C5X7, Keys locked inside. OMG!

[sparksie]

Hi all
I'm certain this must have been covered before, but my clockwork daytime internet and clumsy inability to find the magic combination of words to make the search work are making it too hard to find, so with humble apologies, could somebody point me in the right direction, please?
What has happened is, as follows.
As some of you will know, I'm helping out with a neighbour's relative's car which has been left with the neighbour for as long as it takes for me to sort it out. The neighbour, sometime over the holiday, decided to put the car under cover and he put the keys in the ignition, but got distracted and didn't move it right away. A couple of days later, when he remembered and went back to do it, he found the car had locked itself.
After a mad couple of weeks, I finally went down there to look at the wipers today, only to be met with a locked car, with both keys clearly visible in the ignition and him absolutely confident this would be no problem to me!
Hmm!
Granted, there are few '70s or '80s cars I can't open without damage, but recent stuff is a lot more challenging and I really don't want to leave any marks.
Given the public nature of a forum, unless there's info already out there, maybe any helpful replies should be by PM?
Cheers, guys

[GiveMeABreak]

I think you are bu**ered Sparksie, short of forcing entry, breaking glass, there is nothing you can do. There are no pull up catches on the inside of the doors for that very reason and no cables or things to pull internally as they have electronic actuators.

Ther X7 only auto re-locks if, after unlocking, none of the doors or boot / hatchback have been opened within 30 seconds of unlocking. Designed if you accidentally press the unlock button when putting your keys away after parking for example - to ensure the car relocks.

I cannot see how this was done as the door would have to be opened to insert the keys into the ignition, so that would stop any relocking. The only other way is if the window was left open and the car unlocked and the keys were inserted into the ignition via the window, then the car relocked. Now I know that when I lock my ca, if I hold the lock button down, it will automatically close any open windows. But what I cannot confirm is in this scenario, whether the car would relock and close the windows. I would expect it would not without that long press using the fob, but needs to be tested.

So I cannot see any other way this was done.

[sparksie]

Okay, I don't know, as I wasn't there.
This is a very common occurrence on VAG products and I've come across it on Nissans, too, so I didn't question it.
Neighbour says he has roadside assist cover, so he'll check whether it covers this.
If not, would the owner be able to buy a key from her Cit dealer, on production of ID and tax book?
What would that be likely to cost?
Given the circumstances, with the car not in daily use, this is not as urgent as it could be, so any cheaper options welcome, too.
The keys are not lost, so a non transponder, straight key, would do, assuming there's a keyhole to put it in... Never looked for that, come to think of it...

[GiveMeABreak]

They could get a key cut and that would suffice to open the car manually via the keyblade - of course the alarm would go off - then you would need to retrieve the existing keys from the car, remove and reinsert the key in the ignition to turn the alarm off, but that would get you out of a fix.

But - the dealer will not supply a blade only, just the complete fob at anything about £114. There were no non-fob versions for the X7. So you would have to get the key code from the dealer with proof of ownership, ID and Log Book etc., then get a blade cut from a locksmith using a cheap holder.

Oh, and I would suggest telling your neighbour to separate the keys in future!

[sparksie]

He's a nightmare!
He leaves keys in ignitions, so he won't lose them.
I imagine these were put together out of a similar concern that he might lose them if they were separate.
I don't know how they came to both be in his possession, but it's not the first time I've had to effect an entry for him.
The difference this time, however, is that he's not the owner, so he can't give permission for me to do potentially destructive things to it.
Lets see what happens...

[EDC5]

Cheap option is to get a blade ‘cut to code’. I got one for my X7 for £14.

Then use the new blade and a pair of pliers to open the drivers door manually. The alarm will go off as marc says but that can be sorted out easily with the original fob.

[moizeau]

I've got a C4 that I'm deciding what to do with. When I first got it I parked it round the back of my house with the keys in the ignition, we're out in the sticks and that way you know where the keys are. Went to it an hour later, it had locked itself. Went to see my mate who I got it off and he found me a spare. If you take the keys out of the ignition, and throw them in the door pocket for example, it doesn't lock. He told me this was normal, he used to throw them in the footwell when it was parked in the works compound. I assumed it was to stop the car being easily stolen if you left the keys in the ignition in a carpark. Less of an inconvenience to go and fetch your spares than have you car nicked.

[Filberton]

Companies such as https://assist.resqyou.co.uk/ - part of Allianz reckon they can get in to any car for £95. May be quicker than a new key and cheaper than a new window. Not sure bur assume they only charge if successful.

Worth asking at least?

Mike

[GiveMeABreak]

Cheapest option is the new blade option @ £14 to get into the car without any damage to retrieve the fobs.

[wheeler]

There are a couple of options here. As you can see the keys you are in with half a chance. As the keys are inside There is a chance it may not be deadlocked so you could wedge the top of the door in the ‘traditional’ way & pull the interior handle with a long rod.
Option 2 is to also wedge the door then either flick the ignition on with the rod then use the rod to press the window switch & put the window down (assuming its not gone into eco mode).
You could also hook the keys out onto the seat then press the unlock button with a long rod.
I do a bit of vehicle entry work for this type of scenario & It is ridiculously easy to get into a deadlocked X7 with no damage (with the right tool). I am a self confessed lock geek, i can gain entry to my X7 in under a minute using a Lishi HU83 pick, once picked the tool can also decode the key number to enable a locksmith to cut a keyblade to code.

[EDC5]

This is the website I used: http://www.car-keys-online.com/product/ ... -hu83.html

My car had the HU83 blade. £11.40 including vat for the blade, I think there is some postage on top though.

[sparksie]

Hi
Sorry, things getting on top of me and I forgot about this.
The owner had cover for this sort of thing and a wagon turned up later that day.
I don't know what tools the operator used, but it looks like he wedged the top of the door out with a screwdriver. Lots of small dents in the top of the door frame and the opening, with paint gone down to the metal and several nicks and distortion to the rubbers.
The ignition switch feels sticky, too, with scratches in the plastic cowling around it.
I've taken pictures of it, with a date stamp, because I have no doubt this will be a problem if the car ever goes back to the owner and I need to show it wasn't me!

[wheeler]

I don't know what tools the operator used, but it looks like he wedged the top of the door out with a screwdriver. Lots of small dents in the top of the door frame and the opening, with paint gone down to the metal and several nicks and distortion to the rubbers.

There should be no need for this type of damage as there are specific tools available for this exact job. Plastic levers & wedges, inflatable airbags and also plastic sleeves to protect the paintwork as you pass the metal rods through the gap.
I would imagine however that a damage disclaimer was signed prior to any attempt to gain entry?

[sparksie]

I would imagine however that a damage disclaimer was signed prior to any attempt to gain entry?

Got it in one!
He could have used a concrete block, with impunity.
How do these people sleep at night?

[van ordinaire]

They have their easy money to keep them warm.

Many years ago my 1st XJ40 locked itself while ticking-over on my parents' drive. My father opened it with a wire coathanger!