So, weird situation. My car (2010 Fit Sport) is in storage with relatives on the other side of the country. They tell me they can't get into the vehicle any more; they have the key but it won't turn, and the battery has died so the remote unlock doesn't work.

I suspect the key doesn't work because the lock actuator in the drivers door was going bad (making a loud buzzing noise) but not entirely sure.

Anyhow, how can I get into it? My idea is that if I can pop the hood I can put on jumper cables to unlock my door with the key. Anyone have ideas of how to pop the hood from underneath the car?

I'm going to pick up my car in 1 week, so trying to come up with something now.

 

call AAA or locksmith so they can pop open the door. open hood and charge battery. run the car and go to mechanic and get ur lock actuator fixed. drive back home.

 

You can't open the hood (at least reasonably) without pulling the release inside the car.

Supposedly it's not too hard to get to the alternator positive lead underneath the car and attach a (positive) jumper cable there, and of course the negative to the frame somewhere.

 

Hmm, ok. Alternator might be an easy way. I assumed it was on the top of the engine but when I'm there I'll take a look.

If all else fails I guess I'll call AAA. The lock actuator was like $200 just for parts, so I've been avoiding fixing it.

 

I second the motion... AAA or locksmith

 

I haven't been in this situation but I'm curious: can't the hatch be opened manually?

 

You cannot unlock the hatch on the '10 sport by using a key. Have to use the remote on key fob or the main unlock switch on driver side.

I think the real problem is that the door lock mechanism has not been used in a long time. Try something like 3 in 1 Lock Lube first. I use my key on the door lock frequently just to make sure that something like this doesn't happen.

 

I have gotten into my car using a wooden door stop and a thick metal hanger with a L or J on the end.
Use the door stop to get the door open just a little bit, and then use the hanger to hit the lock above the handle. It took me a lot of maneuvering, but I was able to get it done.

 

I know that AAA and car wash places use an airbag and a plastic hook to unlock doors if the keys were locked in the car. Basically you slip the deflated airbag between the door and and frame and pump it up to make a small opening. Then they use the hook to unlock the door. I'm sure you can find one to buy online.

 

Thanks everyone. I ended up calling AAA and they did the pump and hangar thing.

Strangely though, the guy was pulling the driver's door handle from inside and it wouldn't open. He tried the passenger door and same thing. Eventually he managed to grab the hood latch with the hanger and pop the hood so we could connect a battery and unlock it with the remote unlock.

I'm not very reassured to know that it's possible to be locked in my car where the door handles won't open the door.

 

It's a two step process: you need to first unlock the door with the little thumb lever next to the door handle, and then you can open the door. Many, probably most, other cars are similar.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrt2q6Mpeyc