Has there ever been a situation in your life where you accidentally locked the keys inside a running Jeep Grand Cherokee?
There is a good chance it is. It is an unfortunate situation that can make a person a bit anxious.
We will explain what would happen if you forget your keys inside the jeep providing various scenarios and how you can troubleshoot this issue from happening in the first place.
Understanding the Locking Mechanism
Jeep Grand Cherokees in particular and modern cars in general, come with multiple locking accessories. That would help avoid occurrences where one would accidentally lock the doors.
One biggest advantages is the fact that when in the car and the keys are inside, the doors will never auto lock.
For example, in the case of locking the Grand Cherokee where the keys are placed in the center console and the owner tries to lock the doors as they are getting out.
The car will beep and flash to alert them that the keys have been left in the car. This is meant to avoid any chances of a user locking themselves out by mistake.
Testing the Lock Feature
As an example, let us examine a straightforward situation:
- Step one, start your Jeep Grand Cherokee and put your key fob in the slot provided in the center console.
- Finally, ensure that the car is in drive mode and it is moving out of its parking.
- When you get to your location, kill the engine and get out of the car with the key still in it.
- You can either use the key fob or simply press the door handle.
In this case, you will probably hear one beep, and the mechanism will refuse to lock the doors of the vehicle.
This is a very useful feature, which can relieve you from a stressful situation.
What Happens When the Engine is Running?
Now, let’s take it a step further and see what happens if the vehicle is left that way with the keys in the ignition of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the attempt is made to pivot the doors.
In this regard also, when you lock the car while the engine is running it gives a similar signal:
- Start the Jeep ensuring the warmth of the keys in the center console.
- Then with the non-interrupted ignition of the jeep, depress the fob buttons to lock the car.
- As in the previous case, if you try to press the button aiming for the closure of the car door, a sound will be produced. In addition, the vehicle cannot be locked.
- After the door is shut, a sound is received when the vehicle is locked, but it will indeed continue running.
This function will come in handy if you are stationary in the vehicle for a short duration, for instance, in the course of waiting for one or more people.
However, quite paradoxically, if the engine is turned on, the keys are locked in the car.
If the lock button situated on the door is pressed by the user, then the doors of the car will be secured, which is certainly not a favorable condition to be in.
Manual Locking Considerations
If you happen to lock your keys in a running Jeep Grand Cherokee, the following are steps on how to troubleshoot the problem:
- Don’t Panic. The first step in such a scenario is to breathe in and remain calm. There are ways to solve the problem.
- Use a Spare Key: If you have a spare, just take it out and unlock the doors. That would work very well.
- Call for Assistance: If you have a spare, you can call them to unlock the doors. That would work very well.
- Check for Keyless Entry: If your Jeep is equipped with a keyless entry, get the keys in the car walk up to the car, and unlock the doors.
Preventing Future Lockouts
To avoid locking keys inside the Jeep Grand Cherokee in the future, a few tips are suggested:
- Always Remove the Key Fob: Always open the doors and step out of the car which makes it impossible to keep the key fob inside the car.
- Use the Center Console Slot: In situations where it is unavoidable that you have to leave a key inside the vehicle use the center dash area, since it is placed in a direction making it easier to find.
- Set Reminders: Look into your phone’s features and set reminders to check whether your keys are present and secured before leaving the car such as when the ignition is switched off.
- Invest in a Key Finder: Different types of key finder devices can be purchased and used to track and locate the keys to reduce the chances of them being left behind.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with some features to do away with the hassle of locking your keys in the car, with the engine running too,
For those occasions where you are under the heavy influence of stress, these features help you to get out of that situation successfully.
Always ensure that you have your keys out of the car before you step out.
It is always recommended to use the features embedded in the car to make the entire experience much more entertaining.
FAQs
What do you do if your car is running but the keys are locked inside?
If the engine is still running with a key inside the car, the first thing to do is not panic. Try to see if any doors have not been locked.
If that is not the case, you may use a shoelace or slim jim to pry open a door this way but only if you know how this is done.
If not comfortable, get in touch with a locksmith or roadside assistance. They can unlock your car without malicious damage.
Another possibility is to get in touch with somebody who can bring you a spare key.
In case of emergencies and if the situation does not allow for it, you may have to turn off the engine to avoid overheating. But always be careful about not leaving the vehicle unattended.
Why did my car lock with the key fob inside?
Due to an error or a specific feature of a car, it may have locked while the key fob is still inside.
The other case is that in some vehicles, after some time, the doors will automatically lock if the key fob is inside the vehicle.
This is commonly meant to secure the vehicle from being stolen. On the other hand, it can also be an error in the locking functionality.
If you would close the doors before getting out, it seems, the vehicle has performed an errant interpretation of the case.
Another as well could be that a child lock has been switched on however, this may not have been intended.
How to unlock a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a dead battery?
The first step to unlocking a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a flat battery is to find its physical key. It is usually contained in the key fob.
If necessary, a flathead screwdriver can be used to pop open the fob. With the key in hand, now look for the lock on the driver’s side door.
Turn the key and the door lock will release allowing you to open the door. If the battery is not functional and inside lights are not working, the rear seats can be folded down to access the trunk area and pull the trunk.
Can you take the keys out of the ignition while the car is running?
Normally, steering column keys should not be taken out when a car is already in motion.
There are some modern vehicles that do not allow this due to operational safety concerns. Trying to do this can result in other complications such as damaging the ignition system.
In addition, doing so can result in the steering wheel becoming locked which causes loss of control. Engine stalling is a problem, too in some cars that will leave the driver immobile.
Yes, if the engine has to be serviced for whatever reason, the best thing to do is to switch off the ignition in the proper way.