Car Battery Dead and Doors Won’t Lock? Here’s What to Do!

One of the biggest problems people face when the car battery has dies is that the doors will no longer lock! You won’t hear even a faint clicking sound. But, why won’t the doors lock when the battery is dead? 

Most modern cars have a safety system that prevents the doors from locking when the battery has gone below a certain voltage. Your key fob battery level may also cause this issue; replacing the battery in the car or the key fob will reset the car and allow you to lock it when needed.  

Many people have mistakenly assumed that car doors will always lock when the button on the key fob has been pushed. But this is not always the case.  

Pro Tip: If your car battery is dead, don’t throw it away! Check out this tutorial on how to bring your dead battery back to life and save a lot of money! This little known method is simple, quick and works for almost ANY battery out there!

Can The Car Battery Being Dead Cause The Car Not To Lock? 

Yes, when the car battery is completely dead, the locks will no longer work, with many cars having only a small charge left to unlock the doors. However, if the battery is completely dead before the doors are unlocked, nothing will work anymore, and you will have to replace the battery.  

Older cars that have central locking will still be able to be locked when using the key on each door, allowing you to keep it safe. However, some modern cars that have fully electric doors do not allow them to be locked once the battery has died, as there is no spot to insert the key.  

This is why you must either replace the battery immediately or have the car towed to a safe spot where it can remain unlocked. Many think that the battery that keeps the car going differs from the battery that powers door locking and unlocking functions.  

Why Does The Car Not Allow Doors To Be Locked When The Battery Died? 

Many modern cars do not allow the car doors to be locked when the battery dies to ensure that you can still enter the car as needed. These cars use central locking systems that are entirely unseen from the inside or outside of the car, which means that, when possible, they prevent the car doors from being locked.  

Usually, you will have to unlock the door first, which is usually what the last charge of the battery will do, allowing you to access the interior and the battery. If the battery needs to be changed for a new one, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.   

Many people find that after replacing the battery, their car starts asking for access codes and for them to have the key fob recoded. These are all safety systems that modern cars have, which is why replacing the battery of most cars now requires some programming.  

How To Lock Car Doors When the Car Battery is Dead? 

When your battery has died and you want to lock the car doors, you can do a few things, especially if you have a modern central locking system. We understand why locking your car door is important and why leaving the car unlocked may not be possible.  

On the driver-side door of your car, there will be a removable part of the door handle that you can remove, allowing you to lock the door from the outside. If you have a Tesla or other vehicle with no key insert, we recommend moving the car to a safe place, as the doors cannot be locked.  

Many car manufacturers that sell cars in a wide variety of countries will make it possible to lock your car doors even when the battery is removed. However, we have found that most top-of-the-range cars have these options removed as the car without power is not considered in the design phase.  

How To Unlock Car Doors When The Battery is Dead? 

All car doors can be unlocked when there is no power, whether the battery has died or something has caused a short of disabling all the electrics in the car. Modern cars with central locking will allow you to open the door from the inside by pulling on the door handle.  

If your car has central locking, you will have to open or unlock each door one by one when the battery has died. As no power is available in the car, you will have to physically open, unlock, and lock the doors on your car, including the trunk.  

We need to consider that the engine will not start when the battery is dead, so you cannot simply start the car to recharge the battery. Further, if the battery is too damaged, not even jumpstarting the car will help to keep it all going and moving.  

When Will The Locks No Longer Work With A Dead Battery? 

The locks are usually a good sign of how well your car’s battery is doing; most of the time, the locks will take longer to unlock. You can also hear the servos inside the door struggling to unlock the door, with many people having to press the button multiple times.  

The locks on your door will no longer work when the battery has fallen below a specific voltage and cannot fully drive the systems. If you notice that the car is struggling to start, it is the first sign that you should get a new battery or check the engine.  

Almost all car batteries will last you five to seven years when used correctly, which means that when it is draining, something is wrong. You should always check and keep track of your car’s overall health to ensure that you will not try to start the car only to have nothing happen.  

Why Would A New Battery Still Cause The Doors Not To Work? 

When you have replaced the battery, you may find that the key fob you use to lock and unlock your car may not be working. This can be because the fob has a low battery or the car’s internal systems have been reset and no longer recognize the key fob.  

To solve this, you should see if you can replace the battery inside the key fob; it is a quick process and can be done at your car’s dealership. Re-syncing the key fob to the car may require specialized equipment, with many cars requiring dealership codes to be entered.  

We always recommend having a service centre that specializes in replacing batteries be there to fit your car with a new battery. Most often, this will be the fastest way to fix your car and prevent any unexpected issues, as your car has a new battery fitted to it.