Unlock car with a cell phone

[Brian from Maui]

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.

 

[MorganO]

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

 

[Brian from Maui]

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

 

[Domski]

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

 

[chicagodiceman]

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.

 

[milesUK]

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.

 

[Joe4]

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...

 

[Brian from Maui]

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....

 

[Brian from Maui]

The juries still out! Works sometimes other times nada!

 

[HalfAce]

****! 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.)