Self locking Altea

[Tabintab]

Hi Guys,

This Saturday I picked up our brand new caravan with my 05 Altea 2.0l TDI sport & took it to a local camp site for a trial run.

I was not to good reversing the rig into the bay, so I left the engine running & we all jumped out the car to pushed the caravan in by hand.

When the caravan was secure in place I went back to the car, but all the doors were locked, the key is in the ignition & the engine is running. Everything was locked inside the car, mobile phones, wallet etc.

I went to the caravan site office & borrowed the phone to start 1hr 30 mins of phone calls. First was to the local Seat garage to get the breakdown number, then phoned the number to be told I was not covered under the break down waranty because I had locked myself out of the car. I tried to explain that the car locked me out & had a technical fault to no avail, but she did say for £99 she could send someone out to fixt it . Phoned Seat Garage who could not help because mechanics were not available as it was late on Saturday afternoon.

I thought I've got to get this sorted, so joined the AA on the spot & got a hefty priemium of £112 all in for a basic annual recovery scheme. 1 hour later a very helpfull & friendly AA man turns up & opens the car using a bit of wire, couple of wedges & a small pump up bag. Good job the electric windows etc all worked cause thats what he opened to get at the keys.

Anyone know how I start to claim my money back from Seat for a faulty car that thought it would be cool to lock me out of it?

Also, I dont suppose any of you guys have an experience of this?

Tab

 

[aceman]

Oh dear, that's not good at all. I think you need to write a very constructive letter to SEAT and copy your dealers into it aswell. Can you replicate this with at least someone sat in side because if you can at least you should be able to prove this to the dealer. I wouldn't hold too much hope though in getting your money back probably more likely to ask for a free service or similar.

Keep us all posted.

 

[xlray]

Tabintab.

Interesting story. Is it the first time that you have towed a caravan with the Altea. I am interested in towing experiences with the Altea as I will be putting a hook on my XL next year, for the occasion when my old Caravelle might not be available.

Could it have been disconnecting the caravan that caused a glitch in the electrics, you might be able to repeat the issue if you try that again. Keep the spare key outside though!

Xlray

 

[Tabintab]

Oh dear, that's not good at all. I think you need to write a very constructive letter to SEAT and copy your dealers into it aswell. Can you replicate this with at least someone sat in side because if you can at least you should be able to prove this to the dealer. I wouldn't hold too much hope though in getting your money back probably more likely to ask for a free service or similar.

Keep us all posted.

I could not replicate the fault with the AA man, we kept the window open just incase the car locked itself again. I was switching the engine on/off opening doors etc, just as if i had stopped driving. AA man put on the report I had that he thought it was a technical fault as he was unable to lock the car with the key in the ignition.

I'll phone Dealer in the morning to start the ball rolling.

If i can get a free service im quids in, as all services ive paid for so far exceed £112

Tab

 

[Tabintab]

Tabintab.

Interesting story. Is it the first time that you have towed a caravan with the Altea. I am interested in towing experiences with the Altea as I will be putting a hook on my XL next year, for the occasion when my old Caravelle might not be available.

Could it have been disconnecting the caravan that caused a glitch in the electrics, you might be able to repeat the issue if you try that again. Keep the spare key outside though!

Xlray

I had a caravan previous to this new one which I have towed with the Altea, had no problems at all, it was very stable.

Just popped outside & locked door from inside with engine running. Spare keyfob don't open the door, but the key part open the drivers door after a couple attempts. Looks like wife is going to have something else to keep in her tardis like handbag I dissconnected the van twice today when moving it to storage, no fault.

Altea pulls this van really really well, no unstability, wobbles etc. I think the sports suspention helps as the back end only dropped an inch or 2 as it took the weight. The cruise control held me at 55mph without any problem, though 33mpg was a bit of a shock compared to what i normally achieve. Maybe i'll get a little more mpg on a long run.

The new van is:
Sterling Europa 530
23ft long
Mass in Running Order 1273kg
Maximum Technical Permissible Laden Mass of 1490kg.

Apparently the max weight i can safely pull is 1400kg.

 

[goodwill]

A similar thing happen to me a while back and I managed to trap my two week old son in the car, however I knew it was not a fault with the electrics as I remember nudging the lock switch near the handbrake when the key was in the ignition and the drivers door was open, as soon as I shut the door Clunk all the doors locked. Luckily my car was at the in laws so a 1hr round trip later to fetch the spare and I was in. Intrestingly with key in the iginition the remote locking is disabled so had to use the key in the door.

 

[Tony Lawrence]

Tabintab.

Fully agree with Goodwill. Did almost the same thing. I got out of the car with the engine running to help my wife get out of the passenger side, she had just had a knee op. When she pushed herself out using the centre console she hit the 'lock switch'. She got out, l shut the door and hey pesto, locked car and engine running. Luckily it was in the village where l live so l got the spare key within 10 minutes.
Did l feel a twit.

 

[aceman]

I think the lock button appears to be the most plausable explantion and easily done when rushing.

 

[Tell]

I saw my neighbour lock himself out of his Japaneze car like this once and did the Basil Fawlty routine hitting it. I don't trust my central door locking not that it has ever gone wrong but leave the door open a shade if I get out whilst the engine is running.

 

[googies]

Same, get nervous closing door with engine running. Locked keys in cars 4 times in 5years. None central locking, but have noticed that removing keys from ignition is suposed to open ALL doors, but sometimes doe not do this.

 

[Tabintab]

After reading the most recent comments I popped out to the car & started the engine, set the central locking to lock & shut the drivers door. I pulled the handle from the outside & the door opened. Repeated 2 more times & the drivers door opened each time!

I'm not going to suggest you guys go out & try to reproduce this fault, but from my trials I have found it impossible to deliberately lock myself out of the car.

Tab

 

[googies]

Does it depend on whicjh doors are set on the ECU to open under the safe locking system used? if you open the proper bit set in vag-com long coding it shows lots of settings for this, central locking options etc?

 

[Tony Lawrence]

Tab.

I fully agree if you try to replicate this using the drivers door, but try doing the same but via the passenger door, mine locks every time, just tried it again to confirm it.

Before anyone accuses me our being an anorak, l already know.

 

[Tabintab]

Tab.

I fully agree if you try to replicate this using the drivers door, but try doing the same but via the passenger door, mine locks every time, just tried it again to confirm it.

Before anyone accuses me our being an anorak, l already know.

Call me silly, but dont i have to get out of the drivers door if i've been driving? Or do u meen that if the passenger door gets closed after the drivers door it locks the drivers door also?

Tab

 

[PhilOfCas]

Agree there is a 'problem' with locking the car while keys, or in my case young child, still inside.

Pulled up at dealer, I left key in ignition I went to go to the boot and asks Mrs to undo it, she presses 'lock' instead of open, she get's out and son does too, leaving daughter in child seat, they shut doors behind them and hey presto car locked with key and daughter locked in. Daughter couldn't undo own buckle (does what it's supposed to!) but with a bit of coaxing she undoes her door, thankfully she could reach it. Not a pleasant experience and son now frightened stiff it will happen again.

Don't like that feature at all, shouldn't happen in my opinion.

 

[Tell]

I wonder whether it's there so that passengers can get out and lock the door behind them so the car is still locked with the driver in for security. Obviously the car doesn't know that the driver has got out as well.....

 

[Tony Lawrence]

Tab.

Yes, if the passenger door is closed afterwards.

l got out of the car, closed my door so all doors were closed, ran round to the passenger side to help my wife out, opened her door, she pressed the lock button, l then closed her door, ran back round to my side and 'hey presto' twit standing in the middle of the road with locked car. What made my situation worse was that l was on double yellow lines.

And before anyone comments l shouldn't have been stopped on yellow lines my wife had just come out of hospital with a replacement knee, so we would all do the same. wouldn't we!

 

[Alty]

I have also been victim to the Altea locking system.

Like other stories here I got out of the driver's side, leaving the keys in the ignition.Tried to open the boot but obviously locked , went to the passenger door which was still open , leaned in and pressed the central locking switch (the wrong way) in the middle and shut the door! Result .....keys locked in and spare key 100miles away at home.

Rang the nearest dealer who weren't particularly interested as it was Easter Saturday and they implied the only way was to break a window

Anyway didn't take their advice and contacted the AA instead.Fortunately the car has a sun roof that had been left in the tilt position and after using bits of string, cable , garden cane and blue tack managed to hit the unlocking button through the sunroof.

Since then I have always made sure I carried my spare keys with me.

The fact that you can potentially have young chidren locked in the car is a serious safety issue.

My last car , a Renault Laguna with the key card system, made it impossible to lock yourself out and that was what I assumed would be the case with the Seat.

Maybe Seat will review the situation

 

[PhilOfCas]

I have also been victim to the Altea locking system.

Like other stories here I got out of the driver's side, leaving the keys in the ignition.Tried to open the boot but obviously locked , went to the passenger door which was still open , leaned in and pressed the central locking switch (the wrong way) in the middle and shut the door! Result .....keys locked in and spare key 100miles away at home.


Anyway didn't take their advice and contacted the AA instead.Fortunately the car has a sun roof that had been left in the tilt position and after using bits of string, cable , garden cane and blue tack managed to hit the unlocking button through the sunroof.

Since then I have always made sure I carried my spare keys with me.

The fact that you can potentially have young chidren locked in the car is a serious safety issue.

My last car , a Renault Laguna with the key card system, made it impossible to lock yourself out and that was what I assumed would be the case with the Seat.

Maybe Seat will review the situation

Rang the nearest dealer who weren't particularly interested as it was Easter Saturday and they implied the only way was to break a window

they said that to me and i was in their car park !!!

 

[pete88]

We had a demo XL that kept doin it, off memory we found the fault to be with the lock unit. A way round the problem is when you get out the pull the handle twice.