Keep your keys on you

Car screwed me over royally today.

Had finished some shopping with mum, went back to the car. Unlocked the car (central locking) and opened the boot. Put kids in their car seats, pram in boot but left boot door open so mum could put stuff in. Opened driver's door, turned car on, aircon on. Mum's friend pulled in, I called out a hello and went to get into driver's seat - door locked. All doors locked. Car running, kids inside but doors have locked themselves. The boot is on the same central locking unit - doors can't lock if one door or the boot is open.

I couldn't climb through the boot to get to the kids because we have a cargo barrier (it's a wagon) and I don't have tools to unbolt it. Rang DH - he was an hour away and his key was locked in the car anyway. Rang RACV, they called the fire brigade and organised a tech.

Mum was asking me if we could coach DD1 to open the door but I didn't want to teach her to take her seatbelt off and the back doors are child locked so she couldn't open it from the inside. If she got out of the seat and climbed into the front, well the car was running so I'd hate to think what would have happened if she'd bumped the gear shifter. We were waiting for help when DD1 started to shriek "Nonna! I got the door open!"

Somehow my clever munchkin had opened the door - even though the child lock was on. Right at the same time, the MFB and ambos turned up with the RACV. Everyone checked that we were all okay. Strangest bit was they confirmed that the child lock was on - we couldn't open it up again from the inside.

So even though we have these great cars that shouldn't do things like this - mine did. It broke all the rules and locked itself - even with the boot open. Keep your keys close!!!!!!!

Glad you are all ok. Would have been so scary!

I got caught the same way - thankfully pre kids - a few years ago too; keys in the ignition and the car locked itself. I always make sure the driver's window is down far enough for me to get my arm in now.

Must have been scary for you with the kids inside. Glad everybody's ok. Awful way to learn a lesson

You don't drive a territory do you? A friend of mine did the exact same thing a little while ago...

Oh my gosh, how scary!

I do that ALL the time in summer! Will make sure I leave my door open a little in future.

:hug: Glad everything worked out ok. Amazing that the child locked door opened just that once when needed...

how scary! i thought i was just being paranoid always opening the window if i was out of the car and the keys were in, but i will continue doing it now. Glad things are ok.

Scary. I open the sun roof so I could get in that way if needed.

Helle, she does drive a Territory!!!! Bizarre.

That's really scary Pac. So glad you guys are all ok! Might just wind my window down in future...

I always leave my door open, it isn't supposed to lock with the key in the ignition but I had a previous car that locked randomly.

good that the emergencies crews arrived .... and made sure you and your kids were ok :)

My previous car did this, luckily I hadn't put my dd1 in yet, I always kept my keys on me after that until I was seated in the car. So scary for you xx

Oh my darling!!!!!! So glad you're all ok! I can imagine how scary that would have been. I don't mind saying that my heart was racing when you told me. :hug:

This is a big fear of mine, thanks for the reminder, glad everything worked out and you were all ok!

My DH's Nissan Navara has done the same thing - fortunately at home and not with the kids in the car. He had started the car in the morning to warm up the engine and get the heater cranking and it locked itself. He couldn't figure out how to open the door manually with the spare key so he had to wake me up - at 5am!! (Any Navara owners, you have to flick off a little flap on the door handle of the driver's door to expose the key lock!) I often start my car while I load the boot so that the heater/air conditioning gets going for the kidlets, but I always leave the drivers door open.

Glad everyone is ok :)

I've always been paranoid about locking my keys and child in the car at the same time - whenever I put DS into his seat the keys go in the door handle next to him and the door is left open, then when we're ready to go I grab the keys and shut the door.

I'd be contacting the manufacturer about that kind of malfunction personally - really not cool!

how scary!! one of the reasons i love my car, no central locking, infact you have to have to physically put the key in the drivers door to lock it, so near impossible to lock the keys in the car.
that actually really scares me... glad your kiddies are ok

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You don't drive a territory do you? A friend of mine did the exact same thing a little while ago...

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Yep it's a Territory. First time it's let us down.

It's going to Ford on Monday to figure out what happened and obviously fix whatever issue it has.

It happens more oftem than you might think. Very glad all turned out well.