# Unlock car with a cell phone



## Brian from Maui (May 29, 2007)

This is not Excel related, but, if you ever lock your keys inside the car and you have those remote keyless whatever you call it, call whoever has your spare and have them click the remote over the phone while placing your phone next to the door.


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## MorganO (May 29, 2007)

I've heard this same thing before, but it is incorrect.  You cannot do this because the frequency ranges used by the remote are not transmitted over cell phones.  See this link http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/keyless.asp


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## Brian from Maui (May 29, 2007)

I just tried it with my car a Escape 2001 and it works!


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## Domski (May 29, 2007)

Tried that before with my Audi and no joy.

In fact, locking your keys in a car with a zapper is hard enough these days and required me to use a spare which kind of defeated the object.

What is odd is that you can usually extend the range of your zapper by holding it against your head. Never heard a good explanation for that one.

Dom


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## chicagodiceman (May 30, 2007)

Saw an interesting twist to the "locked keys in the car" the other day.  Gentleman had pulled into a gas station and left the car running.  He was standing at the drivers door with the old "coat hanger down the glass" trying to break into his car.  He said the car is not supposed to lock the doors when the engine is running and the transmission is in park.

The worst part of this was he works for the manufacturer of the car.


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## milesUK (May 30, 2007)

Holding the key against your head is a red herring. You simply need to find the best orientation for the 'zapper' to give the ariel the best advantage.


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## Joe4 (May 30, 2007)

Isn't this just an urban legend (see the Snopes article referenced by ExcelingInTheAirForce)?



> I just tried it with my car a Escape 2001 and it works!


Brian,
Are you sure you didn't fall victim to the third to last paragraph in that article that begins:


> More than a few people have inadvertantly fooled themselves ... not realizing their cars were still within range of the keyless remote devices...


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## Brian from Maui (May 30, 2007)

No, I just tried it again....

Since I have nothing better to do, I'll try having my car at the golf course and  the other phone from home....


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## Brian from Maui (Jun 1, 2007)

The juries still out!  Works sometimes other times nada!


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## HalfAce (Jun 4, 2007)

****! And to think all this time I've been using my cell phone to break the window and
climb right in.
(It's never failed me yet.)


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## Lewiy (Jun 4, 2007)

Not owing a car, I thought I'd try with my bicycle lock.  To my dismay, it didn't work.  I then realised this was probably because it does not have a remote lock.

In desperation, I took a photo of the key on my phone and showed it to the lock, this also did not work.  

By this point I was becoming sceptical so I tried HalfAce's method.  I now need a new phone and the bike frame needs a touch up.  

In conclusion, I think I might consider buying a car


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## HalfAce (Jun 5, 2007)

> In desperation, I took a photo of the key on my phone and showed it to the lock, this also did not work.


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## Smitty (Jun 5, 2007)

> ****! And to think all this time I've been using my cell phone to break the window and
> climb right in.
> (It's never failed me yet.)



A method I almost used this morning as I looked through my window at my keys in the center console where they always go (we don't have any need for locking stuff where I live), only to realize that my 2 year-old locked the doors last night when she was playing in the truck.

Luckily I have a spare set, and unlike my wife I don't keep them in the car. 

Smitty


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## Lewiy (Jun 5, 2007)

Smitty, as you're a Cali guy, you may know.  Is it true that a few years back, Volvo's on the west coast with ultra sonic remotes were being opened by dolphins?


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## Smitty (Jun 5, 2007)

> Smitty, as you're a Cali guy, you may know.  Is it true that a few years back, Volvo's on the west coast with ultra sonic remotes were being opened by dolphins?



First off, I'm Texan.  I just happen to live in the land of fruits and nuts. 

As for dolphins opening Volvo's I suppose anything's possible here, and the environmentalists would probably like that better than using them to search for bombs. 

Smitty


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## Lewiy (Jun 5, 2007)

> First off, I'm Texan. I just happen to live in the land of fruits and nuts.


Sorry! It's the give away CA in your location 

Might just have been a myth but it's a good one nonetheless.  Didn't know they use them for bomb finding???!!!!  Then again, as you said, anything's possible


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## Smitty (Jun 5, 2007)

> Didn't know they use them for bomb finding



The US Navy has been using them for years.

Smitty


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## Greg Truby (Jun 20, 2007)

Already been re-tracked to bomb-sniffing dolphins.  Don't see how I can improve on that...   [good job, Smitty!]


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