How to open door with a dead battery

[surfinjoe]

I have been having issues with my battery dying overnight. It seems that the alarm keeps going off and kills the battery. It says 'Alarm Activated By Hood'. I have an aftermarket fiberglass hood that is very light. Maybe that is the issue.

Anyhow, now my battery is dead and I can not open my door. I have put the key in the door and it does turn, but it won't open the door (I believe that the lock is electronic). Anyhow, please help. I am dead in the water here and can't get into my car. I cringe at the thought of breaking the window.

If there was a way to open the hood from the outside, I could charge the battery and use the key fob as well.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[surfinjoe]

BTW - the battery is NEW. Am I the only one who ever had this happen?

[Sweet Chops]

I wouldn't beak the window. If anything call a locksmith.

[Nowhereman]

Weird that the key will not unlock the door.
I have done this a number of times where I disconnected the battery working on the engine then forgot the car was locked.
I just stuck the key in like old school and it opened.

[surfinjoe]

But you don't have a GTO. We have some strange issues due to Aussie design.

Weird that the key will not unlock the door.
I have done this a number of times where I disconnected the battery working on the engine then forgot the car was locked.
I just stuck the key in like old school and it opened.

[Nowhereman]

Well, they are upside down, down under over there...LOL

[surfinjoe]

Sure are.

As an example, my car does not have an unlock button in it anywhere. If you want to open the door, you have to pull-up on the lock itself. Then it makes this mechanical/electrical sound and opens. If you want to open the passenger door for your friend/wife, you have to reach all the way over and open it 'old school', or hit the key fob.

I believe that they added an unlock button in 05 or 06. I am just one of the lucky SOB's that has the 04.

[Nowhereman]

Sure are.

As an example, my car does not have an unlock button in it anywhere. If you want to open the door, you have to pull-up on the lock itself. Then it makes this mechanical/electrical sound and opens. If you want to open the passenger door for your friend/wife, you have to reach all the way over and open it 'old school', or hit the key fob.

I believe that they added an unlock button in 05 or 06. I am just one of the lucky SOB's that has the 04.

It's a classic... hang on to it...LOL

[rc74racer]

I have an 05 no unlock button either. It works on my nerves. It's a great car but some little quirks like the locks are annoying. I think a locksmith is your best bet unless you can get some sort of bar in there and pry up the lock.

[Firebirdjones]

This is the funniest stuff I've heard in a while. Can't unlock a car with a key?? What will the Aussies think of next?

I would have thought GM would have corrected this little quirk before bringing the car over, they sure changed alot of other stuff that didn't meet US regulations, why not make a door lock work like it's supposed to
So basically the outside key hole on the door is purely cosmetic

[surfinjoe]

Yes, the key hole is pretty much cosmetic. It will unlock if you have power, but not without.

Oh yea, the other issue with GTO's is the trunk. GM decided to move the gas tank from under the vehicle to the trunk due to some governmental regulations. Needless to say, the trunk won't even fit a suit case....I would be better off having a Corvette...LOL

Damn, could have had a G8.....LOL

This is the funniest stuff I've heard in a while. Can't unlock a car with a key?? What will the Aussies think of next?

I would have thought GM would have corrected this little quirk before bringing the car over, they sure changed alot of other stuff that didn't meet US regulations, why not make a door lock work like it's supposed to
So basically the outside key hole on the door is purely cosmetic

[rc74racer]

Yes, the key hole is pretty much cosmetic. It will unlock if you have power, but not without.

Oh yea, the other issue with GTO's is the trunk. GM decided to move the gas tank from under the vehicle to the trunk due to some governmental regulations. Needless to say, the trunk won't even fit a suit case....I would be better off having a Corvette...LOL

Damn, could have had a G8.....LOL

Is that why it's so small? I thought there was some sort of sub in the box back there.

[Firebirdjones]

Yes, the key hole is pretty much cosmetic. It will unlock if you have power, but not without.

Oh yea, the other issue with GTO's is the trunk. GM decided to move the gas tank from under the vehicle to the trunk due to some governmental regulations. Needless to say, the trunk won't even fit a suit case....I would be better off having a Corvette...LOL

Damn, could have had a G8.....LOL

That's what I was referring to with changes that GM made before bringing the car over here. The US has crash standards to adhere to, so they moved the gas tank, as well as redesigned the bumpers for certain impact standards. Some other minor things as well.

I understand what you are saying about the key locks now. They must be tied to an electric switch of some sort rather than a simple rod. That still boggles me. Like you said, without power you can't get in. I would have thought the Aussies were smart enough to design a back door so to speak (ie: making the outside manual lock functional with a rod???) in case of battery failure.

[0rion]

there is a mechanical lock.....you have to crank the shit out of the key though. I would probably spray wd40 or something similar in the lock first. Another option you have is to crawl under the front of the car and hook a jumper cable to your alternator hot wire and ground the other lead. That will give you power long enough to unlock the door.

[Nowhereman]

there is a mechanical lock.....you have to crank the shit out of the key though. I would probably spray wd40 or something similar in the lock first. Another option you have is to crawl under the front of the car and hook a jumper cable to your alternator hot wire and ground the other lead. That will give you power long enough to unlock the door.

Smart... desperate but smart...LOL

[Firebirdjones]

there is a mechanical lock.....you have to crank the shit out of the key though. I would probably spray wd40 or something similar in the lock first. Another option you have is to crawl under the front of the car and hook a jumper cable to your alternator hot wire and ground the other lead. That will give you power long enough to unlock the door.

Aha,,,so the outside lock does work mechanically. You just have to turn the key further??

[cammed goat]

I don't have the doorlock issue. Are you turning the key the right way? I believe you have to turn the key clockwise to unlock both doors. At least mine is like that. I think I have a partial BCM failure so my fobs don't work and the alarm doesn't sound by unlocking the driver's door manually. I can unlock my driver's door with the key without a problem. As far as your car is, is the aftermarket hood adjusted correctly? It could be sitting a little too high off the front bumper and the alarm trigger in the radiator core support isn't making sufficient contact to keep the alarm silent when armed.

[0rion]

I don't have the doorlock issue. Are you turning the key the right way? I believe you have to turn the key clockwise to unlock both doors. At least mine is like that. I think I have a partial BCM failure so my fobs don't work and the alarm doesn't sound by unlocking the driver's door manually. I can unlock my driver's door with the key without a problem. As far as your car is, is the aftermarket hood adjusted correctly? It could be sitting a little too high off the front bumper and the alarm trigger in the radiator core support isn't making sufficient contact to keep the alarm silent when armed.

are you 100% on that? I'm pretty sure it goes counter clockwise to unlock.

[0rion]

Aha,,,so the outside lock does work mechanically. You just have to turn the key further??

yes....and it takes a good amount of force to do it. You basically turn it past the electronic portion of the lock to get to the mechanical portion. When mine did it I thought I was going to break the key off......I gave up a few times and finally said screw it because something was going to give. Went back out and put some balls behind it and it unlocked.

[cammed goat]

are you 100% on that? I'm pretty sure it goes counter clockwise to unlock.

You are correct. I just went outside to check. It's counter clockwise.