Another Get Out update, where is @NHTSA?

Get Out

No, not the movie, our Get Out update relates to a page we put up years ago after a man and his dog died of heat exposure locked in a Chevrolet Corvette. The car was one of the first to use electric locks and latches and while there is a mechanical means of exit, it is not remotely intuitive (on the floor seen to the right).

But recent items put us on a mission to examine each and every electric vehicle (EV) for a means of escape. Why? Because these models provide the greatest temptation to go electric with the locks.

Where is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on this??

The first involved a Mustang Mach-e, which locked its driver out with an infant inside. The car uses a mechanical release for exiting the car, but the infant was quite unlikely to successfully navigate the lever (the infant was rescued successfully btw).

Electronic latches

The second had to do with the discovery that the Fiat 500e EV had opted for an electronic lock and latch system, and we had missed it in our 2023 update! We subsequently began a Lexus update, and there are now several electrified models with electronic latches.

We again sing the praises of Audi, which did an electronic latch and back up perfectly (right). A harder pull — a very human thing to try when something doesn’t work the first time — engages the mechanical back up.

Thus, we examined each and every EV model (35) we are aware of for electronic locks. We added but a single new entry to the Get Out page, and its the old Fisker Karma. The Ocean turns out to have a mechanical handle.

Mechanical latches

Below is an alphabetical list of all the models not on our Get Out page. They are the cars you don’t have to worry about — each of them uses a mechanical latch. You will find Audi, BMW, GM, Fiat, Fisker, Lexus, Lincoln, and Tesla and their electronic latches on our Get Out page.

Note that many of these models require special knowledge to get inside if the battery in the key fob dies. Help for that is right here.

As an aside, as we went through the process, we ran across this from Volkswagen and its ID-4:

“If the vehicle is locked from the outside, the doors and electric windows cannot be opened from the inside.”

This borders on complete ineptitude. And they’re not joking. If you’re driving one of these, please, please be careful not to lock anyone inside! Please!

The list of cars not to be concerned about

Acura ZDX
Chevrolet Blazer, Bolt and Equinox
Cadillac Lyriq
Ford Mustang Mach-e and Lightning
Genesis GV70 and G80
Honda Prologue
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6 and Kona
Jaguar I?PACE
Kia Niro, Soul, EV 6 and EV 9
Mercedes Benz EQB, EQC, EQE and EQS
Nissan Leaf and Ayria
Rivian R1, 2 and 3
Toyota bZ4X
Subaru Solterra
Polestar 2, 3 and 4
Volkswagen ID-4
Volvo XC40

Smart Keys or Intelligent Keys, or Access Keys – or whatever the manufacturer of your chooses to call them – that let you into your car and start it with just a touch use up their internal batteries at alarming rates, catching busy drivers unawares – even though the car had tried to warn you.

Our goal is to help you feel safe – and keep you moving or get you moving if at all possible – rather than leave you fretting whenever your key fob stops working. The instructions for getting into and starting most keyless start cars can be found on our pages – without roadside assistance.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing could be more true.