Locked out of mh a sad story

[Vennwood]

Here is a lesson that I didn't want to admit to. Last night around 10.30pm we both left our MH to walk the 10 yds to the toilet block on the CAMC site we are currently staying on. We didn't need to lock the van as we were only going for our last jimmy riddle. Horror of horrors when we returned we were locked out. Keys and spare keys inside the van, tv blaring out, lights on but all windows and doors firmly locked. We walked around the site to see if anyone was still awake (not a soul) We messed around for over an hour trying everything we could to try and gain access - not a hope. It then started raining HARD and in no time we were wet as our coats etc. were nice and warm inside the van. Fortunately we have friends in Brixham some 20 miles away who turned out to pick us up and take us back to their home for a nights sleep. Upon returning to the site our first point of call was the RAC. After all we have been members for years, including European cover, home start etc. and have never needed to call them. After some 15 minutes of questions we were told sorry but you don't have "lost key cover" so they could only refer us to a locksmith in Norwich. I never knew keys were an add on. I tried several locksmiths in Exeter area and the best anyone could do was late in the afternoon for £150 + VAT BTW - it was and is still raining cats and dogs. Finally I was given the name of a guy who has a company Exeter Locks Ltd who turned out within 30 mins and it took him around 15 SECONDS to pick the lock on our drivers door. I had expected him to pick the lock on the hab door but he said the ford locks were easier.
Moral of story - always keep spare keys in different place than inside MH. Secondly check your RAC or AA cover to ensure they do or do not include locks. I should say all the residents on site were very helpful and offered their keys to see if they would fit so a big thanks to our fellow travellers.

 

[chaser]

How did you lock the doors without the keys?

 

[Gellyneck]

Here is a lesson that I didn't want to admit to. Last night around 10.30pm we both left our MH to walk the 10 yds to the toilet block on the CAMC site we are currently staying on. We didn't need to lock the van as we were only going for our last jimmy riddle. Horror of horrors when we returned we were locked out. Keys and spare keys inside the van, tv blaring out, lights on but all windows and doors firmly locked. We walked around the site to see if anyone was still awake (not a soul) We messed around for over an hour trying everything we could to try and gain access - not a hope. It then started raining HARD and in no time we were wet as our coats etc. were nice and warm inside the van. Fortunately we have friends in Brixham some 20 miles away who turned out to pick us up and take us back to their home for a nights sleep. Upon returning to the site our first point of call was the RAC. After all we have been members for years, including European cover, home start etc. and have never needed to call them. After some 15 minutes of questions we were told sorry but you don't have "lost key cover" so they could only refer us to a locksmith in Norwich. I never knew keys were an add on. I tried several locksmiths in Exeter area and the best anyone could do was late in the afternoon for £150 + VAT BTW - it was and is still raining cats and dogs. Finally I was given the name of a guy who has a company Exeter Locks Ltd who turned out within 30 mins and it took him around 15 SECONDS to pick the lock on our drivers door. I had expected him to pick the lock on the hab door but he said the ford locks were easier.
Moral of story - always keep spare keys in different place than inside MH. Secondly check your RAC or AA cover to ensure they do or do not include locks. I should say all the residents on site were very helpful and offered their keys to see if they would fit so a big thanks to our fellow travellers.

Suppose the bigger question is how did the doors lock with both sets of the keys inside?
It is a serious question as we've just got a new A class.

 

[Vennwood]

Both the above are good questions and serious ones as well. The straight answer is I don't know. We opened the door as usual but it was windy and while we held on to the door I did close it firmly. The Rollerteam hab door has a flip lever to lock/unlock and all I can think of it somehow must have flipped up. We certainly didn't lock it so that's the only thing I can think of

 

[MisterB]

Or carry a cheap set of lock picks .. but they won't get you into your own van though when they're inside lol!

Good idea to have a 'secret weapon' somewhere though !!

 

[Paul.]

If you use the ignition key to unlock the doors on a Ducato and exit through the hab door, after a couple of minutes the doors including the hab door will re lock. I almost got caught out once so always make sure I take the keys with me.
Paul

 

[Lenny HB]

Our van auto relocks in 15 to 60 seconds of unlocking and can't disable it. It's OK if you leave the had door open until it relocks then the hab door stays unlocked.
A bit of a pain in the rain so I fitted a switch inline with the solenoid on the hab door, and also keep a hab door key stored safely outside the van.

 

[SteveE]

Just a thought but in addition to hiding a key… it’s possible to unlock the Ford cab doors and any centrally locked hab doors using the Ford app. Obviously no use if you don’t have signal, or your phone is also locked inside the van!

 

[enark]

Suppose the bigger question is how did the doors lock with both sets of the keys inside?
It is a serious question as we've just got a new A class.

All Fiat based A class do this, unless you leave by the cab door. The hab door is not wired into the auto locking, for some odd reason?

 

[Tonks]

Here is a lesson that I didn't want to admit to. Last night around 10.30pm we both left our MH to walk the 10 yds to the toilet block on the CAMC site we are currently staying on. We didn't need to lock the van as we were only going for our last jimmy riddle. Horror of horrors when we returned we were locked out. Keys and spare keys inside the van, tv blaring out, lights on but all windows and doors firmly locked. We walked around the site to see if anyone was still awake (not a soul) We messed around for over an hour trying everything we could to try and gain access - not a hope. It then started raining HARD and in no time we were wet as our coats etc. were nice and warm inside the van. Fortunately we have friends in Brixham some 20 miles away who turned out to pick us up and take us back to their home for a nights sleep. Upon returning to the site our first point of call was the RAC. After all we have been members for years, including European cover, home start etc. and have never needed to call them. After some 15 minutes of questions we were told sorry but you don't have "lost key cover" so they could only refer us to a locksmith in Norwich. I never knew keys were an add on. I tried several locksmiths in Exeter area and the best anyone could do was late in the afternoon for £150 + VAT BTW - it was and is still raining cats and dogs. Finally I was given the name of a guy who has a company Exeter Locks Ltd who turned out within 30 mins and it took him around 15 SECONDS to pick the lock on our drivers door. I had expected him to pick the lock on the hab door but he said the ford locks were easier.
Moral of story - always keep spare keys in different place than inside MH. Secondly check your RAC or AA cover to ensure they do or do not include locks. I should say all the residents on site were very helpful and offered their keys to see if they would fit so a big thanks to our fellow travellers.

Another moral of the story is that if the Ford locks could be picked in seconds, it's perhaps a good idea to have Proplates and/or deadlocks fitted onto the vehicle doors.

Suppose the bigger question is how did the doors lock with both sets of the keys inside?
It is a serious question as we've just got a new A class.

My van will self-lock the tailgate. I've made it a 'policy' to never leave the van without the keys on me.

I once also locked my car with the keys in the ignition. Outside church on Christmas Day! Luckily I always keep my house keys separately and I had those on me, so a very kind person drove me home to pick up my spare set, and then back to the church to pick up my car.

At our latest owner's group meet last month, one owner had the misfortune of locking their keys in their van - which was parked directly behind where the entire group was sitting one evening. (He still doesn't know how it happened.) He thus had the experience of breaking into his own van with a full and fairly raucous audience! And yes, there is video evidence...

 

[ChrisL]

I pulled the fuse for the central locking, and I never exit the van without the key in my pocket, it has become a muscle memory thing.

 

[Lenny HB]

All Fiat based A class do this, unless you leave by the cab door. The hab door is not wired into the auto locking, for some odd reason?

Our hab door is wired into the central locking & the cab door will still relock unless you leave it open until the system has relocked, even then it's not guarantied.
See my post #7

 

[Jev88]

How did you lock the doors without the keys?

On our RV I was repairing the lock strike plate and left the lock button in lock position. Bent down to pick up a dropped screw and wind blew door shut - click. Easily done and we only have ONE door!

 

[SteveE]

I wonder how long it will take until auto makers ditch keys and use biometrics instead. Won’t be good for the locksmiths!

 

[jumar]

Thanks for this post...I haven't yet, but at some time I might have, or still might...
I've entered a few vehicles, professionally and also a few since ....but if I had to on our own MH I would be very careful not to break or scratch anything..
I can open our Ford with my phone, but I need to have it in my hand not on the table inside the van..

 

[Lulugirl]

If you use the ignition key to unlock the doors on a Ducato and exit through the hab door, after a couple of minutes the doors including the hab door will re lock. I almost got caught out once so always make sure I take the keys with me.
Paul

Agree Paul, ours does the same, I’m paranoid about the key being with me

 

[Lulugirl]

Just a thought but in addition to hiding a key… it’s possible to unlock the Ford cab doors and any centrally locked hab doors using the Ford app. Obviously no use if you don’t have signal, or your phone is also locked inside the van!

I’d be interested to know the answer to this too

 

[Lulugirl]

Here is a lesson that I didn't want to admit to. Last night around 10.30pm we both left our MH to walk the 10 yds to the toilet block on the CAMC site we are currently staying on. We didn't need to lock the van as we were only going for our last jimmy riddle. Horror of horrors when we returned we were locked out. Keys and spare keys inside the van, tv blaring out, lights on but all windows and doors firmly locked. We walked around the site to see if anyone was still awake (not a soul) We messed around for over an hour trying everything we could to try and gain access - not a hope. It then started raining HARD and in no time we were wet as our coats etc. were nice and warm inside the van. Fortunately we have friends in Brixham some 20 miles away who turned out to pick us up and take us back to their home for a nights sleep. Upon returning to the site our first point of call was the RAC. After all we have been members for years, including European cover, home start etc. and have never needed to call them. After some 15 minutes of questions we were told sorry but you don't have "lost key cover" so they could only refer us to a locksmith in Norwich. I never knew keys were an add on. I tried several locksmiths in Exeter area and the best anyone could do was late in the afternoon for £150 + VAT BTW - it was and is still raining cats and dogs. Finally I was given the name of a guy who has a company Exeter Locks Ltd who turned out within 30 mins and it took him around 15 SECONDS to pick the lock on our drivers door. I had expected him to pick the lock on the hab door but he said the ford locks were easier.
Moral of story - always keep spare keys in different place than inside MH. Secondly check your RAC or AA cover to ensure they do or do not include locks. I should say all the residents on site were very helpful and offered their keys to see if they would fit so a big thanks to our fellow travellers.

What a bloomin nuisance for you, thank you for posting, it will help others think twice when they leave their van, good tip about the cover and keys

 

[Richard n Ann]

You can buy little clips to hold the latch in the unlocked position.

Our door is bent like a banana so we rarely use the catch because the door needs slamming, instead I just drop the Milenco arm over

 

[L' Hobo]

Another moral of the story is that if the Ford locks could be picked in seconds, it's perhaps a good idea to have Proplates and/or deadlocks fitted onto the vehicle doors.


My van will self-lock the tailgate. I've made it a 'policy' to never leave the van without the keys on me.

I once also locked my car with the keys in the ignition. Outside church on Christmas Day! Luckily I always keep my house keys separately and I had those on me, so a very kind person drove me home to pick up my spare set, and then back to the church to pick up my car.

At our latest owner's group meet last month, one owner had the misfortune of locking their keys in their van - which was parked directly behind where the entire group was sitting one evening. (He still doesn't know how it happened.) He thus had the experience of breaking into his own van with a full and fairly raucous audience! And yes, there is video evidence...

In this case, is there any point in fitting proplates when the locksmith opened the Ford door by picking it, not punching any holes in it?

 

[gus-lopez]

Moral of the story is to always use your own facilities

 

[enark]

Our hab door is wired into the central locking & the cab door will still relock unless you leave it open until the system has relocked, even then it's not guarantied.
See my post #7

Agree. Funnily they make it work on merc chassis though?

Burstner was not such a problem as was a coachbuilt, so more often than not drivers door was opened..

Rapido promised us a fix, but the dealer never managed it.

Carhago surprised me by not wiring up the hab door? And screwed up the indicators too!!, but that's another story...

 

[Tonks]

In this case, is there any point in fitting proplates when the locksmith opened the Ford door by picking it, not punching any holes in it?

That's why I suggested deadlocks, but if I were doing that, I'd do Proplates at the same time. Belt & braces.

 

[enark]

That's why I suggested deadlocks, but if I were doing that, I'd do Proplates at the same time. Belt & braces.

And make the deadlocks hook locks..

 

[TrophyJem]

On the hab door of my Sunlight, if you lock it from inside whilst it's open and then shut the door, it's locked.
I learnt the hard way, but luckily the keys were in my pocket.

 

[funflair]

One advantage of a keypad door entry I guess as no keys to forget, we do have a way of getting in if the entry system were to play up though.

This story reminds me of a couple of years ago on a site, we were just finishing breakfast and being lazy when we noticed a lady stood outside their van and assumed they had been to the block and she had come back first without the keys, then he arrived and they both stood around shivering, then a couple of guys from the site came with a ladder and climbed up on the roof before departing and leaving the people outside, not wishing to be overtly nosey I thought it a good idea to take the lady warm coat and I might find out what the issue was, well long story short they had accidentally flicked the lock on the inside of the door but left the keys on the table, the site staff had been on the roof but couldn't reach the keys through the open skylight I have a telescopic magnet in my tool box so this taped to windbreak pole did the top in two minutes.

They were most grateful and insisted on buying us a bottle of wine which we shared with them later in the afternoon, I was slightly surprised or maybe not when they said that we were the last people they thought would help them out, something to do with being the most expensive van on the site happy to dispel that myth though.

 

[Vennwood]

On reflection though - how many of you with RAC breakdown cover opted for (or even knew about) being not covered for lost keys?

 

[PP Bear]

Sorry for your plight, but personally I’d never leave the van for a last piddle, especially if it’s forecast to rain. We spend 10’s of £1000’s for the luxury of being able to piddle in the loo, or sink, or shower, or out a window, but seriously, never to pop to the site facilities to have one.

It amazes me just how quickly these tradesmen can gain access to our vehicles and if they can, then so must the baddies.

I strap my doors together, so unless it’s through the hab door, then it’s a window. Keep meaning to look at chassis storage for a spare, maybe this is the butt kick that makes me sort it out

 

[AladinsaneUK]

All Fiat based A class do this, unless you leave by the cab door. The hab door is not wired into the auto locking, for some odd reason?

Please don’t quote / hold this against me but

On my old Laika that is fist dicato based

After the battery has been changed, you have to reset the central locking function…. Basically all doors locked to start with.
Unlock and open then close drivers door.
Lock and unlock drivers door five times in quick succession
On mine you then hear the hab door lock

Then one key locks all

That’s on an elderly Laika KREOS ….

Might be worth a try for others

(I found it in my Laika KREOS owners guide buried in the routine maintenance section for after changing the vehicle battery)

 

[Bill-H]

On reflection though - how many of you with RAC breakdown cover opted for (or even knew about) being not covered for lost keys?

they must have a get out clause, because the keys aren't really 'lost', just inaccessable