Today I nipped out in the Ceed for a bit of local shopping. As I parked up at Morrisons the rain had just started to get worse. Pressed the remote to lock the car and nothing. Hmm. Tried a few more times - no success. Checked the rear door which was locked, so locked manually. Battery me thinks. Shopping done. Back to car. Still no joy so into Halfords and new battery fitted. Still no joy. manual unlock but only drivers door is unlocking. Hmm. Fob fault? Nips into middle of town for some more bits. Now its hooling it down. Locked manually. Returns to car and nothing not even manually. Bit of pondering and weighing up the options because the car is parked tight between two other cars with handbrake on and in gear (standard practice). Now I've seen all kinds of recovery but this one is going to be difficult.
Plan A. Ring up Mrs FC who is also out and get spare key delivered.
Plan B. Contact breakdown/recovery. I've not normally bothered up until getting into motorcycling where you don't carry a spare. Now got a policy through local Police Federation where I still subscribe to the Group Insurance. This is an additional benefit at an extra £2 a month. Covers any vehicle.
Still pondering and soaked to skin. Bottom line is that car has to be opened to get handbrake off and out of gear. If car can be opened will probably start anyway. I'm thinking its a window here. Could do with a new windscreen which would be covered by insurance but that would be too difficult without filling the vents with glass and being undriveable.
Mrs FC eventually arrives with spare. No good.
PLAN C. Hardware shop nearby depending which side of Hull you live on Boyzes or Boyeez (its really Boyes as in Boys but Dutchie will smile). WD 40 obtained and sprayed in lock. I'm thinking water ingress. No joy.
Hour after call local recovery van arrives. What no low loader and a load and dump driver? Maybe someone who has a clue :). So we go through verbal diagnosis and its decided to gain entry by levering open top of door frame and then fishing inside. Disclaimer to be signed first as there might be some cosmetic damage. Quite subtle with a small inflatable bag and wedge. Fishing begins. Tug on handle - no joy. Press dashboard door locking switch - no joy. Flat battery he thinks. Manages to hook bonnet pull and release with me giving instructions (remember The Golden Shot?). Battery good. Earths cleaned - no joy. Did I mention it had stopped raining by now?
Last idea - tape key to his rod and see if he can get it into ignition and turn. After a few attempts Bingo! Doors still locked though but he could then get another rod and operate window switch, then internal door catch. :)))))
And would you believe it after starting everything working ok :O
Some paint damage - white and black and window frame pulled outwards. At this point with a wry smile I reminded him that I had not yet signed the disclaimer.
Had to physically persuade window frame back into position and a bit of compounding, white touch up and spray satin black has got it back to 95%
So big thank you for his perseverance (Sellars Recovery Brandesburton).
And no such thank you to local Kia dealer who does my work after a speculative phone call for any model specific info I could give to mechanic and whether they could perform a keyless entry if I got it to them or would they appreciate a broken window? Didn't get past reception who helpfully informed me that if I could bring it in they would have a look. You could have got off your 'arris and spoken to someone who might be able to offer a glimmer of advice. I suppose I now have to bring it in for you to tell me cant find anything wrong.
THE END
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Sorry to hear your sorry tale, FC, but at least there was a (mostly) good ending.
I know that Kia didn't come out of it very well, and the sad thing is that it is about par for the course these days.
Regarding fixing the damage - Do you have any comeback on Kia at all via a Warranty?
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Well done you managed to trawl through that lot. Good cure for insomnia :)
I think that would be a battle. I could ask but I'm sure they would say that they should have dealt with the problem from the off. Not that they realistically could have done. That was my reason for the speculative call and perhaps a bit of advice as to where I stood.
To be fair now I have touched everything in the damage is almost unnoticeable.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Fri 6 Jul 12 at 23:49
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Recovery man sounds like a resourceful chappy, bet you have learned a few things on a professional capacity!
However, no-one has touched on the key fact. What was the cause and can it come back.
I certainly would not park in that spot again, it could have been local RF interference.
Last edited by: Zero on Sat 7 Jul 12 at 07:52
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What an absolute pain Fc, I'd be concerned it could appen again, and out the critter mucho pronto.
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"I certainly would not park in that spot again, it could have been local RF interference."
Good point. There was a place I used to sometimes park at the back of Sytners old BMW dealer in Nottingham before it moved. It was when I popped to the parts desk which was separate to main showroom. The car would not lock for love or money on the fob, and would not unlock either (even though it was already unlocked, it would normally still flash the indicators).
I did suspect someone in the notorious tower block behind there beaming jamming signals to help them commit car crime, but I'll never know.
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Its one of those stories that makes me realise why I rather like just putting a key in a lock with no electrical assistance. I know its old-fashioned, but I hate standing in the rain :-)
Id REALLY want an answer on why it happened.
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Really odd one that - I had the remote on my old (old) Beemer fail - that was down to a leaky RF thing that Zero refers to but the manual override work - both the current BMWs I have have manual override keys fitted into the remote so that you can mechanically open the driver's door and get in at least try to start the motor. Don't understand why the key woudn't manually open the door - points more towards a mechanical failing on the locking system - seized rods or whatever.....very odd.
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Because the initial problem manifested itself in one location and then total failure in another I'm ruling out RF interference. Quick scan and no sign of any aerials. I'm leaning towards mechanical lock with electrical switch attached. The electrical switch causing the problem. A known issue was freezing up. Drivers door would not unlock but others would so it was a climb across. No issues this year though. Maybe a connection?
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>> Because the initial problem manifested itself in one location and then total failure in another
>> I'm ruling out RF interference.
ah didn't twig you had moved car somewhere in the tale.
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>> Its one of those stories that makes me realise why I rather like just putting
>> a key in a lock with no electrical assistance. I know its old-fashioned,.......
>>
I feel the same. I have no key hole for the boot release on my X Type so I will be implementing a back up mechanical system that will cost about 5p.
Fortunately the web had a very easy answer.
I have just also got two further keys ( simpler no buttons jobs) that I need to programme and then have a back up in SWMOs bag.
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This is why I would never buy a car with no physical locks on the doors, it is just a recipe for disaster like this :(.
It could have been worse I suppose.
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All cars have physical locks Rats.
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A colleague has a Renault with keyless entry / start.........he's a braver man than me!
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Sorry I missed the point of it having a an imboliser in the lock itself. I have seen keyless cars though, I think Vauxhall made a lot of them without locks in the late 90's.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sat 7 Jul 12 at 15:52
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...for much the same reason as no-one puts a lock on their outdoor privy - not on the outside anyway.
};---)
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>> Sorry I missed the point of it having a an imboliser in the lock itself.
>> I have seen keyless cars though, I think Vauxhall made a lot of them without
>> locks in the late 90's.
>>
Really?
Can't say I've ever seen one.
What I have seen is many car's where the lock has a blanking plug fitted.
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It might be that, a lot of the first generation Vectras don't have a key showing, so maybe it is just hidden. I always just assumed they did a way with the physical lock to save costs.
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To be honest, after a few years (non)use they may as well have done away with the lock.
No use of the lock means they seize up, so when you do need to use them they wont turn......
DOH!
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>> It might be that, a lot of the first generation Vectras don't have a key
>> showing, so maybe it is just hidden. I always just assumed they did a way
>> with the physical lock to save costs.
>>
Yeah, one of my Omegas was like this; still the same mechanism in the door and remote locking servo, but no actual cylinder for a key.
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the renaults had a hidden key in the hand held device and a blocked keyhole in the passenger door.
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Had to unlock the Volvo with the key for the first time last month, and that's nearly ten years old; lock worked perfectly - as you'd expect. Battery voltage had dipped while we were away for two weeks and there wasn't enough to unlock it electrically. AA got it started and it's been OK since, but I probably ought to treat it to some new cells before the winter.
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All Vectras had keyways - they were anti-theft ones that were meant to rotate uselessly if anything other than the proper key was inserted. Funnily enough the X1 has a concealed external keyway the 3 Series one is visible to the hoy poloy !
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There are a number of cars without APPARENT physical locks on the doors-most have a keyhole hidden elsewhere on the car or a plug blocking the keyhole.
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Boyzes Fullchat..;) Sorry to hear about your problems just read the story.
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It might be worth checking the wiring between the door and the pillar.
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I'll give it a look NC. Thanks.
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Update.
Discovered that the manual lock still did not work so booked into dealer. Apparently the locking mechanism was faulty and the dealer just happened to have one in stock so, which was a surprise as I was expecting a second visit. All now sorted under the 7 year Kia warranty. There had been some issues with Ceed drivers door central locking mechanisms freezing up in winter so hopefully this is an updated part which was connected to that issue as well.
Just have to wipe off some greasy finger marks.
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>>Just have to wipe off some greasy finger marks<<
Dust em down just in case, they might have used your car on a blag.
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Alls well that ends well Fullchat..:)
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Part in stock = Known problem.
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>> Part in stock = Known problem.
>>
Part in stock = dealer sells 3-4+ a year, or someone ordered one by mistake.
I would say.... known problem in this case.
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>> Part in stock = dealer sells 3-4+ a year, or someone ordered one by mistake.
When both rear springs broke on wifey's 4yr old Clio a few years ago (before springs breaking was popular!) I was quite surprised that the dealer had 9 in stock. Called Renault UK and said this is clearly a manufacturing issue and within a few mins they'd called back to agree to replace 100% FOC.
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Yes I did a search on that forum but did not see a definitive answer. You will see a couple of posts on the end from someone called Fullchat :)
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I don't think there is any carmaker thats immune from door locking issues from time to time.
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KIA Cee'd - My Day. Ceed Breakdown. - Londoner
