Locked out whilst engine on

[MilesWFB]

Hi, I have a very bad issue with my C220 W204 today. I was using a pump to pump up the tyres today through the 12v. (The engine was running to increase the pump speed of the pump) after this was done I put the pump on the passenger seat and I closed the door to go to the drivers side to drive away. But in that time the car decided to lock itself and I was locked out whilst the engine was running.

I think this is a stupid design fault unless it was some sort of bug. About 1h later my Son came with the second key and we got it unlocked with the emergency key.

Any ideas if this was supposed to happen or just a one off incident.

 

[Clawhamer]

I thought a modern car would only lock itself if you unlock it but don’t open any doors. This is a fail safe in case you press the unlock button unknowingly i.e. whilst the key is in your pocket and you sit down and the unlock button is unknowing pressed.

I can’t think of any other situation that the car would be programmed to lock itself after being unlocked and doors opened meaning there’s a possibility the keys could be inside. I take it you don’t have keyless entry? I believe this would go a step further by detecting the key is inside the car and therefore it wouldn’t just lock them.

 

[wongl]

I always leave the driver's window down if I leave the car with the engine running due to all the horror stories I have heard.

Another one is leaving one's key in the boot/trunk and closing it with the car self locking itself with the keys in the boot/trunk!

 

[Clawhamer]

Another one is leaving one's key in the boot/trunk and closing it with the car self locking itself with the keys in the boot/trunk!

Didn’t think this was possible in modern (last 10 years) cars?!?!

 

[chrisk2010]

I pretty much do the above leaving a window open when i'm working on the car which an engineer drummed into me years ago.

That being said i have locked the key in the boot before when taking the shopping out and had to nip back in the house for the spare.

I did plan to have a wallet key cut at some point to open the car manually but still haven't got around to it.

 

[wongl]

Didn’t think this was possible in modern (last 10 years) cars?!?!

My W205 is manufactured in 2016, and the boot auto-locks after closing if it was opened using the boot unlock button.

 

[markjay]

My W205 is manufactured in 2016, and the boot auto-locks after closing if it was opened using the boot unlock button.

This is how it is on my W204, and this also how it was on my W203...

 

[wongl]

This is how it is on my W204, and this also how it was on my W203...

Also on my R172.

 

[MilesWFB]

I thought a modern car would only lock itself if you unlock it but don’t open any doors. This is a fail safe in case you press the unlock button unknowingly i.e. whilst the key is in your pocket and you sit down and the unlock button is unknowing pressed.

I can’t think of any other situation that the car would be programmed to lock itself after being unlocked and doors opened meaning there’s a possibility the keys could be inside. I take it you don’t have keyless entry? I believe this would go a step further by detecting the key is inside the car and therefore it wouldn’t just lock them.

Yes I see what you mean but if the key is in the ignition and the car is running it really should not lock it self. I know if you drive over a certain Speen then it will lock but stationary it should not. If we would not have had the second key then the car would have just sat running for hours untill we could get in the car with force.

 

[Clawhamer]

Yes I see what you mean but if the key is in the ignition and the car is running it really should not lock it self. I know if you drive over a certain Speen then it will lock but stationary it should not. If we would not have had the second key then the car would have just sat running for hours untill we could get in the car with force.

Agreed, car should not have locked itself in this situation. I’d speak to MB and find out what should and should not happen in regard to the car self locking. Then look to getting it fixed, if there’s an issue, or avoiding the circumstances in which the car will lock itself.

I really didn’t think this was possible though with modern cars.

 

[MilesWFB]

Agreed, car should not have locked itself in this situation. I’d speak to MB and find out what should and should not happen in regard to the car self locking. Then look to getting it fixed, if there’s an issue, or avoiding the circumstances in which the car will lock itself.

I really didn’t think this was possible though with modern cars.

Yes that seems like a good idea. I was co. Contact them.

Yes definitely the car is from 2011 and I would say that there should be some of prevention there.

 

[Londonscottish]

Also on my R172.

Both my 202's and my 211 did this as does my 212.

I locked the keys in the boot of my first 202 on the way to my honeymoon in 2005.

"Luckily" it was in the airport car park so I caught my flight but it was a total ballache when I got back.

 

[wongl]

Both my 202's and my 211 did this as does my 212.

I locked the keys in the boot of my first 202 on the way to my honeymoon in 2005.

"Luckily" it was in the airport car park so I caught my flight but it was a total ballache when I got back.

Oh, what a way to start your big day.

 

[RonFleet]

My W205 is manufactured in 2016, and the boot auto-locks after closing if it was opened using the boot unlock button.

Same with mine. For this very reason, I make a point of never using the boot unlock button if I haven't unlocked the car doors first.

 

[Tigger]

If you do end up locked out and unfortunately have no option but to break a window to get back in - the rear quarter light glass is much more expensive than the main rear window glass!

Ask me how I know...

 

[grober]

I believe there may be settings in the software to alter this? It was originally designed to protect occupants from low speed mugging in slow moving traffic situations.

 

[190]

I believe there may be settings in the software to alter this? It was originally designed to protect occupants from low speed mugging in slow moving traffic situations.

There is a simple setting to turn the feature off. It was one of the first things I did. Just press and hold the interior door unlock button until you hear a tone.

 

[John N]

If you do end up locked out and unfortunately have no option but to break a window to get back in - the rear quarter light glass is much more expensive than the main rear window glass!

Ask me how I know...

Ok, how do you know?

And do you mean the Rear Windscreen is cheaper? or the Rear Door Glass?

 

[ToeKnee]

My W205 is manufactured in 2016, and the boot auto-locks after closing if it was opened using the boot unlock button.

Did this last year, 200 miles from home. Cost me £180 you have a locksmith "break in" to the boot.

 

[Tigger]

Ok, how do you know?

And do you mean the Rear Windscreen is cheaper? or the Rear Door Glass?

Sorry yes, rear door main glass is cheaper than rear quarter light.

Got my car stuck in snow whilst on my own in the middle of nowhere.
Thought it would be a good idea to push the car whilst it idled in Drive.
Car decides to lock itself - I'm guessing the autolock in motion kicked in.
With no chance of getting a spare key quickly I had to resort to breaking the window.
I picked the rear quarter light figuring that smaller glass = smaller cost to replace.
Using a street fighter style hadouken punch, I wasn't able to break the rear quarter light but eventually succeeded to break the rear door glass.

When getting the glass replaced I learnt it was just as well I didn't break the rear quarter light as it is much more expensive to replace.