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 06/02/2025 - 15:54 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.

Thanks in advance!

Automotive Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Comments

  • shaybisc on 06/02/2025 - 11:42
    +6

    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
      +3

      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.

  • 87percent on 06/02/2025 - 11:46
    +9

    An extremely niche question

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:36

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

  • MS Paint on 06/02/2025 - 11:46
    -1

    the fact that there’s no emergency override to exit the vehicle in situations like this.

    .

    I learnt later that there is a small release hidden behind a plastic cap

    I'm confused. Did you try and read the owners handbook when it first happened?

    Would it be worth escalating this to Alfa Romeo HQ

    Don't waste your time. I'm certain the owners handbook has a million disclaimers to put blame on the owner/user for situations like this.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:28
      +3

      I had 4 other people trying to google and I had the hand book inside the car but no during that panic didn’t figure it out.

  • 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

        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
    +12

    I woulda called 000 instead

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:49

      Yep, next time doing that .

    • El cheepo on 06/02/2025 - 13:06

      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

        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.

  • Frashal on 06/02/2025 - 12:07
    +1

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

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 12:18
      +4

      Thanks for all your feedback and comments.

    • donkcat on 06/02/2025 - 12:50
      +2

      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

        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
          +6

          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

            @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
            +4

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

  • FoxJump on 06/02/2025 - 12:15
    +3

    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
      +4

      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

        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

      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.

  • jv on 06/02/2025 - 12:16
    +2

    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
            +6

            @Larkdord:

            (03) 5443 2144

            • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:34
              +2

              @jv: Saved to my speed dial

            • CommuterPolluter 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
    +5

    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
      +3

      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

        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

          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
          -1

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

  • Baysew on 06/02/2025 - 12:21
    +3

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

  • joka on 06/02/2025 - 12:38

    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
      +2

      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
        +1

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

  • CodeXD on 06/02/2025 - 12:40
    +1

    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
      +1

      Good question, my neighbour was outside the car.

  • Dollar General on 06/02/2025 - 12:40
    +5

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

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

    TRIPLE 000 and get your $495 ready.

  • godofpizza on 06/02/2025 - 13:01
    +1

    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

      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
    +1

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

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 13:10

      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

        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

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

  • brendanm on 06/02/2025 - 13:22
    +2

    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

      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
        -1

        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
    +2

    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
      -1

      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
          +2

          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

            @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.

  • cloudy on 06/02/2025 - 13:46
    +2

    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

      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
    +1

    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.

  • racer1234 on 06/02/2025 - 13:52
    +3

    Stelvio's had / have a battery charging problem that has been improved by a software update. There are lots of reports of batteries dying prematurely if not used enough and not taken on highway trips. Due to NVH (noise vibration harshness) the battery does not fully charge at idle and low speeds. Needs to get over 80kmh for at least 15mins to start fully charging the battery. Scary experience being locked in. Next time call 000.

  • Drakesy on 06/02/2025 - 13:59
    +1

    Locked inside my Alfa Romeo

    Well there's ya problem.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 14:26

      Other cars have this feature too

      • Drakesy on 06/02/2025 - 14:53

        Do they?

  • ihbh on 06/02/2025 - 14:33
    +1

    Please buy something like this and leave it in the car, in case someone needs it in the future. https://www.bcf.com.au/p/quell-emergency-multi-tool-flashlig…

  • Leanne59 on 06/02/2025 - 15:27
    +1

    "So last month, I got locked inside my sister's car that I was keeping for a few weeks whilst she was away overseas.” and "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.” Who owns the car?

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 15:49

      Like i said in the post, not worried about the battery cost or free window replacement, it’s the lack of care what if this happened to someone who didn’t have a phone etc etc

  • try2bhelpful on 06/02/2025 - 15:35
    +1

    I would be panicking too if I couldn’t get out.
    - Batteries can just fail. We were driving one day and stopped for some food. When we got back in the battery just failed and had to be replaced before we could travel further. Jump starting wouldn’t recover it.
    - I can understand child proof locks for the back but why wouldn’t a car have standard manual internal lock releases in the front? This would be a tad concerning with the car crashing into a river scenario. I suspect not everyone in the car would know what the releases are. Maybe ya need the air hostess talk that your release buttons are here and here before driving off.
    - might need to look into one of the smash the window tools.

    I don’t blame you for not dialling 000. Frankly I would be too embarrassed to do it for a little while as well.

    I’m glad you are OK.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 21:40

      Not blaming the battery, lack of manual override options to unlock quickly is what I am concerned with. Even opening the plastic latch for the manual bot release needs a decent prying tool or the alternate key inside the key fob. Which by the way wasn’t easy to open in the AR key fob.

      • try2bhelpful on 06/02/2025 - 21:50

        Agree with you. I thought all cars had the standard open door mechanism. A bit sad if they don’t.

  • holdenmg on 06/02/2025 - 17:37
    +2

    Pretend you are in a Taxi and just do whatever Sam Kerr would do. lol

    • GordonD on 06/02/2025 - 17:53
      +2

      Yeah, kick the rear window out.

      Then call it racism.

      • try2bhelpful on 06/02/2025 - 18:40
        -3

        The cop is objecting to being called white. What a snowflake.

        • CommuterPolluter on 06/02/2025 - 18:58
          +3

          Racial vilification is racial vilification. Otherwise how do ostensibly neutral words like “Paki”, “Jap”, or “Chinaman” get ascribed derogatory connotations?

          • beach bum on 06/02/2025 - 21:19
            -1

            @CommuterPolluter: Paki sounds like an English term , as in it’s generally a term used by the English in England, or maybe the English in Australia but I’ve never heard an Australian use that term for a Pakistani person, probably because Australian’s doesn’t know the difference between a Pakistani and a Indian person to look at them, and I suspect either can anyone else except those people familiar with the regional and cultural differences and dress,
            Your typical Australian is probably not high on the list , but we’re learning slowly .
            It’s like that Indian comedy show where they say that 30% of Aussie’s are part-time racist and the other 70% is full time, funny but no just a little bit ignorant.
            But we’re getting there slowly,
            Just speaking for generation x ,
            I’m sure the rest of you are way out in front.

            And I’ll leave the other can of worms in that minefield over there

            • CommuterPolluter on 06/02/2025 - 22:07

              @beach bum: The term is associated with skinheads in England and not widely used outside of the British Isles. I just gave it as an example of a word which can seem innocuous but is understood to be offensive because it is said in the context of racially vilifying a person. She was racially vilifying the officer on the basis of what she perceived to be his racial identity. It’s wrong and she should be punished to the extent of the law.

              • beach bum on 06/02/2025 - 22:18

                @CommuterPolluter: Ok Ok , abusing people is wrong.
                We all get that.
                But stalking any minor celebrity with gossip and harassment is also not nice .
                She was a drunk Aussie in England that said some stupid shit . Not the highest crime in the land , and barely rates as news . I’m over it and reject the memory of it from my brain box.
                Ahh, I feel better .

          • try2bhelpful on 06/02/2025 - 21:48

            @CommuterPolluter: Absolute tosh. I’m sure the guy felt humiliated being called white.

            • CommuterPolluter on 06/02/2025 - 22:09

              @try2bhelpful: I’m relieved to hear that you don’t feel humiliated on his behalf but it isn’t for you to say how he felt. As observers all we can do is acknowledge that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

        • nosey on 06/02/2025 - 21:00

          I think less of Kerr now. Im not a snowflake and she can get fraked.

    • BargainHunter9876543 on 06/02/2025 - 20:53
      -1

      No amount of vile racist tirades and vomiting will break a window unfortunately.

  • CommuterPolluter on 06/02/2025 - 18:53

    That’s a massive design flaw which could kill a child or physically disabled person. I’m glad my FORD has a clever feature called “soft locking” and as a backup the windows are easily broken.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 21:33

      Yes or anyone in desperate circumstances some of the geniuses here suggesting kicking windows going through the logbook etc will all be useless

  • beach bum on 06/02/2025 - 20:53

    Didn’t this happen to a lady in a Tesla that drove into a lake?

    • noz on 06/02/2025 - 22:16

      Tesla has a manual override also.

      • beach bum on 06/02/2025 - 22:27

        But she didn’t use or perhaps even know about this before dying inside the car though did she?

        Didn’t the De Lorean run into the same issue and they were going to install explosive bolts but ended up going with some kind of manual override but probably also with a large easy to read warning sign on the door .
        Or maybe they just went back in time to fix it.

  • elgrande on 06/02/2025 - 21:52

    Thanks for the insight OP, a reminder on how technology can sometimes work against us. I can imagine it would have been hard to focus on finding a way out in the heat of the moment. Maybe consoder getting one of those emergency window breaking hammers.

    • Larkdord on 06/02/2025 - 21:55

      Yep keeping those glass break tools handy from now on.

      • MS Paint on 06/02/2025 - 22:09

        Have you confirmed if the bonnet release is mechanical as per my suggestion here?

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