Yet one more thing I dislike about my Focus.

Yep ! Around 10MPH. I got in the habit of leaving a window open maybe 1/2" after one of my van windows exploded during a hot summer here. It works okay because of those vent shades over the side windows. Not sure how I could get in.

 

A hanger or a hammer.

 

Probably as cheap as calling a locksmith. But I don't see me carrying a hanger or a hammer when I am locked out of the truck. Those are not the normal things I carry with me when shopping or looking at nature.
So far it was only that once I left the keys in the truck. Even my wife has a set of keys and remote in her purse, among probably a hanger, hammer, and enough items to live for a week on a deserted island.

 

i have to be on the polar opposite of the spectrum here. i love my focus. i have owned a focus from all 3 generations. none of them have given me a problem. suppose its too early to call that on Candy, but Brice (jenns black focus) and Chloe (my long suffering yellow ZX3) never let me down. I beat Chloe's ass up and down the east coast for 100,000 miles in 3 years. i got in a lot of trouble with that car (street racing). i never had to be towed, never had any issues even after modifications. The cavalier Jenn had when we got married....on the other hand....

 

For the few vehicles that have mast radio antennas, there's your B&E tool. Works well if you have power locks. Didn't work on my wife's Durango. The antenna was too flimsy to push the button up to unlock. I could push it down to lock just fine. Hindsight, I should have bent a V shape on the end of the antenna with pliers and I could have snagged and pulled the door handle (which on most Fords and Chryslers unlocks the door as the inside handle is pulled. Anyway, long story short, the lug wrench from the Suburban worked just as well, followed by a liberal application of black duct tape.

 

I know a lot pf people dislike the automatic locking function, but that is actually a safety feature.

Locked door latches are better at preventing unintended opening of the doors in the event of a collision.

Plus they can foil (some) car-jackers.

 

So----I'm supposed to feel better if I'm passed out in a wreck and no one can get in because the doors are locked? Breaking the windows is just another expense when I want to get the over expensive vehicle repaired later.
Also occupant how did you get the lug wrench out of a locked vehicle to unlock it?

 

This is what the key looks like for our Chevy Sonic. When you press the little button on the top, the key flips out of the handle...cool! The key is actually a bar with a curve cut into it. Also the doors lock when the car is shifted into drive.



On another note our 4 dr Chevy Colorado only as a key hole in the drivers door, all the other doors do not have key holes. I do have a auto lock button thing but the ring that you'd attach your keys to broke so I carry it in my purse. So I don't use it much.
The only problem that I have had so far with the locked doors was one night I came out of work and the locks were frozen. I didn't have the auto button so I had to huff into the key hole until it thawed and I could open the door.
But I don't get why there is only one door with a key hole.

 

The wife's Escape is the same as yours. I have to say after reading all of the posts that it seems to be a common feature on modern vehicles. I am constantly annoyed with this feature. I get everyone and everything into the rig and drive away. When we get to our destination and I go to retrieve a kid or some cargo, the dang door is locked. Drives me nuts. When the key got locked in our rig a few weeks ago it was an entirely different circumstance, (our oldest accidently hit the "Lock" button while getting out) one that could happen with any vehicle that has power locks.

 

Locking the doors has nothing to do with them not opening in a crash. Since the 1960s, door latches have had to remain in place for specified loads, locked or not. Locked doors will slow down a car jacker, which is good in a city. However, on the highway, having the doors locked can slow rescue in case of an accident. On the Chrysler products, the owner's manual has instructions for disabling the auto-lock feature. Something about turning the car on, then locking the doors, and turning the ignition on and off 4 times. I'm sure the other systems have a similar disable feature

 

Seems like I remember reading this when I first bought my truck long ago. Never tried it.
As far as one key door lock, mine is that way also. Four doors. One with outside lock. Saved Chrysler company at least $1.00 but a pain in the butt to us.

 

Well when wifey locked the keys in it she was up at the casino. AAA wouldn't send a TX locksmith across the border. The Oklahoma locksmith AAA tried to send was based out of Lawton 40 miles away and wouldn't come down. So we were on our own.

I drove up there in the Suburban and used its lug wrench after unsuccessfully trying the Durango's antenna on both front doors and the Suburban's stiffer antenna on both sides as well. I didn't think to grab a pair of pliers and bend the end to catch the door handle though.

Public Service Announcement: it's better to break the big door window than the smaller fixed window, cheaper by about $80 according to Safelite and requires less time to repair. I was also tempted to rip off one of the door handle surrounds and try to snag a rod inside the door.

I really need a slim jim.

I went and got two more copies ot the key made. Guess what? They fit the ignition fine. NEITHER WILL OPEN THE DOOR LOCKS. Had them redone, same problem. We are down to one working key for that truck now. Thank goodness it's being sold to a dealer tomorrow. He's pulling the motor for a Ram he has and the transmission for a Dakota. I imagine the rest will be scrapped.

 

I plan on attempting that today.

I have the auto lock feature as well, I thinks it's 5MPH or something. Even if the windows are down.

The thing is I DO have an extra key. It's hanging inside...after I walked out and locked the door. I think I may get a non coded key and just wire it to frame so I can get in the car if it happens again. Heck I may just see what it costs to get an extra coded key so I'll have three total.

 

If I under stand you....you are talking about the key with all the buttons, lock, unlock, etc,etc?

I don't think those are cheep, I remember asking about one when I got Deb the Escape..... was apx $150, but that was from the dealer.

I did test Deb's ride this AM while defrosting the windows, it did not lock, so maybe the fools figured this problem out on newer cars....most likely after a zillion complaints.


A for a non-coded key now that you mention this..... when I got the Escape I had just a extra plain jane key cut just because.... New problem, with out the key fob thingy, it will unlock the car but the alarm goes off....no problem if your other keys are inside, but if you have lost them......

I do have so say, the drivers door buttons feature to unlock the car is a great invention IMO.

OH Yeah...as Deb learned way back......if you lock the dogs in the Escape, DON"T alarm it ....My Dad learned that also when my daughter was apx 5 years old, he came out of a corner store, alam going nuts, and my kid sitting in the back seat a stiff as a board afraid to move

 

I was going to, but the local Ace charges 70+ for a coded. I opted for the plain cheap key that will unlock the hatch and doors.