend is but only for his car! I will be getting a spare set of keys now which my boyfriend can keep.

Just heard my next door neighbour has called out the AA for me. Good lad, hope they can do something!!!

Will report back to the forum on how we get on because someone else out there must have done this, or will do in future! I feel such a prat!!!

[volvobobbins]

Open out a wire coathanger,put a 90 degree bend about 1in long at one end.At the other end make a loop to put finger in.With care push between door and door pillar,try to locate inner door handle with the bent end and pull.You might have to put a curve in the wire only trial and error will tell.Good luck.

[MissDMeanor]

Good luck SueB

Don't worry, we've all done it....well, I have anyway. I had to smash the window of my Audi

Let us know how you get on!!

We're all having quite a laugh about it now ....well, now that we know the AA are coming! But we weren't laughing about 20 minutes ago I can tell you!

My friends helpfully suggested we do a Michael Caine in "The Italian Job" and blow the bloody doors off!!!

Don't think so! Will keep everyone posted. Thank God for nosey neighbours is all I can say!

Hi to everyone who has read this post or responded to it. I am now back into my car with NO damage whatsoever! Nice AA man came out and got into it in seconds! I was so grateful that I joined the AA on the spot! Tried to give him a bottle of beer but he is teetotal (just my luck eh!) Anyway, can't recommend them enough - no smashing of windows or "blowing the bloody doors off" Also, I now know how to get into any car in seconds - think I might give up my occupation as a lawyer and turn to car theft! What do you think?

Seriously, thanks to all of you who made me feel better in my moment of crisis!

Cheers everyone!!!!

[MissDMeanor]

Wanna divulge the AA guy's secret? I could do with earning a bit of extra cash

Glad it's sorted in a damage-free way!

Glad you got it sorted and panic over

Think I read somewhere that about 96% of AA call outs are for a flat battery and to break into cars, so I thought they'd be able to sort it no worries. (Only downside is because of this if there is something actually wrong with your car they're no good and have to tow it).

I thought they weren't supposed to let you see how they break in, oh well. I thought they used a system of levers to pop the lock button or something, but not too sure.

I guess if you became a car thief you could use your lawyer skills to get yourself off the charges all the time

One other thing, re. the disconnect battery messing up remote key thing, I'm sure this can't be the case because then if you ever had a battery run out of charge you'd need to go back to volvo each time to sort it! What is most likely is that you might have to resynch the codes, for sure you'd have to do this after changing the battery in the key fob. This is because the code sequence transmitted by the key fob is continuously changing and the one the key sends and the one the car expects are synched (most new systems work this way). To re-synch them if you disconnect one of their batteries, it's some magic button sequence usually like "press lock twice, then unlock once then lock" or something. Probably says in the owners manual somewhere how to do it.

Pete