Hello All,
I found a 2000 P38 in a breaker yard. The doors are locked, the tailgate is open but twisted with sharp edges and too dangerous to enter through. The driver side (LHD) window is down 3/4's. The breaker yard does not allow batteries. There is no key in the Rig. The engine compartment is readily accessible. I climbed in through the driver's side window but getting out was much more difficult. Not good form either.

Is there a way to mechanically unlock the doors without a key and without a battery from outside the vehicle?

Also, is there an emergency escape latch on the tailgate? I read there was in another forum but that was quickly shot down by another member. I can't find it on my 2002 P38A LHD 4.6 HSE Rig. Did not see it in the Owner's Manual or Rave.
Thanks,
Vancer

If there was a way to do it without damaging anything, no P38 owner would post it on the web anyway!
It's in a breakers so collateral damage is unimportant- use a long chisel down the back of the drivers window and smash the plastic part of the latch assembly. Once its broken and the main locking spring has sprung out you should be able to pull on linkage rods until it opens.
As for the tailgate, there isn't an emergency escape latch. Remove or cut the carpeted trim panel and pull on the arms that connect the solenoid to the latches.

Vancer one Q comes up, you are on a breakeryard so you want a certain item and the breaker (I suppose) wants to sell that to you, but he won't let you have access to the vehicle. I don't get it.

Orangebean & Ferryman, Thank you for your replies,
When I said outside the rig, I meant looking in the driver's door with the window mostly down, The door lock is accessible, it just will not move up or down. It seems to be partway up.

The breaker yard most likely would not have the key. They put the rig out in the yard with hundreds of other makes & models "as is."
I will ask if they have the key anyway next time I go there. The P38 had been stripped a good bit before it ever made it to the yard. I was very disappointed as they e-mailed me the Rangie was there. I was probably the first one to get to it on the yard.

My burled walnut window switch plate is cracked. All I find are the black ones. Also looking for the trailer electrical hookups and a fuse box (to have on hand). Oddly enough, all the electrickery things on my Rig work except for the cigar lighter light.
Cheers!
Vancer

Be wary of trying to use a second hand fusebox, there are at least 3 different ones depending on VIN and not interchangeable.

Not useful but on the same subject - One of the easiest cars ever to get into without a key was the last shape Vauxhall Senator. Just pull up the plastic strip that runs the width across the outside of the door at the bottom of the window (thing with the outer felt window seal attached) to reveal the door lock and latch levers! Pull on either of those (can even get your finger in if not too chubby) and the door will open.. No damage, just slot the plastic trim back in place. I remember reading about Senators being unbelievably easy to get into in a newspaper, obviously the paper didn't explain how or why they were easy to get into, I found out a few years later when I bought my first Senator and had some work to do inside the door. Major design issue!

However, one of the most difficult cars to get into is the P38. Doing it without damaging anything is nigh on impossible.

I doubt that. Correct me if I'm wrong but if you go along the window down with a sawblade and press the lever the door pops open. Marty will know, he removes them when refurbishing the latches.

But only if the door isn't locked, if it was locked when the battery was disconnected then the lever doesn't do anything as the cam it bears on is moved by the locking mechanism. It's the one with the red clip on by the way, the one you have marked isn't a lever, it's the strange bit of metal that performs no useful function other than make getting it out of the door difficult and often gets cut off (I've got latch with duff microswitches sitting here waiting to be returned to Marty when he is back home so just had a look at that).

Aha, I knew there was something useless about them, it only becomes handy when the rod from the handle has fallen off but then again there are other doors to get in.
Thanks for the correction Richard.

Hello All,
Update: Went back to salvage yard today (Pull-A-Part, Memphis). "If the key is not in the car, then we do not have it." This means that since the Rangie is locked with no battery and no key, the only ingress is through the partially opened window.
Getting is no picnic; getting out is the hard part.
Vancer

Sounds like a real pain in the arse... can't you take the sunroof first? :)

Possibly a stupid question... but have you tried pulling up the sill locks on a door once you've climbed inside?

Second try at this.....lost my first response.......

It can be done, but it is tricky.
I had to get the door on my 02 open to remove the Becm which had locked the truck down, then went insane.......
Start with a wooden wedge to create a gap between the window and the top of the door.
Next, get a bright light in there. I wedged a bright Led torch in the opening.
Now, get a stiff steel rod with a hook bent on the end, and fish for the plug that attaches the lock to the harness.
I was able to get the thing unplugged without breaking the wires......your results may vary......
Once I had this done, I used a pair of wires attached to a stick to apply 12 volts to the now exposed pins on the locking assembly plug. This is the tricky bit.........
By playing with the polarity of the power, I got it un superlocked, then powered the locking servo motor, and viola!
Open door without damaging anything.
As for the no batteries rule, I would think that an 9 volt transistor battery would probably activate the motors just fine.
(Marty could confirm this?)
Also, I used a current limited short circuit proof power supply to do mine, as you will short the wires whilst trying to hit the correct contacts on the plug. The 9v batt would not be harmed too much by a bit of shorting out.
I suppose you could also use a cordless tool battery in your pocket to beat the no batts rule?
Put a 1 amp circuit breaker in line, or there will be smoke........
If you have access to an old door latch, you could practice before the real thing?
Oh, it took me about 30 min from start to finish.

I assure you it can be done, but I could have just gotten lucky..........Good luck!
Tom

Since you're not after the door or locks and the door can't be sold by the breakers until it is removed and they cannot unlock it either, couldn't you explain the situation to the breakers and get them to go in with an angle grinder?
Simon

Hello All,
Thanks for all the suggestions. I can't bring myself to deliberately damage the rig, even though I know in 3 months or so it'll be crushed. Going through sunroof would require tearing it up.
Once I climbed inside through the window, there was nothing in or on the rig that I could use. Pretty sure the fuse box would fit my '02 Gilbertd but the R7 fuse looked discolored and I didn't want to take a chance. Ordered a new fuse box from Miami British. $215 and free shipping. Suppose to arrive tomorrow (the 23rd). Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!
Vance

Are you in the states Vancer? Otherwise I'm selling my newly fitted fuse box YQE103410 for a 1999 onwards petrol .
I fitted it to my car as my old one also had a bad R7 but I never got my car back on the road so took it back off.

Oooh, what is it they say? The worst insult you can give to a Canadian is to call him an American> You've just done that. He's not in the US but in Canada so he's half English and half French.......

Who just called him an American ? Stop stirring Richard. I asked if he was in the States.

Hello All,
Yes, I am in the States and an American. Memphis, Tennessee is home.

This particular breaker yard does not assist in any way and does not allow cutting tools. The door locks seem to be frozen halfway between locked and unlocked and will not budge.

I received the Fuse Box from Miami British today (4 days early). I put it in and it works a treat. No more Bookmark warning so it must have been the RL7 plug-in. Soldering connection underneath causing Relay to overheat?