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Locked IN??

A few months ago, an item out of New Zealand relayed a story of an older couple who spent 13 hours locked inside their new keyless start Mazda, and nearly died. They had left the key fob outside the car and mistakenly thought that it was the only way to unlock the car. I initially let the story pass without comment feeling it would be a relatively rare occurrence.

However, I recently overheard a lunchtime conversation, again about someone locked inside a keyless, or push button start, BMW. Only this time those locked in were in their twenties! Their friends had used the remote to lock the car as a joke, and try as they might, those inside could not find a way out. In fact, they swore there was no way out!

A Closer Look

Lets get something out of the way first: there is always an unlock option inside the car. Any car. Keep looking! In fact, in most cases any door can simply be opened from the inside regardless of a locked condition. If the manual is in the glove box, consult it! The switch for the Mazda is shown to the right with open and closed padlock images.

Now to the New Zealand case. The overriding assumption is that the root cause of the problem was twofold. First, that the dealer did not fully explain the features of the car, and second, that the couple were confused by new technology because of their age (65 and 68).

Its Not About Age

Both assumptions are completely false. We’ve said this here before and it bears repeating: people learn by doing not by having things explained to them. The dealer could easily have gone over the locks with the older couple as well as a dozen other features that would have been new to them. Learning comes with experience, hopefully not as extreme as what these folks went through. And for the record, they had left the manual in their house.

As to age, anyone is capable of being confused by new technology. Anyone. Our twenty-somethings put the lie to age being an excuse. And while the car did not belong to them, the car’s owners, who are only a few years older, also could not find an unlock mechanism inside the car!

We know that confusion and assumptions kept our New Zealanders inside their car. But just what was the problem with the BMW? A 2009 X3 to be exact.

Well, looking through the owner’s manual, we find the answer. The unlock switch, while plainly marked with the image of a door with a key in it, is placed surprisingly in the center of the dashboard just below the emergency flasher switch! Not on the doors, where our twenty somethings assumed it should be! And frankly where I had assumed it would be. If this is a driver’s first BMW, the lock switch is in a truly mysterious location.

There are a number of possible reasons for placing an unlock switch in the center of the car. Perhaps to give both front seat occupants access. Perhaps avoid the reflexive lock action many drivers employ that can override the outside handle button if the fob is accidentally left inside, even if it is in range.

Regardless, that’s where it is in newer BMW models, and there is one somewhere in every other car made.

If you think you’re locked inside, please keep looking!

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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 is more true.

M Favreau

The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY

Who’s Problem is It?

Company’s Problem or the Customer’s Problem. A recent headache we had with an online service prompts this post. Nearly every time an attempt is made to use the company’s service, a glitch arises. When the company is contacted, we are walked through the process of clearing the cache and closing and re-opening the browser as a “solution” to the problem. In each case, a full computer restart is actually necessary before the “solution” is effective and a common browser add-on must be turned off.

Note that we do not always contact them as we am quite familiar with the problem, and the fix. We just keep hoping beyond hope that they will have a software solution – this time.

Does this relate to the automotive business? It does indeed, as will become clear.

We use lots of software, web-based and otherwise, and they all have their quirks. None, however, require a system restart on every other use.

Your Product, My Time

The point is that it is truly maddening to have their help desk instruct me on what is needed to do to make their product work. What should be a 15 minute process is then 30 minutes or more, and they are not paying for the time. If it were not for the difficulties involved in making a change, they would have lost a customer. They have already lost any recommendations we might make.

As we went through this the last time, we realized that car customers face this exact problem. They call service departments every day with a growing list of glitches associated with advanced systems. They are then instructed on what they must do to make the company’s product work as needed – or get an appointment for service.

This message is thus for any company with a product and a customer for that product. Something is askew if you are making your problems your customers’ problems. Do you find yourself using the term “user issues”? Do you think your customer is the problem??

Look for new solutions or you will surely lose those customers. Some things can and should be fixed. Some, quite simply, may need a new and radical approach.