cannot get into my new Disco 1 with keys provided. Flat battery so now locked out!

Hi all.
Bought a new to me Disco 1 a while back. it was driven here by the previous owner who gave me three keys, al;l with apparently identical profile, on a ring together with the plip.
I got into the car not long after, opening with the plip. Started it, moved it, parked it, locked it with the plip.
Went out to it today, plip didn't work. Said to myself, battery must be flat, wanted to open door to open bonnet to charge batt. Key would not open door lock. Tried passenger door, same thing. Tried filler cap, opened JUST enough to enable filler flap to open with a "lift".
Conclusion, someone along the ownership line replaced the ignition barrel, put all the keys on the ring together with the plip, and hung onto the original keys.
Of course I have no paperwork with the original key number on it, although I am hopeful I can get this from Land Rover if I produce the V5s and proof of identity. But for the time being I just want to get into the machine to charge the battery. I used to be able to lift the door button with a piece of flexible plastic but I don't think that'll work with a Disco 1, I know it cannot be done with my Disco 2.
Has anyone any ideas as to how I can open the car, or even just the bonnet?
All help gratefully received!!!

Get a suited set from the bay of E ... fit to vehicle ... yeah I know you still have to get into it first ...

Hi Dippypud, I REALLY need to know how to get into it without either paying a locksmith or smashing a window.
Another problem is that it has a personalised numberplate so I am concerned the Land Rover garage may not be able to give me the right key number, although obviously the chassi number won't have changed.
Am trying thru the seller, who is a decent guy, but obviously got handed the same set of keys, but never let the batt run down, to see if he can tell me who sold it to him.
Still hoping for an answer to the entry problem.

None of your keys fit the tailgate lock either? A steel ruler suitable modified will unlock a D1 door

Stanleysteamer said:

Hi Dippypud, I REALLY need to know how to get into it without either paying a locksmith or smashing a window.
Another problem is that it has a personalised numberplate so I am concerned the Land Rover garage may not be able to give me the right key number, although obviously the chassi number won't have changed.
Am trying thru the seller, who is a decent guy, but obviously got handed the same set of keys, but never let the batt run down, to see if he can tell me who sold it to him.
Still hoping for an answer to the entry problem.

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Can you put up a rough location in case anyone is local to you ?

discool said:

None of your keys fit the tailgate lock either? A steel ruler suitable modified will will unlock a door

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Car is parked backed tight into a very thorny rose bush. My other Disco one has a key that opens all doors, so I am assuming that if these keys don't open the driver and front passenger door then they won't open the back door. For that to not be the case then a previous owner would have had to have changed the door locks so they are different to the ignition lock and then they would have had to have lost the door locks. Seems very unlikely. It being dark now I will have a go at the rear door tomorrow. Meanwhile I am looking for the sort of bendy plastic I used to use back I used to keep behind the number plate on my works Cortina to open it with when I locked the keys in it, (Busy rep, summer of 1976, hot, took jacket off, threw it in car, locked car from inside by pushing button down while holding handle up outside, then shutting door. Mind you, there only ever were about 5 variations of a Cortina key, once borrowed a Capri owner's key and that worked too!)
I have seen the steel ruler method used but never tried it. Will try the vin number on Land Rover.
Cheers

Dippypud said:

Can you put up a rough location in case anyone is local to you ?

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Ferndown

Stanleysteamer said:

Ferndown

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A member has suggested charging the batt via the starter motor connections, which I think is a brilliant idea. But I am concerned that leaving the batt connections on may do damage to other circuits eg any ECU type stuff or diodes etc. Not being an electronic engineer I have no idea. If anyone else has an idea please let me know
Cheers
Stan

Stanleysteamer said:

A member has suggested charging the batt via the starter motor connections, which I think is a brilliant idea. But I am concerned that leaving the batt connections on may do damage to other circuits eg any ECU type stuff or diodes etc. Not being an electronic engineer I have no idea. If anyone else has an idea please let me know
Cheers
Stan

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its not a problem - go for it

My logic was if you have a key that fits the filler flap then that would original so would the little used tailgate lock be original.
Removing the nearside boot window will get u in, by cutting the rubber surround, the rubber is available as a replacement part but they do cost I believe.

I also remember the hot summer in 1976 that's when I bought my self a Capri, I still have the opportunity to use that unique method of locking the door by pushing the door pin down and closing the door while lifting the handle up outside as I still own the Capri.
As for keys, I believe at the there was five universal keys that would fit Fords around that time, and I had acquired two of them so could open a few Zepher, Zodiac to Cortina and Escorts, the Capri included.

discool said:

My logic was if you have a key that fits the filler flap then that would original so would the little used tailgate lock be original.
Removing the nearside boot window will get u in, by cutting the rubber surround, the rubber is available as a replacement part but they do cost I believe.

I also remember the hot summer in 1976 that's when I bought my self a Capri, I still have the opportunity to use that unique method of locking the door by pushing the door pin down and closing the door while lifting the handle up outside as I still own the Capri.
As for keys, I believe at the there was five universal keys that would fit Fords around that time, and I had acquired two of them so could open a few Zepher, Zodiac to Cortina and Escorts, the Capri included.

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Hi Discoool
I don't think the key REALLY fits the petrol flap, but I'll certainly try the rear tailgate. So far I am still going along the least damaging lines of a/ trying to get a new key from Land Rover and b/ charging the batt via the starter but I will try anything if these do not work.
Cannot resist sharing this with you. Back in the seventies a mate of mine got a Capri 3000, must have been about 1973. so of course he invited me to go for a spin. We were going through a section of Bath leading towards the river when I noticed we had accidentally gone through a red light, (there were three close together in a row and we went through the middle set on red AND there was a police "jam sandwich" Triumph 2.5 pi on our tail. My mate floored it all along the river till we got to a point were we had a choice of three directions to go. We chose dead ahead, lights off, heads down, parked at the end of an alley. By then the jam sandwich had caught up, made the wrong decision and took one of the other turnings. We walked right across town back to the pub and left it there for the rest of the evening. Got away with it! Only time I have ever been in a car chased by the police. And we got away with it! Not many can say that! I then later had a Capri mk1 1600 as a reps car. The gearbox was absolutely the worst box of rubbish I have ever seen. The ratios were all over the place. I figured it must have been designed with the 1300 in mind. And I saw a girl I knew and said "What do you think of the new car?" "What new car?" she said. I pointed out the previous car was a mk3 Cortina, this was a Capri, she just said "Well, they are both the same colour!" (Which was true!)
Cheers, being called to dinner, must go.

Thanks to all members who have come up with wise suggestions. The news is that:

A definitely, none of the keys open a door, but all three turn the ignition!

B I got into the car using the old technique used to get into cars back in the 1970s, I hesitate to put the exact method on the forum as who wants to get their Disco 1 entered illegally? Suffice it to say it took a plastic bag. So no damage to the car at all. Not even a scratch.

C Once in, bonnet opened, both battery connections disconnected and trusty old charger connected, still charging as I write.

D Will now use the VIN number and official Land Rover dealer to get the key number, EKAD etc, (radio code not needed as came with aftermarket radio)

As I now have the time I am intrigued as to how difficult it could be to work out how to make a key, using a blank if you have unlimited access to the lock.

May still try and find previous owners but there are a lot of them!

Anyway, all is now on the up and up so I'm chuffed!

Thanks again, mates.

Stanleysteamer said:

As I now have the time I am intrigued as to how difficult it could be to work out how to make a key, using a blank if you have unlimited access to the lock.

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I did it the other way on my door lock, boot lock, and fuel flap. What I did was I took the locks apart and made up the little blade fin things up to fit the key. Once they all lined up I put them back into the lock cylinder. I needed a few of the fins as spares but after a lot of buggering about I got them to work & now have 1 key that will open all locks & work the ignition.

Below is a link to show how its done, not a Land Rover lock, but the principle is the same.

Hey Jasonmichael, I had a feeling this must be possible. I can get the fuel filler lock off easily so I may well try this, i.e. taking it apart and using a blank to make a key that works. But the latest news is that the previous owner has given me the name and address of the previous owner to him, he had it for quite a while so I am hoping he still has the keys. Forlorn maybe but we'll see. If not, Land Rover should give me the key code. I can see a lot of bu22ering about would be called for! But at least it is an idea and shows it is possible! Cheers!

All you nedd to do is !
Lock in hand ! Key in lock ! Any BRASS bits sticking out FILE off ! Job sorted !!

Stanleysteamer said:

Hey Jasonmichael, I had a feeling this must be possible. I can get the fuel filler lock off easily so I may well try this, i.e. taking it apart and using a blank to make a key that works. But the latest news is that the previous owner has given me the name and address of the previous owner to him, he had it for quite a while so I am hoping he still has the keys. Forlorn maybe but we'll see. If not, Land Rover should give me the key code. I can see a lot of bu22ering about would be called for! But at least it is an idea and shows it is possible! Cheers!

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The idea is you use the EXSISTING KEY that fits the ignition, and make up the door locks & filler flap to fit that, No need for a blank key at all!!!

Jasonmichael, I can see what you are saying but my logic is that it is easier to get a correct key, and copies of it than it is to take the doors apart to get at the locks and then bu22er about with all three locks, and then have to refit the locks. I am hoping that by taking the petrol filler lock apart, which is by far and away the easiest to get at, I will be able to work out where a blank key needs to be filed. Then I'd do just that. Once done a key cutter can make me copies using the one I have made as a template. So, I do see your logic, mine is the same but the opposite way on. Both will work, it is just a question of which is the lesser of two pains!

Magicgrotto said:

All you nedd to do is !
Lock in hand ! Key in lock ! Any BRASS bits sticking out FILE off ! Job sorted !!

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Hi Magicgrotto, this is right, only snag is the "Lock in hand" bit. It'll be a pain getting all four locks of the car and filing them all to fit. I'd rather not have the hassle and expense of taking off all the door cards, etc. But I agree, it would be a solution. For the moment I am using the plip and ensuring the battery remains charged. But I will have to come up with something before putting the dogs in the truck!
Thanks
Stan

Hi Stan hope your well !
I only have 2 keys for mine & 1s a spare ! I would at least do the drivers lock ! that way you can at least get in if batt goes flat !!

Stanleysteamer said:

Jasonmichael, I can see what you are saying but my logic is that it is easier to get a correct key, and copies of it than it is to take the doors apart to get at the locks and then bu22er about with all three locks, and then have to refit the locks. I am hoping that by taking the petrol filler lock apart, which is by far and away the easiest to get at, I will be able to work out where a blank key needs to be filed. Then I'd do just that. Once done a key cutter can make me copies using the one I have made as a template. So, I do see your logic, mine is the same but the opposite way on. Both will work, it is just a question of which is the lesser of two pains!

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Take your lock to a locksmith, he make as many as you need ...