Lockout Prevention.

[STAGEO]

Being locked out of your vehicle is no fun, it's inconvenient and potentially expensive. Sure, this is what we pay AAA or our insurance company for, but as a very wise woman once said:  'Ain't nobody got time fo' dat.'

That said, there's an easy and very inexpensive way to safeguard ourselves from ourselves: Ye old Hide-a-key. Now we've all heard of the ol' magnetic keybox trick, but these can leave you stranded because that pothole you hit 2 years ago sent it flying and you didn't think to check on it. 

 

So what do we do? Ziptie. What do we do with it? Emergency key. Some of the proximity Ford fobs contained a backup HU101 keyblade hidden within that would open the lock manually, this is Strattec part # 4223891 that will take  care of the newer 14-20 model years. It's a bare-bones keyblade with a small hole that you can easily thread a ziptie through and attach somewhere on the underside of the van. It won't start the vehicle, but will save you if your keys are locked inside. Maybe even hide a programmed key onboard somewhere that will save you from a lost key scenario; roll under the van, break the ziptie, unlock the door, fetch the hidden programmed key inside and drive home. 

 

For the earlier models, Strattec part #5914577 will do the trick. Keeping a key to your vehicle attached to the vehicle might weird some people out, but honestly who's looking? Be creative and pick a spot under your van that's easy to get to but hard to spot at a glance. Mark the spot with some brightly colored duct tape and you'll be able to find it in a pinch. 

 

Hopefully this will save at least one of you from a lockout.

Edited November 10, 2019 by STAGEO
grammar

[OLDSCHOOLFOOL]

Thirty some odd years ago I started carrying two sets of keys at ALL times and to date it has not failed me. My wife likes to make fun of me with all the keys in my pockets but she has locked herself out of the car several times but not me. I also have trained myself to remove the keys whenever I get out of the vehicle.....religiously. If there is a passenger in the car they may have to do without AC until I get back. Pissed a couple people off by this but they didn't ride in my car again after that.

 

Was looking at some new cars lately and it seems some do not even have manual keyed doors. Maybe they airbrushed them out of the pictures, I don't know. I have a feeling the days of me buying new cars is over.

 

Grumpy OldSchoolFool

[DonShockley]

I've carried a spare house and car key in my wallet for years. I make a credit card sized sandwich with plastic and 3M VHB tape. Here's a photo of my current carry with kydex. But in the past I just used simple thick clear plastic cut from some clamshell packaging.