If you have a GMC Terrain that is locked and you cannot get the keys out, there are a few things you can do. One option is to try to use a key code. Another option is to try to use the remote keyless entry.
Table Of Contents Show
- Method #2: Make Use of a Long Rod
- Method #3: Use a Plastic Strip
- Method #4: Make use of a coat hanger or a Slim Jim.
- Method #5: Use Your Antenna
- Method #6: Make Use of the Windshield Wiper
- Which Worked for You?
- How do you get into your car when your keys are locked inside?
- How do you unlock a GMC Terrain door?
You have three options as a AAA locksmith.The long rod (extension tool) can be used, as previously stated, with the wedge in the door...it is much easier to pull the handle back than the lock mech itself. If you have a tool designed to go inside the GMC Terrain and come up through the inside of the window, you can also use this to open the handle.You only need to open the handle about 1/4 of the way before it unlocks. Man, I wish I was in Illinois.The only tool that will work inside the actual door is one shaped like an L (L tool), which is almost impossible to obtain unless you are lucky. If you want to try the L, the mechanism inside the door is about 6 inches below the handle, close to the back of the door.You must fiddle with it until you find the Bellcrank...then twist it clockwise, which is the most difficult method.
Call the local police non-emergency number and inquire about lockout assistance.
What kind of lock out kit do you have in your GMC Terrain? If it's the slim-jim, don't even try it; you could break the lock or worse if you don't do it correctly, and then you're screwed.
lock pics will not work.
If you have a long metal bar (not a flat piece, that's the slim-jim) and some kind of wedge, you can pull the top of the door back and use the wedge to give you about an inch (enough room to get the bar through). Once the bar is in, you can hit the lock button if you have power locks or try to push the manual lock.You can also try pulling on the handle.
I've locked my keys in the car six times this year, so I'm pretty good at it. You should go to the dealer where you purchased the GMC Terrain and ask if they can make you a key without the cipher.I got one for free, and it's thin enough that I keep it in my wallet.
My wife came in last night and said she couldn't get the doors open despite having the keys in the ignition and the car running.I said, "Try my remote," and she said she had, but it didn't work; I went outside and tried all the buttons; nothing worked.I tried the key in the lock (only the driver's door? ), but it wouldn't turn, and I tried all the buttons again, but nothing worked.Frustrated, I tried the key one more time turning very slowly so it wouldn't break (that would have been even more disastrous). Did I mention it was 5* outside? Well, it finally turnedMy wife let out a long sigh of relief.
She kept saying it was the battery's fault and that we needed to replace it, but I don't believe it was the battery.The car worked fine on the way to and from work earlier today, as well as this morning.
Has anyone else had this problem? With more and more things relying on a battery, I'm wondering if she's right. I don't want to spend a lot of money on a new one, which doesn't help.I'm not sure when or if that will happen again.
The Terrain was manufactured in 2010, and the new battery is only 34 years old.
I'm glad it happened at home and not at the supermarket, because she would have freaked out.
PS: I believe the car is possessed because I slammed the door on my thumb on Christmas morning.That's another story. :facepalm:
Buggsy, you're correct; I have de-icer and graphite lube on hand and will squirt some into the lock.I've never used the key before, and I hope they never do away with door locks/keys entirely, as motorcycle manufacturers did with kick starters.I don't trust anything that's all electric - something is bound to fail with no backup.Buggsy said:
Both key fobs will not work while a key is in the ignition, whether the car is running or not; try it yourself while sitting in the car.The key in the door lock, on the other hand, should have worked; I'm guessing you need some lock de-icer and lube.Most stores carry something similar to this.
//www.amazon.com/Victor-V500-Lock-De-Icer-Aerosol5/dp/B000AMKU58
If you haven't physically used the key in the door in 5 years, I wouldn't be surprised if it's difficult to turn.
I found out the hard way when I started the car with my key in the driveway, then while playing with the OnStar app, I accidentally locked the doors, which I could only unlock with the key or the app again.
PS: My 2003 truck has only one lock in the driver's door, which is not uncommon.Click to expand...
I'm sure it was a cost-cutting measure to remove the door lock.
Yes, Rednox301, we had a problem a few years ago that we couldn't figure out, so we brought it to our friendly independent, who determined it was the battery - replaced battery = problem gone.I HATE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS!!! :facepalm: :banghead:
Hold one end of the string in each hand and slide it through the corner of the car door, using a back-and-forth motion to get it down far enough so that the knot can slide over the doorknob; once in place, pull on the string to tighten it and pull up to unlock it.
This method will not work for cars with locking mechanisms on the side of the door, but if your door has a knob at the top (as shown in the screenshots above), you have a good chance of getting this to work.
Method #2: Make Use of a Long Rod
You can unlock your car with a wooden wedge, an air wedge, and a rod as long as you can pry the top part of the door open slightly. Grab the wooden wedge first and slide it in through the top part of the door.Wrap the wedge in a cover (preferably plastic) to protect the paint.
If you anticipate doing this frequently, consider purchasing a long reach tool as well as a set of wedges or an inflatable wedge.
- Without a Key or Slim Jim, how to Open a Locked Car Door
Insert the air wedge next to the wooden wedge and pump air into it to create more separation between the car and the door. Insert the wooden wedge as far as possible until you have a sizable gap.Finally, carefully insert the rod through the door gap and unlock your door using the locking mechanism on the side.
If you don't have an air wedge, you can probably get by without one; it'll be more difficult, but the video below makes it look easy.
- In 30 seconds, learn how to unlock a car door with your keys inside.
Method #3: Use a Plastic Strip
If the locking mechanism is on the top rather than the side, you can use a strip of plastic instead of a shoelace, but you will still need to pry the door open somehow, with or without an air wedge.
- Without a Key or Slim Jim, how to Open a Locked Car Door
Method #4: Make use of a coat hanger or a Slim Jim.
One of the most common methods for unlocking a car door is to use a DIY slim jim, which is a modified wire coat hanger.This method is better suited for manual locking doors; for automatic locks, see one of the other options.
Unwrap the coat hanger with pliers so that you have one straight side and one hooked side, which you'll use to pull up the control arm inside the door that's connected to the lock rod.
Next, slide the hanger down between the car window and the weather stripping until the hook is about 2 inches below where the window and the car door meet, near the interior door handle, which is where the control arm is usually located. (Before you begin, look for a diagram online for your specific make and model vehicle, as the location can vary.)
Once you've locked in, pull up and the car door will open.
- How to Use a Clothes Hanger to Unlock a Car Door
- Use a Slim Jim or a Coat Hanger to unlock your car.
Again, the coat hanger trick only works on certain lock mechanisms, usually on older cars, so it won't work on newer models. For newer cars, you can still use a coat hanger to unlock it from the inside, but you'll have to stick it in between the door and the rest of the car (like in Method #2).
Method #5: Use Your Antenna
On older model cars with a specific style outer handle, such as the one shown in the screenshot below, you may be able to unlock the door from the outside using nothing more than your car's antenna.
Simply unscrew the antenna, carefully maneuver it up through the inside of the door handle, and move it around until the lock starts jiggling, then push your antenna forward and the door will unlock.
Method #6: Make Use of the Windshield Wiper
You can usually remove your car's windshield wipers fairly easily, though the method varies depending on the model; however, no matter what car you have, a windshield wiper may save you from having to call a locksmith to open your locked car door.
Remove the wiper from the front of your car, then maneuver it into the interior of the car if your window is slightly ajar or you can wedge the door open.Use the wiper to either grab the keys on the chair or hit the unlock button on the side of the door (as demonstrated in the video below).
You can use almost anything long enough to fit through your window, but if you're in a hurry and don't see anything else nearby that fits through the crack, the windshield wiper is your best bet.
Which Worked for You?
Did you try any of the above methods, or do you know of any other DIY ways to unlock your car door? Let us know in the comments section!
If none of these worked, you could always try AAA roadside assistance if you're a member (or call and sign up over the phone), which will usually reimburse you for some or all of the costs if you need to call a locksmith.If you don't have AAA, try calling the police or local (university or mall) security. Cops usually have slim jims in their vehicles, but don't count on it — helping you out is probably the last thing on their to-do list.
If you don't want to be locked out again, you could get some magnetic key holders and hide a spare car key inside under your bumper.
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Dwayne Stomp 6 months agoI keep a few of those soft plastic wedge type door stops in my toolbox, mostly to hold a window glass up if I'm changing a regulator or motor and need to hold the glass up a bit; those are less likely to damage your paint if you're holding a door open a bit.
Some of these methods will work if your latch is on the inside side of the door panel and you have something long enough to stick in there and push it away from you; otherwise, you'll need to reach in from the other side of the car, which is usually more difficult but possible in many cases.