Self Locking Nightmare

[Tracy Bowman]

I tell you what @ZCoker, if I was locked out of my Ranger in the middle of the Everglades at 2:00 in the morning, I would knock out every window in my truck if I had to! That is a nightmare situation in my opinion! Things happen. Glad you made it out alive.

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[DakotaGuy]

There must be something wrong with mine, it eats batteries like nothing else. I removed it from the truck, it sits in a drawer, nothing touching it, leaning on it or depressing any buttons. yet within a year I have gone thru three batteries. It would be my luck if it were still stuck to the truck that the day I need it the battery would be dead, again.

I know they had a bad batch of them back in 2019 that they replaced, but yours is newer so not sure what is wrong.

 

[subquark]

As someone who used to live in Miami and kayaked in the Everglades National Park, I'd also bust whatever needed busting to get away from the mosquitos!

 

[awd.nv]

I wanted to know if anyone on here has had the pleasant experience of their Ranger suddenly deciding to lock itself? I have a 2020 Ranger XLT with the regular key with the remote lock/unlock buttons and I always lock or unlock my truck with no issues whatsoever. I mean, I've always had to press the lock button to lock it with the exception of driving off, it locks itself as I start to drive off, a safety feature that I've always liked.

What I'm talking about is ignition off, all doors unlocked, key out and away and the truck locking itself after about ten minutes or so of just sitting, just sitting, doing nothing, just sitting around dead and parked lol

Few nights ago, I was unloading my truck way out in the middle of nowhere and the wind swiftly shut my driver's door while I was unloading my kayak. No biggy. I've had my truck unlocked many times with the keys inside. But when I went to open the door, what the .%$#&! All the doors had suddenly locked! My phone happened to be inside, too! So I was totally screwed and had to break the friggin glass to get inside. Imagine that, busting the glass on your nice Ranger!

Well, as a side note, if anyone has to do this, DO NOT ever break the driver's window! It's laminated and cost $600 bucks. Thank goodness they make a regular tempered replacement at half the price. To be honest, I prefer the tempered stuff, yes, at half the price but more so because that laminated stuff was like trying to bust steel. I used a giant rock and had to hit it so many times to even dent it. Can't imagine if ever trapped inside, totally trapped, never gonna break it to escape.

Here's my keyless entry method:

I have not noticed this happen to me, but some other member here I think with a 2021 claimed this happened too but he had his phone on him.

I have gotten in the habit to leave the drivers window open on all my vehicles whenever doing anything like that where the key is in the ignition or not on me for whatever reason. No excuse for what happened here but I just don't fully trust auto technology sometimes.

Also, good to know about the front passenger window!! I am sure other vehicles are like this. This could save someone's life knowing this.

 

[mailbox4449]

I had one of these made at a local locksmith and keep it hidden outside the truck should the keypad ever fail.

THIS!!

 

[XLT and me]

This is one issue i haven't had. I always make sure i have my phone with me when i get out of truck so i can use the Fordpass to unlock it. Of course with my luck my phone will go dead or i will be in an area with no cell service. I like the idea others have posted of getting a key made that unlocks the door. Simpler is usually better!

 

[CF6-mech]

I had the doors of a rental car auto lock on me. Fortunately I had the keys in my pocket. Ever since then I either put the window down a bit or keep the keys with me.

 

[FordFreak]

Dude, I was 150 miles out in the Everglades, who might have I contacted at 2am in the morning with no phone? lol My phone was locked inside the truck along with my keys, as I stated in my post.

You didn't say you were out in the everglades, just "middle of nowhere". I'm in Colorado, and middle of nowhere is everywhere. People still happen by eventually, and we mostly have cell service, but not always data.

Personally for me, auto-unlock is off, and I put an AirPod in my ear before ever getting out of my truck, like clockwork. I would have said "Hey Siri, call Michelle" and Siri would have responded with something like "Calling Bill". So I would have woke up Bill and had him do it. If you didn't have cell or data service, then your phone wouldn't have helped you anyhow. I thought that was in my post originally, but some weird GMC ad popped up and covered almost my entire screen as I went to post it. Oh well, window it is. Should have done the back one though...it's cheaper. The very back, not the back door.

 

[THLONE]

OMG, There are easier ways to enter a locked vehicle. Ask any mechanic. I am not going to post how to do it on the internet. Many people drop off their cars off at the repair shop, leave the keys in and lock them up.

 

[WingShot]

Not that I know but I would guess from a $$ difference I would of broken the rear glass instead on a ranger. On a hatchback then I would pick passenger side window.

If I had to drive with no window I would prefer the rear to be out, in this case.

I always roll down a window when I exit a vehicle if I am loading / unloading and the fob or key is inside. Nobody say if the fob is In the vehicle it will not lock. I know how it supposed work but me so skeerd to chance it.

I'd bust out the back window so that I had an excuse to put in a slider!!

But this thread now has me wondering if the "break glass in case of emergency" tool that I keep in the center console would break it for me. Submerged in a rushing river is not the time to find out it won't work!

 

[halligan1201]

The lessor of two evils, maybe. One cannot break laminated glass if trapped inside with ordinary tools. From what I've read, the laminated glass is more to prevent ejection as opposed to your suggestion of airbag support. It's to comply with one of the rules the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) passed in 2011. It's known as Ejection Mitigation, and it requires stronger windows to keep occupants inside the car during a rollover. Regardless, it's tempered now and I had that choice with the window glass company.

Being a vehicle extrication tech, you're both correct. Airbags blow tempered glass out, increasing the likelihood of ejection. Laminated keeps you in longer. We use saws on those windows when needed, just like we've always done on windshield but it's much more common and easy for us to pop your door or take the side of the vehicle off for purposes of extrication.

 

[subquark]

This thread is a great example of why I like this forum. It presents an issue and then several solutions from making a cut key to changing settings for auto-lock (I'm going to do that one).

Plus it has an entertainment aspect too. The OP was in dire straits and did what needed to be done to get home but was also gracious with the huge variety of replies.

And along the way I also learned that driver-side glass can be laminated glass! Who knew? Well, probably most but it was educational to me. =)

Thanks to all of you and to our awesome moderators!

 

[WingShot]

"As for the fears of being under water and not breaking your window....valid I guess, but the other methods of nearly dying are way more common and you probably want to stay inside the vehicle."

Of course. But I've been given three of the things over the years and keep one in each vehicle. Submerged in rushing water is the only scenario I can see using it. Seat belt cutter and window breaker.

 

[NotBudule]

So if a buddy would have been with you , and had his phone , would it let him download the app and unlock ? That seems to easy , would his phone have to be pared first ? Just curious ...

 

[NotBudule]

i dont think he can until they go to set it up, then you get a notification and allow him to be on your account....and ya'll need your phone to do that already.

it pays to know the limits of your stuff, and to be prepared.

this might be a good time to find that buddy and set him up before you need him down the road in a panic.

but then again, he could be a dick and always mess with you....and track you, knowing where you are at all times. Maybe think twice before letting wives/girlfriends be that buddy

Good point on who controls it , id chew my way in there before I let wifey have access to my "other woman" and her knowledge of my whereabouts...

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