So, I was rushing.. left the key in the ignition, went to open the boot, caught the door pin on the way out, got to the boot button to see the door swing shut. Locked. No second fob.
Is there any other option to breaking the window? the tops of the doors look a lot sturdier than my old E30's.....

Help!
The car is at work, near the boss's bedroom and the headlights are on. If the alarm goes off overnight, the car probably be dragged away by a tractor.

Had a theory so just tried it on mine (but with the key in my hand not in the ignition). I didn't think it was possible to lock the doors with them open so I unlocked mine, opened the drivers door, pressed the sill button down to lock all the doors and let the door close. All doors locked, can't get in but the drivers door wasn't fully shut, it was just on the first latch. Gave the door a shove to shut it fully and all doors unlocked.

Theory is that the door ajar switch only operates when the door is either fully closed or fully open. With it part latched it is still telling the BeCM it is open.

But of course if it doesn't work then you are doubly f**cked as the door will be fully shut and locked and not just on the first latch........

Unless the key is in the ignition 😆
Door is fully shut...

Must be 'improved' security on the later ones then. Just went out to mine, key in ignition, turn ignition on and fully open the drivers window, turn ignition off but leave key in ignition, press sill button down, doors locked, closed door, doors all unlocked. If your door ajar switch wasn't working then it would constantly telling you the door was open when it wasn't.

The best, most non destructive, method is to get the tailgate open by grounding the tailgate latch wire. For that you will need a Stanley knife and a length of wire. Small fingers are helpful too.

I'm sure the half shut/full shut/pop door pins thing works, I've done it before on this car (panicked until I realised I could push the door to pop the pins up) but this time it didn't work. I'm assuming it's because the key was in the ignition, but I can't be sure until I'm back in and able to test. The only other difference is that the headlights are on. I can't see any logical reason for that to make a difference, but this IS a P38...

I have everything but small fingers available, in fact there are waitresses working tonight....

Green Flag are on their way. But could you PM me the tailgate method please?

I locked my keys in a P38 years ago. I changed the battery with them on the seat and the windows closed.

I got in using a wire coat hanger.

Straighten out, shape a hook in the end and pull the top of the door out slightly.

With a a bit of practice you can get the hook under the lock pin and pull it up.

Also, IIRC, does the small window in the rear door come out fairly easily if you pull off the rubber strips around it? If so you can then reach in and unlock the rear door and open that. Not sure if I read that about a different car though.

Green Flag man should be able to sort it. Favourite method is a thin strip of plastic down the window,

Rear quarterlight glass is another way.

Yep, he did :)
A very cunning inflatable bag thing, like half a blood pressure cuff opened the door top like a wedge but with no paint damage.
He went for the door handle first but it was deadlocked.. seems odd?
I tested when I got home just now and it doesn't pop the doorpins on shutting the door no matter where the key is. I'll have to check through the BECM options to see if I've switched something off without realising. Had I known it didn't do this anymore I wouldn't have been so blasé about the door pins in the first place.

Glad you're in with no damage but it made you late for your dinner though. In the oven or the dog?

I cooked a steak when I got in :)

I actually managed to get a spare blade cut at stimpsons, I got a blank key on eBay, filed it to the correct width, let them loose on the blade, it’s not perfect, but I know if I lock mine in I can open it, glad you got in.

That's a damn good idea!

Having only ever had one key for mine I've thought about that. I've got a blank key blade anyway from when I bought a replacement fob case but my local Timsons said they couldn't do it. They sent me to a specialist locksmiths who could do it but only one man there knew how to use the machine and he was out at the time so I left it and never went back. My idea was to secrete it somewhere under the car so I could get it if I ever needed it but nobody else would know where to look (and wouldn't know the EKA anyway so wouldn't be able to start the car).

Stimpsons rules are they’re not allowed to cut third party keys, luckily enough the guy in mine doesn’t agree with them,, a must is the file down and mark which way round, the blanks are near, but not that near,, they didn’t use anything special, so many keys are like ours nowadays

Favorite title to a post I’ve seen in years.... drew me like a moth to a flame!

I wonder if your key in switch is working properly...

You shouldn't be able to "slam lock" a P38 from about 96 onwards... If you've hit the sill lock button and closed the door, it should always unlock all the doors automatically... Especially if the key is detected as being in the ignition... Definitely something strange going on there

Well, I'll be heading down to Dorset again in January, maybe I could drop by Swindon on the way back and buy you a beer? :)
I'll be packing a spare compressor....hehehe

Smug mode ;-) I've developed the habit of never leaving keys in a vehicle unless at least a window is down, I won't even do it with my own cars. P38s are among vehicles I'd worry most about breaking the habit with.

Lpgc wrote:

Smug mode ;-) I've developed the habit of never leaving keys in a vehicle unless at least a window is down, I won't even do it with my own cars. P38s are among vehicles I'd worry most about breaking the habit with.

With you on that one - Fords being particually bad, I've only ever locked myself out of the car once, by locking the keys inside the boot (including the house keys) when putting stuff into it. Though i've known the locks on a few of mine to be heard trying to lock or unlock when driving along for no apparant reason, so I just don't trust them.