Dead battery - can't open door with mechanical key! - Page 3 - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Cal3000 · 12-22-2018, 07:48 PM

My battery just died and I have this issue. I had the car for 6 years so far and the mechanical key doesn't work. I turned so hard that the key started to twist. It's jammed. I had to enter from the trunk to get in the car.

gravitylover · 12-23-2018, 12:30 PM

The old style key hole in the door turns the opposite direction than you'd expect to unlock. I found this out the hard way when my doors were frozen shut last winter and almost bent the key before I thought to turn it the other way.

JD001 · 12-23-2018, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashtray

I leave my car untouched for weeks and never have trouble starting it. BRZ Limited. 7,000 miles in nearly 3 years, so you can tell how many times it sits for weeks without being started. Original battery. No issues.

Aftermarket stereo or camera or lighting etc can have a phantom draw.

It's only time before you get touched with the dreaded dead battery.. I was in the same boat as you.. my car's battery died about 2years in, changed under warranty. The new battery so far doing okay but it too has died as I don't use my car much..

Tcoat · 12-23-2018, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal3000

My battery just died and I have this issue. I had the car for 6 years so far and the mechanical key doesn't work. I turned so hard that the key started to twist. It's jammed. I had to enter from the trunk to get in the car.

That is because there is no mechanical activator. Even the "key" just throws a switch and activates a solenoid.

Cal3000 · 12-23-2018, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

That is because there is no mechanical activator. Even the "key" just throws a switch and activates a solenoid.

Wow, interesting. I did not know that. Might as well not have a key slot at all. What's the point if it's not fully mechanical? lol

Ultramaroon · 12-23-2018, 09:19 PM

I forgot about that very important detail. Wow.

gravitylover · 12-24-2018, 08:57 AM

That's kinda f'd up, turning a key should move mechanical bits not activate a solenoid. I had to go in through the trunk once when I couldn't open the doors enough to get in because a couple of brodozer guys thought it would be funny to park 2" away. It SUCKED

I made myself feel better though when I pulled 2 of the valve cores out of the stems on their 38" mudders after realizing they had no spare tires.

krayzie · 12-24-2018, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gravitylover

The old style key hole in the door turns the opposite direction than you'd expect to unlock. I found this out the hard way when my doors were frozen shut last winter and almost bent the key before I thought to turn it the other way.

I think Toyota is generally backwards compare to other brands. My gf's RX300 is the same.

BTW when I first got the car I tried the BRZ mechanical key on the door and trunk and it took some finesse but I eventually got it to work. The key will no longer bend after the initial try.

It feels mechanical to me. Are you guys sure it's just a solenoid? The inside door lock pulls 2 cables as I've taken the door cards off before to see that.

Ultramaroon · 12-24-2018, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krayzie

I think Toyota is generally backwards compare to other brands. My gf's RX300 is the same.

BTW when I first got the car I tried the BRZ mechanical key on the door and trunk and it took some finesse but I eventually got it to work. The key will no longer bend after the initial try.

It feels mechanical to me. Are you guys sure it's just a solenoid? The inside door lock pulls 2 cables as I've taken the door cards off before to see that.

Yeah, I just checked. It's mechanical.

Guess I didn't forget anything.

Tcoat · 12-24-2018, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Yeah, I just checked. It's mechanical.

Guess I didn't forget anything.

UMMMMM the reason I thought it was electronic was because YOU said it was a while back.

Ultramaroon · 12-24-2018, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

UMMMMM the reason I thought it was electronic was because YOU said it was a while back.

That was the Camry. It is.

Tcoat · 12-24-2018, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

That was the Camry. It is.

Well you shouldn't talk about other cars here. It confuses us!

Ultramaroon · 12-24-2018, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Well you shouldn't talk about other cars here.

It was in Reno, dufus.

Tcoat · 12-24-2018, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

It was in Reno, dufus.

Well you shouldn't talk to me in person it just confuses us.

12-22-2018, 07:48 PM	#29
Cal3000 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Drives: Panda FR-S Location: Corona, California Posts: 531 Thanks: 297 Thanked 377 Times in 161 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	My battery just died and I have this issue. I had the car for 6 years so far and the mechanical key doesn't work. I turned so hard that the key started to twist. It's jammed. I had to enter from the trunk to get in the car. __________________ Vortech SC on 9psi Pulley, Invidia Catless Front Pipe, Invidia N1 Catback Exhaust 242whp/197ft-lb on Mustang Dyno (91 octane water) 284whp/223ft-lb on Mustang Dyno (E85) Delicious Tuning

12-23-2018, 12:30 PM	#30
gravitylover Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Drives: 2013 BRZ Premium 6MT White Location: SE NY Posts: 1,503 Thanks: 1,218 Thanked 669 Times in 474 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	The old style key hole in the door turns the opposite direction than you'd expect to unlock. I found this out the hard way when my doors were frozen shut last winter and almost bent the key before I thought to turn it the other way. __________________

12-23-2018, 09:19 PM	#34
Ultramaroon not playing cards Join Date: Sep 2014 Drives: a 13 e8h frs Location: vantucky, wa Posts: 32,395 Thanks: 53,053 Thanked 37,228 Times in 19,308 Posts Mentioned: 1118 Post(s) Tagged: 9 Thread(s)	I forgot about that very important detail. Wow. __________________ service manuals

12-24-2018, 08:57 AM	#35
gravitylover Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Drives: 2013 BRZ Premium 6MT White Location: SE NY Posts: 1,503 Thanks: 1,218 Thanked 669 Times in 474 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	That's kinda f'd up, turning a key should move mechanical bits not activate a solenoid. I had to go in through the trunk once when I couldn't open the doors enough to get in because a couple of brodozer guys thought it would be funny to park 2" away. It SUCKED I made myself feel better though when I pulled 2 of the valve cores out of the stems on their 38" mudders after realizing they had no spare tires. __________________

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