Help! keys locked in car...

[toman]

I feel really dumb... I locked my keys in the car. Any ideas how to get in? (I know I'm not the only one to have done it, come on guys... ) Will a slim jim work? This is really lame, please help!

[Eat-um-up]

I locked my keys in my car after i got it. if your careful you can take your rubber seals off the top. I wedged a long flat screwdriver between the window and top. The rubber seal was still there but i managed to use teh screw driver to unhook the latches and just take the top off. I would suppose a slim jim would work too


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Sweet Blue 72' 914
Check it out at
http://www.geocities.com/eat_um_up/914.html

[greenwood]

It's gotta happen to everybody some time or another. Luckily we learn from our mistakes.
The time it happened to me, I was putting my top and (of coarse) forgot that I left the keys in the ignition. Right AFTER I locked and shut the door I thought, "better make sure I've got my keys"...too late.
I just called AAA and they took care of me.
After that, I decided to take the valet key off and stash it in my house.

jeremy

[SteveStromberg]

Your local non chain autoparts house should have a "slim jim" for about $10. If you cant find one Call L+M Godman's Autoparts @ 818 980 3710 tell them I said to call and they can get send you one. Steve

[HMeeder]

Happened to me 2 weeks ago.

I was able to pry the passenger window back enough to get a coat hanger in and snag the lock. Fortunately they are very large and you can get enough leverage to pull them. Especially with a heavier gauge wire. Took me less than 5 minutes.

I had heard from someone that slim-jims aren't typically sold to the public. Only cops, firemen and tow operators can get them. Something about them being burglery tools. Don't know if it's true or not, but it sounded reasonable.

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Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

[ozzy]

howdy.
advance auto has collapsable slim jims in the help/motormite section for 6$

[Rich Hilgersom]

Slims jims have almost no chance of working.
914s have the standard VW type door locks with the long "push-pull" rod going in an angle toward the inside lever. Normally the rod is kept in place by a clamp, if the clamp has not broken. A slim jim cant bend the rod enough. Since the lock is close the curved door exterior you cant get placemnt on the throw lever very well.
Most cars took me only a few minutes, down to 5 seconds for a golf, but when I tried the 914 door with the door panels off I still could not find a way to slim jim the car. Maybe someone else has the procedure.

Go for the top. I have been able to peel the window back and align the front latches by tapping them with a slim jim, then poping the front latches with the hook end of the slim jim. A bit of wiggling the top may pop the rear latches as well. Otherwise the coat hanger worked.

Good luck!

[toman]

Thanks guys! I managed to get three latches undone, which gave me enought room to get an arm in and roll down the window. I don't think i'll be forgeting my keys again any time soon, that was a major hassle.

[Joe Bob]

Happened to me once...took me an hour to get my girlfriend out.....8^)

[sammyg2]

This is a 914, right? Your car may be different, But every 914 I have owned had a loose rear window, just a little prerssure should pop it out and then get someone small (not me) to crawl in and unlock it.

P.S. you better hurry, it might start raining before you can get it unlocked and get the top on:-)


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Gerald Gore II (Sam)
73 914 350 small block

[914Hugh]

An easier trick for the 'Hanger Procedure' is to use the 'hook' part of the hanger to grab the window crank. After a couple of rolls, you can stick your hand in there to finish the job and unlock the door.

[Steve Frankiewich]

I'm in the metal hanger crowd. I went in under the rear edge of the top after putting a downward bend in the coat hanger. It was a pretty easy matter of hooking the lock and pulling it back. So simple it got me thinking about how secure these cars really are. Anyway, the trick nowadays is finding someone with a metal clothes hanger!

[Eat-um-up]

Even the metal clothshagars you get now suck. you have to find a nice old one cuse the new ones have no strenth

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Sweet Blue 72' 914
Check it out at
http://www.geocities.com/eat_um_up/914.html