No Escape!!! Electonic Locks vs Thundderbird Key Lock

[HKS]

Hermann et alia,

Okay, for what it's worth (probably not much) I just reread my Owner's Manual for our 2017 Escape. We just have the xmitter (buttons for lock, unlock and alarm only) combined with a key blade, The driver door handle on our car looks almost exactly like the one in your photograph, (i.e., it has a small visible, rectangular key hole). The manual sez: "Use the key blade to start your vehicle or to unlock or lock the driver door from outside your vehicle." So I went outside and tried the key blade and it, in fact, did both lock and unlock the driver side door. Did not seem to matter if the alarm was set or not, it locked and unlocked the driver door. However, whether it would do it with a dead or disconnected car battery is another matter. It seems to me it should work even though there are some electrical connections involved (the vertical key pad, the alarm, etc, etc, etc, etc).

Your key fob is called (in my 2017 Manual anyway) the "Intelligent Access Key". The Manual says about it: "The Intelligent Access Key also contains a removable key blade that you can use to unlock your vehicle." That is the one (I assume anyway) that is shown in your photograph in post #11. That's all it says about the removable key blade, alas. There is a drawing or photostat of the key fob and removable blade. Looks just like your photograph. You take very good pictures.

Again, nothing is said anywhere in my 2017 Manual about whether the manual, metal key blade, in either fob, will unlock the car with a dead car battery so I guess this post has proved absolutely nothing, although it might help some,,,maybe. Sigh.

That's all I've got.

V/R,

Gary/jaguar72

Gary,
There is only one way to settle all this. One of us has to lock the doors and disconnect the battery. Make sure the hood latch stays unlocked or hood is open, then try to unlock the drivers door using the flimsy key meant to turn a switch.

I guarantee there will be no way to unlock the other doors.
Did you read the part about locking the Escape when the battery is dead by poking the key into an open door hole to trip a latch? They forgot to mention that you should pop the hood latch so someone can jump start the car since the battery is under the hood.

I will have to assume that the little key may trip the drivers door lock open when the battery is dead. Getting out of car with dead battery is still scary.

[hippy_mailman]

I think if I was locked inside my bird and blew a fuse with doors locked .I dont think I could get out without destroying something unless I had tools(i dont know if forcing soft top open is possible or would damage) the lock pins sink too low to grab. i will say if I was a contortionist I could open the trunk

[jaguar72]

Ahhhhhh, anybody have a clue why my screen name (jaguar72) is showing up next to someone else's avatar when you click on the "Today's Posts" button and look at the last post on this thread?? And when you put the pointer on the avatar it shows Jaguar72?? Is there some sort of computer glitch on this site or forum that I'm not aware of??

It's a little disturbing.

And the date is wrong too; e.g., In "Today's Posts" this post showed up as "Yesterday 8:20PM" which was the date/time of my last post yesterday...all very confusing...it could be the Twilight Zone...this edit will probably really screw things up...

Note: at 12:39AM (Ohio time) the glitch or whatever it was appears to have corrected itself...the avatar, my screen name, and posting time are all correct (for now anyway).

V/R,

Gary/jaguar72

[jaguar72]

Gary,
There is only one way to settle all this. One of us has to lock the doors and disconnect the battery. Make sure the hood latch stays unlocked or hood is open, then try to unlock the drivers door using the flimsy key meant to turn a switch.

I guarantee there will be no way to unlock the other doors.
Did you read the part about locking the Escape when the battery is dead by poking the key into an open door hole to trip a latch? They forgot to mention that you should pop the hood latch so someone can jump start the car since the battery is under the hood.

I will have to assume that the little key may trip the drivers door lock open when the battery is dead. Getting out of car with dead battery is still scary.

Hermann,

In fact, I did see the part in my Manual (2017) about poking the key into an open door hole (in the trailing edge of the door), but the text said "if the central function does not operate, lock the doors individually using the key in the position shown (followed by an illustration). It did not say, unfortunately, anything about unlocking each door individually, and, besides the door already has to be open in order to use that keyhole anyway...it's all very confusing. Anyhow I went outside and looked at the Escape and, sure enough, there was a round hole surrounding a rectangular keyhole in the trailing edge of the driver's door...to add to the confusion there is an identical keyhole in the trailing edge of all four doors. I didn't tempt fate and try any of 'em.

My 2017 Manual also says about the Intelligent Access Key that "it contains a removable key blade that you can use to unlock your vehicle." and that is the extent of what the Manual says. The car battery is not mentioned. It does say, however, on page 56 under "Activating Intelligent Access, General Information", that "The system will not function if: Your vehicle battery has no charge; The key battery has no charge; The passive key frequencies are jammed."

That's all I've got; interesting, I guess, but unhelpful.

V/R,

Gary/jaguar72

[HKS]

Thanks Gary,
I need to figure out a test to verify that, if in car, car locked, key FOB in pocket, battery dead, and see if I can unlock the car from the inside or not.
If not, could you smash the window and use the metal key to unlock from the outside?
Next, try this with car underwater.
Hermann

I love my 2015 Escape Titanium.
I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

[steelblue5505]

I am wondering why the battery would go dead while you are in the car. Did you take a long nap in there while the lights were left on? It just seems not probably that the National Highway Safety laws would allow a vehicle to be built this way. Are the headlights LEDs if so they probably would not drain the battery down to dead.

Are you certain that pulling on the interior door handle does not mechanically unlock the latch? Hard to believe that this latching/ locking system is completely electrical.

I'm confused believing this can happen.

[HKS]

Mike,
Read post #1.
I did not get locked in. The service tech got locked in as the battery had its last gasp and died because lights were on for a long time (so I was told).
I was there observing and watching it all unfold (unravel).

I am surprised that a smart car would not shut the lights off after a while. Unless Ford thinks a Moonshiner will need the lights when he tends to the still in the woods.
Hermann

P.S. We need to see what happens if you get into the wrong escape with your (wrong) FOB in your pocket.

[007Cruiser]

I think you should install an Escape hatch.

[5bird7]

I think if I was locked inside my bird and blew a fuse with doors locked .I dont think I could get out without destroying something unless I had tools(i dont know if forcing soft top open is possible or would damage) the lock pins sink too low to grab. i will say if I was a contortionist I could open the trunk

You can get out of your Thunderbird if the battery is dead and the doors locked. Just lift the inside door handle which automatically unlocks the door(it's mechanical) and push hard on the door. The window glass (window drop will not work due to dead battery) will bend enough to pop out from under the top. trust me I had to do it a couple of years ago. took a hard push at least hard for me.

[HKS]

You can get out of your Thunderbird if the battery is dead and the doors locked. Just lift the inside door handle which automatically unlocks the door(it's mechanical) and push hard on the door. The window glass (window drop will not work due to dead battery) will bend enough to pop out from under the top. trust me I had to do it a couple of years ago. took a hard push at least hard for me.

Thanks Dot, that is good information about the short drop not working (makes sense) and having to open the door with more force to overcome the rubber window seal.
Good to know so one would not do something drastic.
Hermann

[5bird7]

Spouse says maybe the car was in the wrong gear when this occurred.

[HKS]

Spouse says maybe the car was in the wrong gear when this occurred.

By that you mean, the doors stay locked if battery dies while parked in D, right?

[5bird7]

By that you mean, the doors stay locked if battery dies while parked in D, right?

most likely. Check the manual on what it says about the different gears when stopped. On our T-birds, keys won't release from ignition unless we are in Park.

[steelblue5505]

That is the way my 2015 Silverado works.
This doors are programed by the owner, it is in the owner's manual. My truck is programed to lock all doors almost immediately driving either forward or reverse. The doors UNLOCK as soon as shifter is moved into Park.
If the ignition is turned off without without moving shifter into Park the doors remain LOCKED.
Pulling twice on the interior door handle UNLOCKS that door, not all doors. This can be done at anytime; in Park, in Drive or even in motion.
Extremely hard to believe that any vehicle manufactured today will not mechanically unlock any door from the inside.

[Sierra977]

Since winter is coming, don't forget to reverse your battery terminals so the heat works and not the AC.