Locked keys in my car and I think the tow truck company damaged my door

[dorlow]

So I have a question. I locked the keys in my car. I called the tow truck company and they opened my car a way I've never seen. Normally they use that hanger looking thing and unlock it. This guy first used a wedge at the top of the door (above the glass... Way top by the roof.). Then stuck this airbag thing in and pumped it up until the top of my door was about 4 inches bent out so he could use a poker thing and unlock the door using the power lock button in the door.

I asked him why he didn't do it like everyone else with the coat hanger down the window and he said its not possible to use that method on my 04 impala.

Well he got the car unlocked and then closed the door and the top of the door was bent out at least 2 inches. I immediately pointed that out. Next thing he's doing is trying to bend my door back. He got it close but its still about 1/4 inch off from the way the drivers door is.

I called the owner of the shop and he sided with the driver and said it is the only way to unlock this car. I'm thinking there is a manual door unlock rocker switch. Why can't they use the coat hanger thing and just move it with the rods in the door?

[Tech II]

I hope you are exaggerating with the 4" dimension......all you do is stick the wedge in and create a 0.5" gap so that you can slide the long rod in.....that's all the gap you need to operate the power door lock switch with the long rod......once the right angle end of the rod is on the switch, you pivot the rod like a fulcrum at the entrance of the door, to pressure the switch......very rarely moving the top rear edge of the door 0.5", causes a problem afterwards....

The old "slim jim" doesn't work in some vehicles, because the rods are covered with metal shielding.......

[dorlow]

Originally Posted by Tech II

I hope you are exaggerating with the 4" dimension......all you do is stick the wedge in and create a 0.5" gap so that you can slide the long rod in.....that's all the gap you need to operate the power door lock switch with the long rod......once the right angle end of the rod is on the switch, you pivot the rod like a fulcrum at the entrance of the door, to pressure the switch......very rarely moving the top rear edge of the door 0.5", causes a problem afterwards....

The old "slim jim" doesn't work in some vehicles, because the rods are covered with metal shielding.......

I'm not exaggerating the 4". But the knee in the door thing the tow truck guy was doing wasn't any different than the body shop did. I took it to a body shop and they did the same exact thing to fix the door. Just a good enough fix.

[Tech II]

Yeah, basically, with the glass down, you put your knee against the top rear of the door trim, and pull the top rear of the door inward.......

But like I said, no way do you pry the top of the door, more than 1/2"(, 1" max....If it was actually 4", then that guy needs to be "schooled"....

[waterkeeper03]

I hope you are exaggerating with the 4" dimension......all you do is stick the wedge in and create a 0.5" gap so that you can slide the long rod in.....that's all the gap you need to operate the power door lock switch with the long rod......once the right angle end of the rod is on the switch, you pivot the rod like a fulcrum at the entrance of the door, to pressure the switch......very rarely moving the top rear edge of the door 0.5", causes a problem afterwards....

Agreed. you don't ever have to push the door that far open with the airbag or the wedge. infact the rod is easier to use to unlock the door if the gap is smaller because the door frame acts as your pivot point.. I would send them a copy of the bill from the body shop.