How to get in the car???

Not driving my car this winter i now have a problem. I can�t get in the car, the key goes in but i cant turn the key to open. The key turns to the left for closing but not to the right. What to do??? I hope i don�t have smash the window

Sorry for not sharing, the car is an 996 -98

Is it very cold where you are? I have found on the very cold days here, that my driver side lock gets stiff w my normal key. I normally unlock it from another door, or if I'm using my other keychain, that key seems to work fine. I'm not sure what the exact problem is, but on days where it isn't down around freezing it works fine.

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There is no key lock on the passanger door! so thats not an option on a 996, nor is there a hatch like on a 944

Its was cold but its not freezing cold anymore, like Marc said the 996 only have a lock on the driver side.

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Sorry I dont have a 996 yet, just the m3. They don't have a lock on the passenger door? cool/weird. Do you have a valet key, or any other copy of the key? Try that. Or do yuo have a winter package? Not sure if 996's come with it, but some cars you can hold the handle up and it will thaw out the lock. Maybe some water got in there and froze? Shame you can't climb through the hood.. that would be a funny sight

Sounds like something in the lock mechanism has seized up... I assume the battery is dead and the power locks aren't working? There's always the coat hanger behind the window molding to pull the interior handle trick... It might be worth trying to use a little more force on the key... but don't break it off!

Try wiggling the key around. I found on the one I use all the time that sometimes I had to pull it out just a hair, or lift upward a bit. Key must be a bit warn

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Was the car on a trickle charger? Or is the battery dead? If the battery is dead, perhaps you can: 1) use the emergency trunk open method and then get some juice in the battery. Then use the key fob to unlock the car. 2) use the emergency engine compartment open method and get some juice in the battery. Then use the key fob to unlock the car. Not sure if brute force would work on the door lock, but I would try a bit more pressure and pushing the door in while trying as well. -td

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Do all cars have a keyfob - even first model year? And what's a 98 996? Do you mean build date 98, so 1999?

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They never sold a MY98 996. Is it a 996 or a 993?

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I assume it has a build date of 98 for his MY99. And, IIRC, all 996s have keyless entry, just not keyless trunk/engine compartment. -td

or it could be a european market car, where there was a 98 996

Brandon is correct - the US didn't get an '98s... but ROW did.

They sell some lock "deseize" stuff. Even wd-40 may work. Spray is in, and give it a few minutes to work. Then gently turn the key.

If the key turns one way, I doubt it's the lock cylinder - and therefore wouldn't make the mess with the WD-40. Sounds like the linkage - what the cylinder tries to move - is what's holding up the works...

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Just make sure WD40 does not go on any ruber- it damages it!

can aaa open it?

The car is an 996, i�m in sweden. It feells like i have tryed everything on the lock and nothing works. Now the battery is dead How can i get in the trunk or enginecompartment without the key? Is this possible?

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See post #9 in this thread. Getting into the trunk/engine bay was suggested some time ago... Do a search for trunk or engine compartment in the title, you'll get your answer. -td

take a thin coat hanger (shape it into a hook) and fish out the release cable located under the driver side brake lights.... put some electrical tape to minimize scratches....

I'm having the same, or very similar, issue... I'm locked out of my car but I know the battery is not the issue. Both alarm systems lights are flashing bright and strong, but when I hit the door release (or trunk release button that matter), nothing happens. Usually I would expects all corner lights to blink once for unlocking the car (twice for locking it). So I figured I would revert back to the old technique of putting the key in the doorlock, but nothing there either. I can turn left or right and nothing happen. I can't "feel" anything mechanical effect at all when I turn the key. It just goes from left to right without any resistance. This is my most probable diagnosis: 1 - Door won't unlock with remote because it was locked for more than 5 days. I believe the system locks up automatically when that happens (but I can't verify since the owner's manual is in the car..!!), and 2 - I think my door lock is busted altogether, since I feel nothing. Anybody with a good idea? The only think I can think of is to slim-jim my way into my own car... Help!!!!!

Granger - Your door lock could be broken, but in case it is not insert the key and turn it and then hit the unlock button on the key fob. Providing the lock in not broken, this should get your car out of "sleep" mode.

Thanks for the recommendation. I had tried that already and didn't work however. So here is the outcome since my last post... Sparing you the details, I ended up getting in my car with the help of a tow truck driver... Drove the car home and then I couldn't lock it again (remote or door lock). Left a window open over night in my garage. Drove it straight to the dealership this morning. They billed me 1.5 hour of time to open the door and reconnect some part that had come loose. Dealer tells me the remote has been working fine all day, and that maybe I was somewhere with "high interference".... fishy.... Anyway, I'll see if I still have remote issues. At least now I have the door lock available as plan B...

This linkage failure has been reported before. It only becomes apparent when the batter fails. Everyone should check their door to see if the key will unlock it!!Don't wait till your battery fails and it becomes a crisis.