My 92 SVX, the oriental puzzle box...

Alright boys and girls has anyone run into this one. I had been on out of town for a few weeks and came back to find that my battery was completely dead and of course the remotes do not unlock the doors. I thought well I guess I was due for a new battery anyway and I procceded to attempt to use the keys to unlock the doors to no avail. The driver door lock barely moved and the passenger side wouldnt budge. I cannot remember ever trying use the keys to actually open the the cars doors. The only time I have ever used the keys is to open the trunk which I still can. I tried some penetrating oil in the locks and the only thing that produced was greasy key. Looking at the trunk interior I see that there is a row screws at the back seat but I fear if I try removing them that I may damage the seat latch or the seats itself, by pushing it in. If I dont come up with anything I might just have to bring in the professional locksmith, and that goes against my DIY moral code. Any ideas? Anyone?....

[Aredubjay]

Man, I know you're anxious for a reply, but, things seem slow tonight. I wish I knew what to tell you. I had thought that you could unlatch the seat from inside the trunk somehow. I know theres a latch that locks the seat so that you can't unlatch it from inside the car.

I can't imagine the actuators being frozen, as you've described. Perhaps someone has changed the door locks and didn't give you the key that went with them, never thinking about the security system failing.

Somebody help this guy, please. I'm at a loss.

Oh, just thought about this: Hook it up to a charger, or another car with jumper cables and hit your remotes and see if they'll unlock the car. Just a thought.

is there a way I can open the hood and get to the battery without getting inside the car? Catch22 as far I can tell...GD

I can't think of any way to access the electrical harness from the trunk. I'd just keep working on the driver's door lock. They become stiff with disuse. B.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by gd2020
is there a way I can open the hood and get to the battery without getting inside the car? Catch22 as far I can tell...GD

Aw crap! Brain fart. Sorry.

[Aredubjay]

GD,
I'll thumb through my manuals and see if I can find anything. If I do, I'll post it.

I could swear there was a way to open the hood without popping it from the inside first... but I can't actually remember if that was on the SVX or some other car. Hrm...

It really seems like there should be a way to solve this problem, but for the life of me I can't come up with it...

-colin

Or you could just call for a cop to come with his jimmy bar and pop it open from inside the door panel...

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by sith
I could swear there was a way to open the hood without popping it from the inside first... but I can't actually remember if that was on the SVX or some other car. Hrm...

It really seems like there should be a way to solve this problem, but for the life of me I can't come up with it...

-colin

I know how ya feel, sith. I've wracked my brain (what little is left of it) and the best I can come up with is to find some way to insert a tool into the latch in the back seat, where the interlock is. The plastic panel on the back of the seat (accessible in the trunk) contains the intelock lever, and a little to the right, the seat latch. If you could get a small tool in their and pop the catch off the "U," you might be able to drop the rear seat.

I don't think theres a way to jimmy the hood latch, but, might give it a look when I settle in to install my TCU this afternoon.

If I may quote Clooney in "O' Brother Whereart Thou," you're in a tight spot. Sorry we're not much help, GD.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by Porter
Or you could just call for a cop to come with his jimmy bar and pop it open from inside the door panel...

A few years ago, the police here stopped helping people with lockouts. Says it took up too much of their valuable time they could be spending fighting crime. Hmmmm, there's the "protect" part. They seem to somehow be trying to phase out of the "serve" business.

Could you just use a coathanger to pull up the doorlock from the inside?

[svx_commuter]

Originally posted by gcookaustin
Could you just use a coathanger to pull up the doorlock from the inside?

I have used the coat hanger on a lot of other cars but the SVX looks impossible. There is no way to go between the fixed and sliding glass without killing the rubber and maybe the glass. Even the door opening looks impossible. There is way to much rubber in the joint and it isn't a straight path.

If you know someone near by with an SVX maybe you could take their door apart and see where the release bar is. Then you could make a tool to reach down between your glass and the door. This would be the 'slim jim" tool on a directed path. Otherwise someone could just tear up the window and rubber trying to feel for the release.

Originally posted by gcookaustin
Could you just use a coathanger to pull up the doorlock from the inside?

I think I would have to wedge something in the top of the door to get a coathanger though. I am a little leary flexing all that glass up there...

I am about to take another at that and see if it looks possible in the light and/or try to jimmy the backseat latch from the trunk(good suggestion Aredubjay) with a couple of things I just wrapped in electrical tape.(dont want to tear up the leather)... GD

Thanks for all the advise so far

Don't forget to look at the door locks again... I can't believe they are completely inop... B.

Originally posted by Boone
Don't forget to look at the door locks again... I can't believe they are completely inop... B.

I heading out with the keys a can of liquid wrench in hand too...GD