Locked Key in VW Golf

Luq

Yeah I'm an idiot. Managed to lock my key fob in the car while I was getting my daughter out of the back seat. Since I don't need the car until Monday (we have two cars), I would like to save 45 bucks and some face and get the car open myself. Yes it may be stupid, but it's a pride thing. I will defeat my past stupidity with future stupidity.

It's a 2001 VW Golf. Any tips on what to do or search terms to use?

wmelon

Do you not have the second key or the valet key outside of the car somewhere?

THEPAIN73

Go to the dealership with a friend with your VIN, proof of ownership, and ask for a new key cut by code.

Edit: photo ID as well

Al_wat

THEPAIN73 wrote: »

Go to the dealership with a friend with your VIN, proof of ownership, and ask for a new key cut by code.

Edit: photo ID as well

I dunno, this is an option but I think it would be more expensive than just calling a tow truck to bust into your car.

Cycophant

You could try using the technique that a lot of locksmiths use to bust into cars, which is to get a large plastic wedge to pry open the top corner of the door, then use a small but stiff piece of metal to reach in and pull up the latch. Needless to say this doesn't work on every car, and I have no idea if that includes your VW or not. Plus there's the risk of flexing the door too much and destroying your window, or doing serious damage to your door.

Your best bet is to probably just call the damn locksmith and fork over the money. Going to the dealership and getting a key cut is probably going to be more expensive, but then again at least you'll get something out of it. Just remember to store the extra key somewhere accessible, but not with something you're likely to lock in the car as well.

Willeth

Depending on where the lock is situated, you might be able to cut a hole in a tennis ball and use it as a pressure pad to unlock it. This is super unreliable, especially on newer cars - but a tennis ball is a lot cheaper than a new key

MegoDrDoom

Whatever you do don't try to "Slim jim" the lock. Coming from a police friend, Fire/police wont do that anymore unless they are sure the battery is disconnected as it may or may not set off the side airbag.

Then you'd be proper fucked.

Nataneko

Willeth wrote: »

Depending on where the lock is situated, you might be able to cut a hole in a tennis ball and use it as a pressure pad to unlock it. This is super unreliable, especially on newer cars - but a tennis ball is a lot cheaper than a new key

Didn't they try that on mythbuster and said it doesn't work?

saltiness

Cycophant wrote: »

You could try using the technique that a lot of locksmiths use to bust into cars, which is to get a large plastic wedge to pry open the top corner of the door, then use a small but stiff piece of metal to reach in and pull up the latch. Needless to say this doesn't work on every car, and I have no idea if that includes your VW or not. Plus there's the risk of flexing the door too much and destroying your window, or doing serious damage to your door.

This is certainly not worth the risk. Someone did it to my honda trying to break into it and now the top door seal is totally bent and fucked up.

Nappuccino

Nataneko wrote: »

Willeth wrote: »

Depending on where the lock is situated, you might be able to cut a hole in a tennis ball and use it as a pressure pad to unlock it. This is super unreliable, especially on newer cars - but a tennis ball is a lot cheaper than a new key

Didn't they try that on mythbuster and said it doesn't work?

Yeah, they pretty much proved (considering they can't prove a negative) that the car in the video had a wireless door unlock system on a separate key and used some close ups to fool the viewer into thinking other wise.

Thanatos

Go to your local AAA. Join it. Get your temporary card, go home, and call them. They'll pay for the dude to get your door open.

I don't know for sure if this will work, but I don't see why it wouldn't.

Nappuccino

I second calling AAA- though, I actually have their card [its a family thing] so I'm not sure how long you have to wait before you can call them and they come out for free.

I had to call them once when I locked my key in the trunk of the car (long story) anyway.... the guy who came was cool about it and with in 5-8 min he was finished and I had my key. Simple as pie.

Gabriel_Pitt

Nappuccino wrote: »

Nataneko wrote: »

Willeth wrote: »

Depending on where the lock is situated, you might be able to cut a hole in a tennis ball and use it as a pressure pad to unlock it. This is super unreliable, especially on newer cars - but a tennis ball is a lot cheaper than a new key

Didn't they try that on mythbuster and said it doesn't work?

Yeah, they pretty much proved (considering they can't prove a negative) that the car in the video had a wireless door unlock system on a separate key and used some close ups to fool the viewer into thinking other wise.

Could you try that again and actually make sense this time? I'm certain that the words are English, but they way you've strung them together lacks any discernible meaning. o_O

The tennis ball idea doesn't work on any car, and you don't need Mythbusters to prove it. If it actually did, then just making a seal around the lock and hitting it with a can of compressed air would be all you need to pop a lock, instead of dicking around with tennis balls, or the method that actually works, wedging the door open so that you can get a hook around the lock.

Szechuanosaurus

Nappuccino wrote: »

I second calling AAA- though, I actually have their card [its a family thing] so I'm not sure how long you have to wait before you can call them and they come out for free.

I had to call them once when I locked my key in the trunk of the car (long story) anyway.... the guy who came was cool about it and with in 5-8 min he was finished and I had my key. Simple as pie.

With the AA (UK equivalent to triple-A) you can actually just join over the phone with a debit card and then they will send a van out there and then.

Nappuccino

Gabriel_Pitt wrote: »

Nappuccino wrote: »

Nataneko wrote: »

Willeth wrote: »

Depending on where the lock is situated, you might be able to cut a hole in a tennis ball and use it as a pressure pad to unlock it. This is super unreliable, especially on newer cars - but a tennis ball is a lot cheaper than a new key

Didn't they try that on mythbuster and said it doesn't work?

Yeah, they pretty much proved (considering they can't prove a negative) that the car in the video had a wireless door unlock system on a separate key and used some close ups to fool the viewer into thinking other wise.

Could you try that again and actually make sense this time? I'm certain that the words are English, but they way you've strung them together lacks any discernible meaning. o_O

Sorry that sentence is a bit convoluted isn't it.

More or less, they said that the car in the video likely had a wireless "door unlock" button on its key. The people who made the video used some editing tricks to make it appear like the tennis ball actually unlocked the door when there was probably someone standing out of frame who just hit a button to unlock the door.

Sarcastro

There's probably a place where you can open a small gap without reefing too hard on the door, you just need to find a likely location. Top corner as mentioned works on mine, although on other vehicles I've had luck going in from one side to reach the other.

saltiness

Nappuccino wrote: »

Gabriel_Pitt wrote: »

Nappuccino wrote: »

Nataneko wrote: »

Willeth wrote: »

Depending on where the lock is situated, you might be able to cut a hole in a tennis ball and use it as a pressure pad to unlock it. This is super unreliable, especially on newer cars - but a tennis ball is a lot cheaper than a new key

Didn't they try that on mythbuster and said it doesn't work?

Yeah, they pretty much proved (considering they can't prove a negative) that the car in the video had a wireless door unlock system on a separate key and used some close ups to fool the viewer into thinking other wise.

Could you try that again and actually make sense this time? I'm certain that the words are English, but they way you've strung them together lacks any discernible meaning. o_O

Sorry that sentence is a bit convoluted isn't it.

More or less, they said that the car in the video likely had a wireless "door unlock" button on its key. The people who made the video used some editing tricks to make it appear like the tennis ball actually unlocked the door when there was probably someone standing out of frame who just hit a button to unlock the door.

I think the problem here is that there's no previous mention of this " the video" that you're talking about.

Nappuccino

the "tennis ball against the car lock" myth came from a video, from my understanding.

as shown here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ1jfhaL3Ec&feature=related

shown 40 seconds in.

cooljammer00

MegoDrDoom wrote: »

Whatever you do don't try to "Slim jim" the lock. Coming from a police friend, Fire/police wont do that anymore unless they are sure the battery is disconnected as it may or may not set off the side airbag.

Then you'd be proper fucked.

Didn't they do that on Mythbusters too, and said that it didn't work either?

a penguin

wmelon wrote: »

Do you not have the second key or the valet key outside of the car somewhere?

This.

A 2001 Golf should have come with 2 fobs and a valet key. If you're asking this question, I assume that you either bought it used and only got 1 fob, or lost the other two keys. Either way, I would get VW to cut you a key from the VIN. Just a Valet key should be pretty cheap, and if you're hauling a kid around, you definately want one.

I highly recommend against trying to break into it, and I wouldn't call a locksmith unless the cost is much, much less than just getting a valet key.

Luq

a penguin wrote: »

wmelon wrote: »

Do you not have the second key or the valet key outside of the car somewhere?

This.

A 2001 Golf should have come with 2 fobs and a valet key. If you're asking this question, I assume that you either bought it used and only got 1 fob, or lost the other two keys. Either way, I would get VW to cut you a key from the VIN. Just a Valet key should be pretty cheap, and if you're hauling a kid around, you definately want one.

I highly recommend against trying to break into it, and I wouldn't call a locksmith unless the cost is much, much less than just getting a valet key.

This is what worked. I called the VW dealership my father in law bought the car from 7 years ago and explained the situation. They offered to give me another valet key for free. Yay for customer service!

a penguin

Wow, your VW dealer is awesome. Mine, not so much.

Glad it worked out for you. ^5 :P