A car lockout is frustrating. A car lockout with an electric door handle can become an even trickier situation if you’re not completely familiar with how your fob works or if an alternate fob is not available. In fact, car owners often forget that a hard key is sometimes stored within the fob itself for redundancy. Though it’s a simple technology, electric door handles are a blessing but can also prove to be a bother when you’re locked out of your own car. Let’s look at the two most common causes for car lockouts with electric door handles.
No Fob? No Bueno
One of the foremost causes for car lockouts centers around the key fob itself. The fobs run on batteries and, depending on usage, they can last a good while before dying. If you’re not in the habit of replacing those batteries it’s easy to forget. Fobs will not alert you to a dying battery. This means you might not realize the problem until it’s at hand.
If a hard key or alternate fob is not available, then the only solution here is to buy a replacement battery for the fob. If you’re unsure how to open a fob and replace a battery, we’re more than happy to provide a quick demonstration. Once a new battery is in place, your lockout issues are resolved.
A fob can also be reset or reprogrammed by a dealership or mechanic. That means the fob may fail to connect with the vehicle’s locking system. If this is the case then the mechanic or dealership should be tasked with correcting the situation.
Your Car Battery Will Fail
It’s a truth car owners must deal with every 3-5 years. Car batteries will die. When this happens, the electrical system in your car will not respond at all. The fob will be rendered useless.
This is where it can get tricky. The immediate thought is to jump the battery but you might wonder how to go about doing that if you can’t access the release for your hood which is inside your very locked car. This is where your hard key comes in handy. Again, it is likely hidden (but obviously so) in the fob itself.
What if your jumper cables or jump box is in the trunk? This will be locked as well. Again, the hard key is the answer as you must go “old school” to get your car’s electrical system back online. Once you have your charge, then consider having your car battery examined or replaced.
The above scenarios are the most common, but electric door handles are diverse and can quit functioning for a number of reasons including those that are weather related.
We Have the Solution for Your Car Lockout Problem
As the old saying goes “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Let us sweat it for you. We know all about the how, why and what of car lockouts with electric door handles.
Whether it’s a battery-related issue or something more complex, we know how to fix the problem and we can get it done on your busy schedule. If you don’t have a spare fob or if your electrical system is not responding, give our auto locksmiths call. Our courteous and professional staff is standing by and always happy to help.
