Bought a used car. Key situation is wack. Have keys, but locked out. Please Help!

**bedtime4bonzos** · 01-13-2009, 10:39 AM

Edit: Anyone have a carfax account handy?
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Edit: Had a Pontiac dealer make a key from the VIN, which luckily does work in the doors. Still don't know why the ignition got re-keyed or why the door key didn't come with the car. Probably will never know.
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My girlfriend recently bought a 2003 Pontiac Vibe. We just discovered that the key she got with the car does not work in the door locks. The only way to unlock the car from the outside is with the remote. What this means is that if the battery dies (like it did last night), there is absolutely no way to open the car without calling a locksmith. I can't get under the hood to jump it, either.

So right now, I have the keys in hand, but can't get into the car. I called the dealer she bought it from, but he isn't being cooperative. So... what do I do?

Options include
1) make the dealer fix the situation. this doesn't seem likely.
2) never lock the car
3) have a locksmith make a key for the doors?

In the mean time, information on how to break into the car would be useful.

Please help.
-b4b

**likwid** · 01-13-2009, 10:41 AM

You don't have AAA do you?

**bedtime4bonzos** · 01-13-2009, 10:48 AM

unfortunately, no

**squatch** · 01-13-2009, 10:52 AM

aren't there lemon laws in colorado? make the dealer fix it.

edit: how long ago did you buy it?

**milton** · 01-13-2009, 10:53 AM

Use a hanger, find the smallest gauge one you can. Bend a hook on the end, jam it down between the window and door and start fishing around. I just had to do this on my truck a couple weeks ago, yes it has electric locks. It helps if you can see the lock while you are trying so you can see if you are hitting the latch.

**bucbanzai** · 01-13-2009, 11:05 AM

Join AAA now!

It will pay for itself w/getting your car unlocked now and your gal is covered for anything else for a year. They like that.

Have your gal take the car to the stealer, I mean dealer. Just pull into the service department and play blond. It might cost a couple of bucks but she should be able to get the correct key made. Tell her, 'Don't get mad, just don't leave until it is fixed.'

Good Luck.

**XtrPickels** · 01-13-2009, 11:05 AM

Also,
Typically a dealership can make a key from the VIN number. Probably cheaper than having a locksmith come out.

advres · 01-13-2009, 11:19 AM

I made a slimjim in metal fab for everyone in my family when I was in high school for exactly this reason.

**Snow Dog** · 01-13-2009, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by XtrPickels

Also,
Typically a dealership can make a key from the VIN number. Probably cheaper than having a locksmith come out.

Ding ding ding.

There's a hatch to check too. A friend had a problem where some stick-on chrome trim kept the key from going all the way into the lock. Trim removed, problem solved.

What kind of crappy dealer won't help a customer out?

**khakis** · 01-13-2009, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by XtrPickels

Also,
Typically a dealership can make a key from the VIN number. Probably cheaper than having a locksmith come out.

this only works if you can assume that the door locks are original and the ignition assembly was replaced when the scumbag he bought the car from was putting it together with junkyard parts. Sounds like one of those "clues" that the car might have a few secrets
edit: and it's usually easier to jimmy a hood than a door, if all you need to do is get jumper cables on to solve your immediate problem...

**ilikesnow** · 01-13-2009, 12:52 PM

assuming all the lock cylinders are the same, VIN and keycode for the car and a locksmith can make keys for cheap. I just lost all the keys to my old toyota and had the local locksmith do this, was 30 bucks for two new keys that work fine.

getting the lock code, you should be able to do for free from an official pontiac dealer as long as you have proof of ownership of the car, valid id, bla bla bla. for my truck, too old no longer on record, i just had to remove the interior door panel on the poassengers side and it was stamped on the lock cylinder.

if your cylnders are different, then you will need two sets of keys for the car (cheap but a pain), or get the locks re-keyed to match up which I think a locksmith can do for not too much. getting the ignition cylinder out isnt too bad depening on the car.

seems like your dealer may have pieced together some part of the car though and you shoud be back there demanding he fix it.

good luck

**Ted Striker** · 01-13-2009, 12:53 PM

Any tow truck driver or AAA guy can open it with a slim-jim. You monkeying around with a coat hanger is bush league and will probably damage the weather seal on the window. If you really want to get in without calling/paying someone, opening the hood is easy. Just look through the grill or up from the ground to find the cable that runs back to the remote unlock inside. When you've found the cable, pull the arm that the cable is attached to and the hood will open.

**refried** · 01-13-2009, 01:16 PM

Join AAA now and let them open it

**crispy4505** · 01-13-2009, 01:40 PM

this means the ignition was changed, had it happen to my moms car. i believe someone mentioned that you can have a dealer make you a key which is correct. however it is not cheap, depending on the type of key, it can be upwards of 100 beans. the guy who sold you the car should have told you this tho and should be paying for the new key to be made

**pechelman** · 01-13-2009, 02:18 PM

lol
just got back from helping b4b with my AAA membership

the locksmith was a total riot
he had the most crazy junkshow going on ive ever seen in a geo tracker before, complete with the passenger side microwave oven.

we tried the hanger\extandable antenna thingy on the door lock button, but there wasnt even enough juice left to flip the locks
also tried fishing for the handle with some safety wire, but at that point, the locksmith dude was on his way
he had the thing open in about 2minutes

**pechelman** · 01-13-2009, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by crispy4505

this means the ignition was changed, had it happen to my moms car. i

why would someone change the ignition?
the locksmith mentioned that someone probably swapped the ignition lock as well. but i cant figure out why

and its making this even more fishy that the dealer will not make her a new key that theyre trying to either;
a) hide something about the cars history
b) do not know the key code to have a new key made as the ignition was changed

**Ted Striker** · 01-13-2009, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

why would someone change the ignition?
the locksmith mentioned that someone probably swapped the ignition lock as well. but i cant figure out why

I'm guessing it's because the car was stolen at one point.

**pechelman** · 01-13-2009, 02:36 PM

thats all i had, but that doesnt seem like much of a deterrent to me given that most professionals have the whole set of keys they need to start the cars theyre going after. (the key needed to just send the code or deliver the right voltage to the ECU...ie with the chips or resistors)

**Ted Striker** · 01-13-2009, 02:57 PM

My thought was that it was stolen by an amateur/hack/kid or combination thereof who broke the tumbler to unlock the steering wheel.

**bedtime4bonzos** · 01-13-2009, 03:39 PM

Like pechelman said, we had the car unlocked through AAA. Still don't know whether the ignition or doors were re-keyed... looking into it. Not sure if it's useful info, but the key-fob does work. Dealership doesn't seem to want to take responsibility monetarily. They suggested that someone may have broken a key off in the original??? I don't buy it though.

**TeleHoar** · 01-13-2009, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by bedtime4bonzos

They suggested that someone may have broken a key off in the original??? I don't buy it though.

Locksmiths will easily extract the broken key. Easier than replacing the whole ignition.

Maybe a mag will CARFAX this for you...?

**bedtime4bonzos** · 01-13-2009, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by TeleHoar

Maybe a mag will CARFAX this for you...?

That would certainly be appreciated... I have the VIN on hand if anyone's feeling helpful...

(I know they showed her the report before she bought the car... so i doubt there's anything crazy on it. i'd definitly like to see it myself though.)

**skew** · 01-13-2009, 06:17 PM

This is so crazy. When one buys a car, used or otherwise, there is a valid expectation that the key that is supplied will work in all the locks. Does anyone remember years ago when American cars had 2 keys? That was a long time ago. I don't think the second key is missing.

Anyway, this is absurd that the folks that sold it won't or can't do anything about it. I would demand they take the car back, and I would make the demand on an attorney's letterhead. Shit this would make me mad.

**crispy4505** · 01-14-2009, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by pisteoff

I'm guessing it's because the car was stolen at one point.

Possible but there could have just been a problem with the ignition and it needed to be replaced. usually they dont fix an ignition, just replace it. ive had it happen to my moms car