It's cold outside, let me in

[enyego]

My girlfriend has a 2000 XLS. For some reason the ignition key doesnt open the doors...perhaps a previous owner had the ignition replaced? The only method of access is keyless-unfortunately her battery is dead. To charge the battery we need access to the hood latch...under the dash. What we have here is a Catch-22. Any ideas for how to enter either the cabin or the engine compartment without calling a locksmith. I'm not great with a slim-jim.

 

[tripplec]

Well I am not 100% sure you can get this to work. But with a good bright flashlight. See if you can see and/or hook the hood release cable near the top through the grill. If you can get at it with a hooked coat hanger or other such told to pull the release cable then you've luck in and my be rewarded affectionately.

You should get that lock changed and resolved. It will get colder, of that you can be sure.

 

[Turdle]

Try that key again. try wiggling it a bit as you turn. Try both directions.
I also thought my key did not work in my doors, until someone showed me how to use it.

 

[jad2411]

The locks might have frozen due to no use, there are some instructions here on the site on how to jump the battery from below, try a search

 

[jad2411]

BTW wasn't trying to be rude, I'm at work and posted quickly :

 

[BobWiersema]

Did you try the key in the other two door locks?

Found this post and picture, might help.

Welcome to the site, wpsatisfide . For you hood issue, mine just started to do the same thing. If you use a s thin screw driver, you can open it. Look through your grill at the latch for the hood and you'll see a small horizontal slit. Put the screw driver in the left side of that and move the arm towards the passenger side of the vehicle (so the end of the screwdriver in the hood latch moves towards the drivers side). That should release it, fiddle around in there and it will pop open.

 

[Blazepet7]

If you just wanna get the doors open then do what the tow truck drivers do when someone has left the e-brake on when they are about to get towed...(this is just to be used on your own vehicle i do not claim responsibility of the process being used for anything else, lol). with that out of the way,grab a hammer with a claw (put some cloth or something soft between the paint and the hammer), pry the door open enough to get a wedge wooden preferably or something to keep the door open just enough to fish a long enough stick or wire to hit the unlock button.

note: the alarm will start going off just unplug the batt until you get another batt for the remote...hope it helps it did for me when the same thing happened to me...

Its kinda weird how the key works for the ignition and dosent work for the doors as jad2411 said their probably frozen try some liquid wrench or silicone spray it may free them up... good luck

 

[enyego]

Thanks guys. Bob, I havent tried the key in any door: I'm at work and she just called to tell me about this, I didnt even know that her key wasn't working. Of course, My Mountaineer key often sticks as well so I think its likely that this is the problem. I wanted other ideas so that if by chance I cant get the key to turn she doesnt say told you so. Blaze thanks for the pointer, if I have to resort to this I'm going to make sure she's not around when I do this. Jad, I wondered if I might be able to jump it down by the starter.

 

[deernet]

If you just wanna get the doors open then do what the tow truck drivers do when someone has left the e-brake on when they are about to get towed...(this is just to be used on your own vehicle i do not claim responsibility of the process being used for anything else, lol). with that out of the way,grab a hammer with a claw (put some cloth or something soft between the paint and the hammer), pry the door open enough to get a wedge wooden preferably or something to keep the door open just enough to fish a long enough stick or wire to hit the unlock button.

note: the alarm will start going off just unplug the batt until you get another batt for the remote...hope it helps it did for me when the same thing happened to me...

Its kinda weird how the key works for the ignition and dosent work for the doors as jad2411 said their probably frozen try some liquid wrench or silicone spray it may free them up... good luck

I've done this before, although not with a claw hammer. Only problem is, the unlock button won't work if the battery is dead. It may be possible to hook the door handle though.