Accidentally locked in the car🙀

[Dragonfire]

Hello, this is the 2nd Octavia I have had and there seems a big problem regarding getting locked in. My other half went into a shop, leaving me in the car and (due to a good habit) locked the car as he walked away, at first I didn’t give it a thought, but the sun was out and soon getting too warm inside and I tried to open a window…. No….open doors…no, being a silly woman, I started to get a bit panicky but soon he appeared as all was well but it left me thinking this could happen again. Eventually I bought a key which would open windows and doors but not start the car. This was kept in the glove compartment as a source of relief it the scenario happened again.

As I loved the Octavia so much when it reached about 7 years, we purchased a new E-Tec petrol hybrid which is a very nice car.  This a kessy type key and I asked my man to sit in the car and I locked him the car, but he could not get out. (I did let him out eventually) 🤣

Seriously, this is such a clever car why cannot a person be able to let themselves out?    This such a safety let down and I’m terrified to get locked in again.   Can anyone shed somelight on this please. Can you get a  Kessy key to just unlock the doors?

I know they are very expensive but if I was trapped inside again, I know I would be safewith a key in the glove box.

Amy advise appreciated. Thanks.

[ZacDaMan72]

Why don't you just lock the car yourself using the interior button instead of your partner using the key? It sounds like your car has the safelock system which is essentially a deadlock - this automatically engages when locking the car from the outside. If you read the manual, it literally says "DANGER - Danger to life! There must be no persons in a locked vehicle with the SAFE function activated."

 

You can disable the deadlock by pressing the lock button twice within two seconds. The warning light in the driver's door will flash for about 2 seconds in quick succession after the vehicle is locked, then it goes out and after 30 seconds it flashes regularly at longer intervals.

 

The warning light in the driver's door will flash for about 2 seconds in quick succession after the vehicle is locked, then it goes out and after 30 seconds it flashes regularly at longer intervals.

Edited 13 December, 2023 by ZacDaMan72

[SteveTheElder]

Yep, what @ZacDaMan72 said - beat me to it…

[J.R.]

It also has a big warning on the Maxidot display about SAFELOCK every time the keys are removed from the ignition.

 

You have 3 choices.

 

Remain in an unlocked car, by far the safest option.

 

Disable the deadlocking as described.

 

3 hours ago, Dragonfire said:

Seriously, this is such a clever car why cannot a person be able to let themselves out?

 

Because that is what deadlocking is, you being able to open the door from inside is no different to a thief breaking a window and doing the same, what do you do with the front door of your house when you leave the home or when someone will be remaining in it?

Edited 13 December, 2023 by J.R.

[Dragonfire]

Thanks to all those who have answered. Yes I know the manual says you must make sure there is no one in the car when you lock it, but this had happened to me at least twice, so if he remembers to press the button twice so I can get out, doing this it would have occurred to him I was in the car.   But we are still in a position that folk can accidentally get shut in a car, there could be a fire, fumes, excessive heat from the sun not to mention the sheer panic of being in a tomb you can’t escape from.  I have tried the central button to unlock the doors but it won’t work without the ignition being on, so still a problem.  So is there a ‘blind’ key which would unlock the doors but not start the car like in my ‘66 reg’ Octavia?

thanks for all your suggestions.    Does anyone else think this a serious scenario for anyone accidentally locked in a car?

[Neily03]

3 minutes ago, Dragonfire said:

 Does anyone else think this a serious scenario for anyone accidentally locked in a car?

 

No, it's no different to any modern car, secure.  I just don't lock anyone inside it as that would be silly.

[Dragonfire]

I know it’s silly and definitely not recommended but it has happened and nothing can be done about it.  Secure, yes but still a safety issue for the person accidentally locked  in the car.

[J.R.]

40 minutes ago, Dragonfire said:

But we are still in a position that folk can accidentally get shut in a car, there could be a fire, fumes, excessive heat from the sun not to mention the sheer panic of being in a tomb you can’t escape from. 

 Does anyone else think this a serious scenario for anyone accidentally locked in a car?

 

Not me, like Neily03 I think its daft to lock someone in a car, you make the choice to remain in the car with the doors deadlocked then you have to accept the consequences. You are not being accidentally locked in the car.

 

What are the scenarios you imagine worse than the above that make you want to sit in a locked car?

Edited 13 December, 2023 by J.R.

[Dragonfire]

3 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

Not me, like Neily03 I think its daft to lock someone in a car, you make the choice to remain in the car with the doors deadlocked then you have to accept the consequences. You are not being accidentally locked in the car.

 

What are the scenarios you imagine worse than the above that make you want to sit in a locked car?

 

[Dragonfire]

I am not choosing to sit in a locked car, heaven forbid, as I said in an earlier post, this happened by accident. Alan nipped out to get something saying  ‘I won’t be a moment’ and  through habit, locked to door on me.    Indeed why would I choose to sit in a locked car?   I still say that there should be something in place to cover this eventuality.
 All I’m looking for is a ‘blind’ key to get the doors open if nothing else.

[mday]

Yes I've done this in the past to my wife with our previous mk 3 Octavia. However our mk 4 with kessy is only locked by touching the door handle. I very rarely use the buttons on key/sensor & that is to unlock the passenger doors.

 

Do you drive? Even if you don't why not keep the spare kessy key on your person?

[ZacDaMan72]

10 hours ago, Dragonfire said:

I have tried the central button to unlock the doors but it won’t work without the ignition being on, so still a problem.

This sounds like you have tried to use the central button after your partner locked the car? If you could use the central button after locking the car, it would defeat the whole purpose of the SAFELOCK system.

 

Get your partner to not lock the car from the outside while you lock the car from the central button.

Edited 14 December, 2023 by ZacDaMan72

[avi4tor]

Apologies DragonFire, it looks like all the other posters are missing the point.  Virtually everyone who drives mainly alone develops the habit of locking the car when they walk away from it without a backward glance.  The fact that someone might be still in the car never crosses their mind.  As such they are NOT going to disable the deadlock - if they realised someone was in the car they wouldn't have locked it in the first place.

 

Personally I have two window breaking hammers in the car.  These are primarily for my safety if the electronics fail and decide to try and keep me in the car, though I admit it would be a bit extreme to break the window if it just got a bit warm.

 

The best solution for Skoda would be to have seat and / or internal motion sensors rigged to disable the deadlock if there was someone in the car at the instance of it being locked, though pet owners and parents with toddlers might want a different solution.

[LuxoviaRS]

22 hours ago, Dragonfire said:

 

Hello, this is the 2nd Octavia I have had and there seems a big problem regarding getting locked in. My other half went into a shop, leaving me in the car and (due to a good habit) locked the car as he walked away, at first I didn’t give it a thought, but the sun was out and soon getting too warm inside and I tried to open a window…. No….open doors…no, being a silly woman, I started to get a bit panicky but soon he appeared as all was well but it left me thinking this could happen again. Eventually I bought a key which would open windows and doors but not start the car. This was kept in the glove compartment as a source of relief it the scenario happened again.

As I loved the Octavia so much when it reached about 7 years, we purchased a new E-Tec petrol hybrid which is a very nice car.  This a kessy type key and I asked my man to sit in the car and I locked him the car, but he could not get out. (I did let him out eventually) 🤣

Seriously, this is such a clever car why cannot a person be able to let themselves out?    This such a safety let down and I’m terrified to get locked in again.   Can anyone shed somelight on this please. Can you get a  Kessy key to just unlock the doors?

I know they are very expensive but if I was trapped inside again, I know I would be safewith a key in the glove box.

Amy advise appreciated. Thanks.

Better still why don't you keep the car key fob yourself, why does your husband need to take the keys I don't if my wife is waiting in the car I give her the keys. She can unlock to let me in. 

[Dragonfire]

At last….Thankyou Avi4tor you have grasped my point and so far the window hammer seems the best idea yet. I will research getting one.  Going to be a whole lot cheaper than an extra key.    I still think ŠKODA should have a think about release of accidentally locked in passengers.  I’m Normally not a panicky person, but get me in a locked car and I am stressed to my limits with helplessness.  Thankyou again that is such good advice.

 

to Luxovirs, I don’t see the need for me to lock myself in the car with his key fob while Alan pops into a shop unless there are a load of thugs lurking around!  Anyway this only happens if its pouring with rain and it’s pointless me getting wet too.  Usually I get out too otherwise why am I in the car in the first place.

 

 

[Kenny R]

The deadlocks operating when you lock the car is standard across all skoda cars I’ve had not just KESSY either.That’s why a warning comes up on the dash when you turn off the ignition and open the drivers door, so you don’t lock passengers in the car.

Also it’s strange that if you were locked in the car that the alarm didn’t go off.

Edited 14 December, 2023 by Kenny R

[PetrolDave]

47 minutes ago, Kenny R said:

The deadlocks operating when you lock the car is standard car across all skoda car I’ve had not just KESSY.

Not just Skoda, all VW group (Audi, VW, SEAT, Skoda, etc.) and many other manufacturers too (PSA and Toyota I've personally experienced).

[Gaz]

10 hours ago, mday said:

Yes I've done this in the past to my wife with our previous mk 3 Octavia.

 

Both me and Mrs Gaz have locked each other in our cars too.  Not intentionally at all, we're just used to locking our cars as we walk away from them.  Mrs Gaz has left me in her car, asked me if I want her to leave her key in the ignition, to which I reply yes, she then takes the key and walks off with it.  It's just habitual.  I'm wise to it now and if I'm staying in her car I open the door and leave it ajar.

 

Gaz

[Dragonfire]

Hi Mr. Gaz, another great idea I can try.

[Ootohere]

Breaking the glass and replacing is not cheaper than another key, and breaking the glass might not just be this Christmas, it could come around more often.

Extra keys are for life not just for Christmas.

 

Merry festive season all.  Balls Buffets & Banquettes are calling.

[Gaz]

2 hours ago, Dragonfire said:

Usually I get out too otherwise why am I in the car in the first place.

 

You're getting in a car just to get back out again?? 

 

And I thought I led an exciting life! 

 

G

[avi4tor]

13 minutes ago, Rooted said:

Breaking the glass and replacing is not cheaper than another key, and breaking the glass might not just be this Christmas, it could come around more often.

Extra keys are for life not just for Christmas.

 

Merry festive season all.  Balls Buffets & Banquettes are calling.

No, you don't break the glass as an alternative to using the key - unless a situation arises when you really need to get out.  I suspect mine will never be used, but if I need them then they will be available.

[Dragonfire]

I’m so glad I joined this forum (the first I have ever joined), so many good ideas, you are so right Rooted, I will def go down the replacement key road, I guess I was blinkered thinking, I’m free now that the glass is gone, but I guess when I saw the hole in the car, I would have thought ‘What now?’    I’ve got to pay for a replacement and all that hassle.    I might get a preowned, re programmed key which might be cheaper?
 

So Roots, enjoy your banquets et al and thanks for that advice.

 

thanks to all the other guys for their help. I think I’ve sussed this problem esp as I don’t know what sort of glass is in the front side windows and you need to know that if you go for the hammer option, but I’ll still get the appropriate one just in case the electrics fail…..but of course they won’t on a Skoda!

 

I shall next be asking about cruising with the E-tec versus not bothering to do that sort of driving.

[Gaz]

Just out of interest, we've got these:

 

https://www.police-supplies.co.uk/resqme-rescue-tool

 

Like @avi4tor I hope to never have to use them, but for the sake of a few quid...

 

Gaz

[avi4tor]

8 minutes ago, Gaz said:

Just out of interest, we've got these:

 

https://www.police-supplies.co.uk/resqme-rescue-tool

 

Like @avi4tor I hope to never have to use them, but for the sake of a few quid...

 

Gaz

Interesting, they also include the seat belt cutter.

 

You can get them on flea bay for less than £3 each.