twentysevenlitres

Hi guys,
I've recently come home from being in hospital for a month (bacterial infection).
Since getting back I've been unable to find my keys. Checked with hospital, ambulance etc and they don't have them.
So at the moment I'm at a loss.

Ironically, in the drivers arm rest are two spare keys which I've managed to have cut and programmed the remotes and along with them is the valet key with a valid transponder - all safely locked inside the car!

Now, if I can get into the car, I can drive it and get the two new keys sorted (Transponders not programmed).
Any ideas for breaking in?
Oh - and the battery is flat!

richard-tx

If it were mine I would tow it to the dealer. You won't open the car with a coat hanger.

Kneale Brownson

Locksmith might be able to pick the lock. How do you know the battery is flat if you can't unlock the car?

twentysevenlitres

I realise the difficulty of breaking in to this car, but towing isn't an option as the car is at the bottom of a narrow steep driveway with a 150 degree turn at the bottom. It's in Park with the handbrake hard on. It would have to be dragged past the corner before flatbed loading is practical. Maybe with dollies, but it'd be a logistical nightmare and a last resort as far as I'm concerned - there must be a way to unlock it!

It has a parasitic power drain which flattens the battery in less than a week - it's been there over 5 at this point!

haggisuk

Purchase a door window, once you have it tape the window on the car together and break it retrieve the keys and go forward from there.

Glass is not that expensive and fairly easy to replace.

You other option is get a little bag jack that locksmiths use to pry open the door frame at the top and see if you can fashion a piece of wire to reach the armrest and retrieve the keys.

silverd2

Hi Marty,

Are you laughing as hard as I am? A new door window, being dual pane soundproof glass, is only $550 ("not that expensive") and not much less than a 10 lb sledge hammer will get through one...I've seen the videos. Replacement "fairly easy"? ...depends on who's doing it.

If not a dealer/locksmith ... I don't have a ready solution, but I assume your mind is running the same directions as mine ... If a window, I'd go small and MUCH cheaper with the rear side triangle glass.

As I'm sure you know, the sunroof glass is only held in by 3 little, low-torque torx screws on each side.

Then there's the possibility(?) of going into the trunk through a destroyed right side tail light to maybe get to the release rod running from the keyhole to the latch. If you could get into the trunk, you'd have access to the central locking pump and open the door locks from there.

Never done any of this, so just sharing thoughts.

Sorry to hear about the illness. I'm recovering from back surgery myself, but doing pretty well.

Cheers,
Sam

twentysevenlitres

Yeah, boot access would let me charge the battery too.
One thought I did have (which is power dependant) is to run a rod down to the power lock/unlock buttons at the driver's and passenger's interior door handles.
Don't know quite how well a rod would go trying to get through the 2" door frame around the window (short of being pried out with something like one of those airbags - which I really don't fancy doing on an aluminium frame!).
I'm still convinced I can break in - got locksmith who cut my keys on the case, but won't hear from him until Monday. In the meanwhile I'll wait before smashing any windows or the solar sunroof!

Do A/S8's have a hot stud? I've heard of a battery cable junction point behind the right hand front wheel on the chassis. How hard is this to get a jumper cable to?

silverd2

Here's that terminal .. you'll probably need to fashion the proper connector to use this ... not a "stud" as such >>

twentysevenlitres

Thanks Sam,
Heavy wire behind the round plug?
Doesn't matter too much. If my locksmith can help, I'll be able to access everything!

I'm a little surprised there's no hot stud under the bonnet. Though battery access is pretty good at all times I suppose...
...and I can't get into my bonnet atm anyway!

silverd2

ETKA shows a hot stud under the bonnet in drawings (with part #), but not applicable in the U.S. ... none on my car. Wish it did ... had it on all my P928's ... very convenient (should be required) feature on a rear battery car.

Cheers,
Sam