Locked inside my Alfa Romeo on a 38 Degree hot afternoon– Service Manager downplaying the incident

Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 11:39
Last edited 07/02/2025 - 09:46 by 1 other user

Hey everyone, I recently had a terrifying experience with an Alfa Romeo Stelvio that I wanted to share, and I’d really appreciate any advice or insights from the community or share the experience so others could be aware.

So last month, I got locked inside my sister's car that I was keeping for a few weeks whilst she was away overseas. It was on a 38-degree Melbourne summer day I got in the car and got stuck for about 25 minutes. The deadlock feature 'apparently' kicked in just before the battery went flat, and I was completely stuck – the doors wouldn’t open, and none of the usual unlocking methods worked. I crawled to the back sweating like a dog, trying to figure out if there is a manual release. (I learnt later that there is a small release hidden behind a plastic cap) Despite multiple attempts to jump-start or unlock the car, nothing helped. Eventually, my neighbours had to break the rear passenger window to get me out. The timing was also weird I was at home alone with family also away and there was no way a spare key would've been available. Also called Alfa Romeo emergency roadside assist and they put me on hold for a few minutes and then gave me another number to call. At which point I thought there was no point to calling them.

After this ordeal, I visited the Alfa Romeo dealership and spoke to the service manager. He offered to request head office to cover the cost of my broken window, but he also asked me to pay for a new battery myself. Which is kinda Ok but was disappointed about how they underplayed the whole incident. I emailed the manager later asking for a investigation and if there is something broader they can do to avoid this from occurring in their cars. Nothing concrete came out of that.

This whole incident has left me a bit anxious about getting into my car, especially on hot days. I’m also concerned about the deadlock system and the fact that there’s no emergency override to exit the vehicle in situations like this.

I’d love to hear from others who might have experienced something similar:

Has anyone else had issues with the deadlock systems on their cars? Would it be worth escalating this to Alfa Romeo HQ or a consumer protection body? Any advice would be greatly appreciated – I just want to ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.

Update 1:
For those keyboard warriors who think I want retribution or have other hidden agenda here is some examples where this could’ve easily turned into something more dangerous.

https://www.vwidtalk.com/threads/not-locked-out-locked-in-ho…

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/115486-volks…

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-his-dog-found-dead-…

Update 2

I am not looking for any financial compensation as this is not even my car, just trying to share my experience and increase awareness so if there is anything else I can do to escalate this incident.

Update 3

Thanks guys for all the feedback and well wishes,
I’m going to stop repeating myself or responding to what I should’ve done etc hind sight is awesome considering the scenario I was in, and with the help outside the car I had I think I was lucky that I got out safely and it was one of the better outcomes.

Please consider this as a community awareness announcement, and I shall leave it there ..🙏🏽

Thanks in advance!

Automotive Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Comments

  • shaybisc on 06/02/2025 - 11:42
    +11

    Carry one of these on your key ring.

    https://www.paramedicshop.com.au/products/res-q-me-cutter-gl…

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:35
      +7

      Funny my neighbour got this after 20 mins of trying to unlock and jump start and that didn’t work. Later I asked if he bought that from Temu, he said Yes.. 😂

      Another learning.

    • danwylie on 07/02/2025 - 11:15
      +4

      Just be aware that lots of new cars are coming with laminated side windows now (in fact it's mandated in the US) and those tools won't help in that case. So good idea to check to see what type you have and plan accordingly.

      • shaybisc on 07/02/2025 - 11:42

        Good point and resqme say that their tools won't work on laminated glass. The big bloke in the Youtube video I linked to uses a resqhammer to kick out the laminated windscreen effectively.

        • danwylie on 07/02/2025 - 14:55

          I've seen videos of people using saws as well, kind of similar to pruning saws, but you do need a way to get the blade into the window in the first place. I got interested in it after reading about that rich lady in the US who drowned slowly after she backed her Tesla into a pond when she was pissed. Even the cops struggled to get in from the outside. It seems like there's no easy way to do it like there is with tempered glass

    • PhilosophicalTurtle on 08/02/2025 - 11:55

      Is there an option to remove the headrest and break open the window with it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZTa8Nh0VlE

  • 87percent on 06/02/2025 - 11:46
    +14

    An extremely niche question

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:36
      -1

      Agree, should’ve worded to be more generic around deadlocks and cars. Updated

  • sumyungguy on 06/02/2025 - 11:49

    What year is your Stelvio?

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:17

      Think 2016

      • sumyungguy on 06/02/2025 - 16:52
        +2

        There's a manual release for the liftgate; have you since been able to find it? It this what you described as being concealed behind a cover?

  • Jaduqimon on 06/02/2025 - 12:06
    +31

    I woulda called 000 instead

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:49

      Yep, next time doing that .

        • kiriakoz on 09/02/2025 - 13:52
          +2

          jeez there are some odd people on here nowadays.

    • El cheepo on 06/02/2025 - 13:06
      +3

      If wearing shoes i would opt for laying on the back seat and carefully booting out the passenger window as a faster option.

      000 is a good idea, but call out times could vary.

      Most cars have tinted windows so its unlikely to be messy and if you have your brain switched on, you will be self aware enough to not put your whole foot through the window and risk cutting yourself.

      YMMV

      • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:16
        +3

        I doubt that messy part, have a few cuts on my back whilst crawling out of the smashed window

        • El cheepo on 06/02/2025 - 16:55

          doubt that messy part

          Depends how you break it and how the tint is.
          keep in mind you had your window broken in with a sharp object shattering and pushing glass in.

          have a few cuts on my back whilst crawling out of the smashed window

          Not sure what the correlation is with this and a mess but in any case, going through a broken window you are likely going to be cut or scratched.

      • Eeples on 07/02/2025 - 00:00
        +3

        Telling 000 you are deadlocked on a hot day I would suggest they would get there pretty quick.

        • El cheepo on 07/02/2025 - 01:35

          You can tell them what ever you like, if there is not a spare unit in the area its going to take what ever time it takes for them to arrive.

          They are just going to break the window anyway, so no harm in giving it a whirl yourself if your semi fit and coordinated.

      • Keplaffintech on 07/02/2025 - 07:09
        +3

        Good luck booting the window out. Automotive glass is very strong and needs to be stressed properly to break. I.e use a ceramic glass breaker, or chip the edge of the glass using a headrest down the door sill

        • El cheepo on 07/02/2025 - 10:55
          +1

          Done it many times (albeit from the outside) when transporting written off vehicles. (To be fair also with work boots)

          People manage to go through them pretty well in accidents.
          Road ragers manage to break them when punching them sometimes.

          Extreme examples i know, but the fact is while its difficult, its not impossible.

      • PleasureMe on 07/02/2025 - 08:59
        +2

        using the metal part of the seat headrest would be easier

  • Frashal on 06/02/2025 - 12:07
    +4

    Try this next time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZTa8Nh0VlE

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:18
      +12

      Thanks for all your feedback and comments.

    • donkcat on 06/02/2025 - 12:50
      +13

      What was stopping you from kicking out a window yourself?

      Oh I would love to see you attempt this, that is a really bloody hard way to break a car window from inside a car.

      • p1 ama on 06/02/2025 - 12:57
        -1

        It's not by any means the only option - given OP had access to a phone, they could have called 000 (as another example).

        • donkcat on 06/02/2025 - 12:59
          +18

          It's just such a strange thing to nitpick in the OP story, why the hell would he elect to try and kick in the window (stupidly hard) when you have people outside car with far greater means to break the window? Also who wants to chance their luck that emergency services are going to get there in time while you whittle away in a hot car

          • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:24
            +3

            @donkcat: Agree 100%, I consider myself to be reasonably fit and healthy, but you should’ve seen my face 10 mins into it. Even crawling between the front and the back seemed like a challenge to figure out the manual release. And I had my neighbours speaking to a mechanic they knew to figure it out and I was frantically searching the web for a solution. So me breaking the window from inside was not an option at all.

          • meong on 06/02/2025 - 13:25
            +8

            @donkcat: still, first response should be calling 000 THEN attempt to release yourself while 000 is on the way

          • kiriakoz on 09/02/2025 - 13:54
            +1

            @donkcat: This guy would still be in there trying to kick the window in with no momentum due to being inside the car.

    • Bunnyburger on 07/02/2025 - 00:07

      Why were you dressed provocatively?!

    • Daabido on 07/02/2025 - 21:26

      Did you want them to serve you a fruit platter followed by a slop slop downstairs?

      Just a fruit platter thanks. Owning an Alfa is like you have to give the slop slop every day.

  • FoxJump on 06/02/2025 - 12:15
    +6

    My 2004 saab had a deadlock feature too.
    one day whilst in the car i decided to lock the door with the fob repeatedly. I did this like 30 times then i pressed unlock.

    the doors, would not unlock.
    so i kept on smashing unlock, and lock and unlock and lock

    and nothing happened.

    then suddenly , as if all requests had been enqueued, the doors start unlock/lock ing over and over until my final unlock request gets handled.

    tldr: dont buy cars with such a deadlock feature , especially if you have kids.

    • jv on 06/02/2025 - 12:16
      +6

      one day whilst in the car i decided to lock the door with the fob repeatedly. I did this like 30 times

      I do that for fun too…

      • FoxJump on 06/02/2025 - 12:27
        +1

        the real story was my mum was threatening to open the door and jump out of the moving car cos i wasnt agreeing with what she was saying

        so i kept doing lock, while she kept doing unlock ….

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:22
      +4

      So true. Whilst I went through a free 20 min sauna session I am genuinely worried if this would’ve happened to others especially kids or older people.

      • Protractor on 07/02/2025 - 11:40

        Pppl worrying about kids in hot cars seems to be on the wane in Straya.

  • jv on 06/02/2025 - 12:16
    +13

    Are you in Melbourne ?

    If so, you should have just contacted one of your local youth crime gangs.
    They would have got you out in less than a minute…

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:18

      True would’ve been quicker response

      • jv on 06/02/2025 - 12:36

        Do you have their number?

        • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:12

          -ve

          • jv on 06/02/2025 - 13:19
            +7

            @Larkdord:

            (03) 5443 2144

            • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:34
              +3

              @jv: Saved to my speed dial

            • [Deactivated] on 06/02/2025 - 18:52

              @jv: That’s not right. The Liberals keep telling me it starts with +252

            • JIMB0 on 06/02/2025 - 19:07
              +1

              @jv: Is that Dan's number?

  • Jolakot on 06/02/2025 - 12:16
    +9

    It's nice that they offered to pay for the window, I'm not sure what more you expect given they already have a manual release

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:20
      +6

      Tbh I’m not expecting anything just a bit concerned what if there was a fire or other incident where it would’ve taken longer to get out. There should’nt be be a deadlock option in the first place especially when the battery goes dead.

      • Assburg on 06/02/2025 - 19:33
        +2

        Not many cars with dead batteries spontaneously combust but I guess there's the curious issue of car crash, followed by battery disconnect, followed by deadlock activating.

        • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 21:50
          +1

          I never in my wildest dreams thought I would lock myself in my sisters car on a hot 38 degree afternoon with a flat battery.

        • omgilia on 06/02/2025 - 21:59
          -4

          Imagine being absolutely cooked where you or someone else is stuck and fire is involved. EV cars would suck big time in this scenario.

          • Roman Sandstorm on 07/02/2025 - 10:48

            @omgilia: It's possible to find negatives about electric vehicles in just about anything. No matter how vaguely related.

      • SlickMick on 07/02/2025 - 11:21
        +1

        Cars shouldn't lock occupants inside under any scenario. (Lock from outside for sure, but occupants need to be able to escape.)

        I had to break into my BMW 320 after accidentally locking fob in the boot. I accepted that one as user error, though neither Sorento nor CX-60 allow vehicle to lock with a fob inside. So I now consider the BMW a fail.

        I once accidentally locked my mum in a hire car when it auto-locked when I walked away. I don't recall what make it was, but I consider it a fail.

        The CX-60 auto re-locks after a short time. My wife got locked in several times whilst waiting for me. She now leaves the door open until I start the car. Fail.

        There may well have been methods to open the door in all of these circumstances, but that doesn't help when someone is freaking out.

        I reckon you're right. Someone shouldn't have to die before this gets addressed.

  • Baysew on 06/02/2025 - 12:21
    +1

    It seems the battery is the culprit here, not the service manager. Why did the battery go flat?

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:26
      +2

      Why the battery, I think it’s the electronics. Seem to be an occurrence with some other cars too

      https://www.vwidtalk.com/threads/not-locked-out-locked-in-ho…

      • gregc4680 on 07/02/2025 - 07:41
        +1

        The batteries go flat due to the stereo control knob spring failing, thereby leaving the stereo on. Replacement is cheap and easy, or you just get into the habit of pulling up on the knob…

        P37 Fig45 'boot emergency opening'.

        • Daabido on 07/02/2025 - 21:31
          +1

          Instructions unclear, and now I am the emergency department.

  • joka on 06/02/2025 - 12:38
    -1

    So just to clarify, the whole ordeal from when you were in the car to when you left the car was 25 minutes or did you start panicking after 25 minutes?

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:46
      +7

      Would you stay calm for 25 mins inside a car with a flat battery that has been out whole day on a 38 degree Melbourne afternoon ?

      • joka on 06/02/2025 - 14:48
        +3

        I wouldn't but i am asking you because it wasn't clear with what you wrote

      • Muppet Detector on 10/02/2025 - 21:30

        If the battery was flat, how did you manage to unlock the door so you could get in, in the first place?

  • CodeXD on 06/02/2025 - 12:40
    +2

    Despite multiple attempts to jump-start or unlock the car

    How did you attempt to jump start the car from the inside?

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:44
      +5

      Good question, my neighbour was outside the car.

  • Dollar General on 06/02/2025 - 12:40
    +17

    This happened to me once too. Thankfully it was a convertible and the roof was down at the time.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:44
      +1

      Lucky

    • hopper on 08/02/2025 - 08:52

      it must have been a soft cover? not sure if metal roof can be opened manually

  • Fredfloresjr on 06/02/2025 - 12:57

    TRIPLE 000 and get your $495 ready.

  • godofpizza on 06/02/2025 - 13:01
    +2

    glad your ok OP.
    it reminds me of this story where the owner and his dog died after being locked in their car.

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-his-dog-found-dead-…

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:07
      +5

      Sad story. I actually thought this was a weird incident that happened to me and brushed it off but after sharing this as a funny story to friends and family, almost everyone I spoke to was spooked and were asking to ensure and this is escalated and the problem is addressed. Infact the towing guy was raging to hear when I told him about the incident and said I was lucky to be alive.

  • Gdsamp on 06/02/2025 - 13:07

    Wow glad youre okay
    Was reading about Angela Chao (Mitch McConnell sister-in-law) incident recently Angela Chao: Shipping billionaire intoxicated when she drowned in Tesla, police report shows

  • Euphemistic on 06/02/2025 - 13:08
    +3

    Is there any way of disabling the deadlock system in settings? Id be looking for that now.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:10
      +1

      Seriously don’t even know what the feature is for. Sounded like the classic ‘it’s not a bug it’s a feature’ when the service manager cooly mentioned it.

      • Euphemistic on 06/02/2025 - 13:58
        +3

        We had it in a car a while back. Press lock twice and you couldnt unlock from inside. I guess its to stop someone breaking a window and then being able to use the doors. Still kinda dumb though.

        • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 14:31
          +1

          Think thats what the guy at the dealership said, sounds like a useless feature.

  • brendanm on 06/02/2025 - 13:22
    +3

    Why were you sitting inside a locked car that wasn't running, in 38 degree heat, long enough that the battery went flat?

    Also, it's an Alfa, electrical foibles are par for the course.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:26
      +2

      Hmm my bad for not being clear. The battery went flat the minute I got in and pressed the start button.

      • MS Paint on 06/02/2025 - 14:03
        -4

        Is the bonut bonnet release electric or mechanical?

        If mechanical you should have popped the hood and got a jump start to regain power.

        Edit: just checked the stelvio forums. It's mechanical. Ohh well. Another lesson learned. At least you now know for next time

  • May4th on 06/02/2025 - 13:35
    +5

    sounds traumatising, but i'm not sure if AR service can do much else apart from educating new owners about the manual release mechanism, there will always be a manual release option for safety reason, including in Teslas as mentioned above. What are you hoping to see?

    I emailed the manager later asking for a investigation and if there is something broader they can do to avoid this from occurring in their cars. Nothing concrete came out of that.

    they will not say anything that can be interpreted as an admission of liability legally. also as you said, there is a manual release which I'm sure is covered in the owner's manual that nobody reads

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:45
      -2

      Well for starters their software need updating where the deadlock is disabled before a battery goes flat. Everything else is secondary. Who has the time to manual release if you were in an accident got injured and your vehicle caught fire?

      • May4th on 06/02/2025 - 13:53

        the locks are controlled electronically, I'm guessing like many other cars the car is locked automatically when you get in the car for safety reasons. The issue is likely a failure to dis-engage the lock when your battery is completely flat. or if you are in an accident and the electrical system fails there's no electronic release and you need to resort to manual fail safes. It's not a software issue. It's a design issue..and some cars have an auxillary battery or a fail safe that cuts out battery when it gets below a certain % but that's not an easy fix

        • Euphemistic on 06/02/2025 - 14:00
          +5

          Theres locked, and deadlocked. When locked you should be able to open the doors from inside. This should be the default mode if the battery dies. Deadlocked, as someone has experienced, is a bad default mode.

          • May4th on 06/02/2025 - 14:12
            +1

            @Euphemistic: i'm wondering whether that's a child lock setting that was/should be changed? it should not be put in deadlock mode by default as you say. I doubt it's smart enough to revert / dis-engage when battery gets low which seems to be the problem in this case, or may not have had a chance to in case of sudden battery failure

          • Seraphin7 on 06/02/2025 - 15:47

            @Euphemistic: I had an old Commodore that had a deadlock, although I'm sure it could only be activated by the buttons on the key fob. It would be unusual to use this method to lock the car if you are inside.

            Not sure if the same situation exists here.

            • Euphemistic on 06/02/2025 - 20:13

              @Seraphin7: We had a captiva (before we knew). It deadlocked with a double press on the fob, id imagine it could be possible to activate it by mistake. Id hate to think it could be activated by the battery failing.

      • Muppet Detector on 10/02/2025 - 21:36

        If the deadlock automatically disabled when the battery went flat, if you were away from your car when the battery went flat, wouldn't this leave your car unlocked?

  • cloudy on 06/02/2025 - 13:46
    +9

    Thanks for sharing OP, I’m sure to read up on my cars deadlocking procedures tonight, sounds horrifying.

    And some people on this forum just don’t get it.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 14:22
      +2

      Tbh my anxiety level is not bad compared to 1 month or so ago, but I am surprised by how little care factor these companies have about safety and these concerns when we raise them. They literally need a casualty and a court case to fix critical issues.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 06/02/2025 - 13:48
    +2

    Shoulda called Uncle Ian. For a pack of darts and a slab of VB, he'd have you out using a wire coat in a few minutes.

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