Vincenza V

Hi, I locked myself out of my 99' XJ.

Has anyone successfully used a coat hanger or something to get in their XJ? It seem the OEM door lock style isn't too conducive with the coat hanger.

I'm prepping for finals this weekend and this is the worst possible time...

SteveMongr

Do you have automatic locks?
The coat hanger can hook the unlock button and lift it.
I used wood shims to hold the door frame out, this offers the biggest gap if the window is all the way up.
Pop-A-Lock charges $40.

po0dingles

College students typically are broke and might not have $40 or $80 to spend on a service tech to come out and pop the lock.

Where's your spare key, OP?

Also what college?
<-- former Husky.

SteveMongr

Posting the labor cost was motivation for figuring it out himself/ourselves. I gave him somewhere else to start.
Need to know if he's got electric locks to proceed.

JeepMN

I've used prybars + coat hangers 3 times on my Jeep.

It takes some finagling but it can work.

scottmphoto

I always use some heavy bailing wire to wire a spare key somewhere on the vehicle. In the 30 years I have been driving, I have never lost one yet. Especially going off-road, never use one of those magnetic box things.

SteveMongr

Same here. I used 2 zipties and strapped the key onto an e-brake bracket.

SteveMongr

We took off with the OP's thread..

Hello,are you in?

Jrox022

I yanked the bottom trim piece off of the drivers window, broke my antenna off and used it to pop the lock

krazynezz

You could have just unscrewed the antenna...

Squelchtone

a AAA membership is worth the $100 a year for tows, jump starts, out of gas, and lock outs.

jmrec100

AAA worth it. I've used it for locked keys before. My kids used it many times. Family plan. I keep a spare key in my wallet. Ground off the plastic part since they had only the plastic end key. I always have my wallet on me. Also, tape a key at work in my locker or at my desk. Locked myself out a couple of times, had my wallet with the key. Works for me. That Tye wrap key is a good idea too.

Vincenza V

Well, I ended up calling a locksmith. I just have to devote this weekend to studying for finals. They charged me $65.

I did see the tool he had (a large thick bar that he used to push/pull the auto door lock button, after using a wedge on the door. Any other weekend and I would have tried myself long-but I just had to get it done ASAP.

Thank you for the advice guys!

colt44

I'm glad he got in his jeep and it's unfortunate he had to spend the money. I had a similar problem a few months back. I misplaced my key and took my wife's ignition key. I gave her an extra key we had floating around and didn't notice it said "valet" on it. Well, to make a long story short, the 'valet' key only starts the vehicle but doesn't work in the door locks. I had to drive down to where she was and open the door locks and then her key worked fine in ignition. That solves the mystery of why I got 3 keys when I bought my XJ 20 years ago. I never really gave it much thought and the salesman probably explained it to me at the time, but I was a lot younger then and didn't pay attention..... I ended up finding my lost key on the floor of another jeep we have.

John2001XJ

I had a Ford Ranger that I locked my keys in while way out in the boonies (no idea why I would have locked the vehicle, other than maybe a gun being inside) - anyway, no coat hanger, wire, nothing to try & get the door open - just happened to look underneath & noticed the floor had just rotted enough I could see the rubber floor matting - so I basically "widened" the small hole with my fist, until I could reach up & pull the keys out of the ignition!

Good times, good times...