Breaking into cars... HELP!

[Milford Cubicle]

My mum has locked the only keys into my old Rover 600.

Can't blame her really, as it doesn't lock on the key, and the fob only closes 3 doors so you have to operate the central locking as you're leaving the car. I've been trying to think of clever ways to get into it, but to no avail.

My only thought so far is to smash the quarterlight...

[Guest]

Below the window, on the door, there's probably some long rubber/chrome strip or something which can be removed by pulling it up usually.Remove that and then poke around inside the door with some bent wire or similar until you pull the lock mechanism up.

[Volksy]

as hirst said, managed one like that on an accord which i presume shares bits and pieces with a 600.

[Torsten2001]

and if it comes down to smashing stuff a quarterlight might be pricier than a door window, you could always try the RAC/AA first though, they've helped me in the past!

[Marty]

Though this one is for Mercs, not Rova-hs

[Milford Cubicle]

Going to give the 'wire' trick a try, if not I'll exercise my RAC membership for the first time. Ta for the suggestions!

[Richard]

I can tell you what the RAC will do.They will pull out the top of the door and insert a couple of wooden wedges. Then they will use a coathanger wire hook to reach down and pull the button up.

[Volksy]

Yes, I used to do that when i worked for Green Flag, however IIRC rover 600s have a recessed button that is smooth, so not really feasable, Other alternatives are wedge open the top of the door and use a length of stiff wire to hook the keys out of the ignition, or to pull the interior door handle, sometimes these pop the lock button up when pulled.

[retrogeezer]

As Hirst said, best method is to unlock it from under the window sealing rubber. The best thing to do that with is a flat metal ruler, push it down behind the rubber and above the handle.Unfortunately, then it's just a case of lifting it up & down/moving it about until you hopefully make contact with the lock mechanism.Good luck..

[Richard]

Depending on the kind of fob it might be possible to push the unlock button using the wedge/wire method.

[Karmann Ghiaman]

If you can get it in there, a wire coathanger is perfect. Before insertion you must make a sort of hook at the business end & sharpen it slightly with a file. This can then easily be used to lift the lock-catch in the window. (Successfully achieved on father-in-law's Cortina one summer long ago).

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Do these Rovers actually have a conventional 'button'?

[Richard]

Not according to Mr Volksy and a quick look at an eBay pic suggests he's correct, sadly.

[mk2_craig]

To be honest on something like the 600 I'd just be tempted to knack the window and spend an hour fitting a new one, than fart-arse around looking like a cirminal trying to cheat the mechanism. Done this on several occasions with various of my old Fiestas as I had plenty glass in stock.A friend who had a Saxo VTR when they were launched very soon found that the old "feed a loop of packing tape through the door seal and grip it over the lock button" was, amazingly, applicable to a late 1990s hatchback despite all the immobiliser and alarm bollocks that was de rigeur by then.

[Milford Cubicle]

Yeah, it's a smooth door lock, not good for grabbing onto with wires. Will try getting the keys out of the column and plipping the fob.

[M'coli]

Yeah, it's a smooth door lock, not good for grabbing onto with wires. Will try getting the keys out of the column and plipping the fob.

Blob of superglue on the end?

[Dead_E23]

Blob of superglue on the end?

He'll just end up with his hand stuck to the door.

[Karmann Ghiaman]

Terry Twocker says: "The slightly sharpened wire coat hanger hook works on any door. All you need is a little prick at the end."

[Pillock]

I've had to do this twice for people at work who've locked their keys in. The first time, on a Corsa, i pushed a loop of that plastic packing banding stuff through the top of the door seal, held one end and managed to loop it over the internal door handle. Slid both ends around the side of the door for a better angle and pulled - click! The second, on a Civic with the engine running (!), proved trickier. Pulled the top of the door out slightly and kept trying to grab the button to pull it up, failed every time. Then it started to hammer it down with rain and we really needed to get in so i found the girl with the slimmest arms, pulled the door out even further, and got her to pull the button. The door bent back ok to look at but there's a bit more wind noise now

[Milford Cubicle]

Sorted. The RAC fella came out, wedged the door open enough to get some 'bellows' in, pulled the boot catch and got in through the split/fold seats. As a testament to Ronda build quality, the door didn't distort and it took some effort to get the gap wide enough to put the wire through.

[retrogeezer]

jobs a good un'