An easy "how to" on getting into your xj with no keys
CF Veteran
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,004
Likes: 40
From: corpus christi, texas
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 I6
i have not left keys in my vehicle in about 15 years but when someone does do it and i ma near, if they have wing windows, i just grab the round part on the outside of hte window and turn it. the whole lock rotates around until the arm is not holding the window closed.
works on dodge pick up for sure as my brother in law locked the keys in a lot. others, not sure as i have not opened anything in a while. hanger has always worked on everything though
works on dodge pick up for sure as my brother in law locked the keys in a lot. others, not sure as i have not opened anything in a while. hanger has always worked on everything though
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 1
From: Kalamazoo, MI
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L with throttle body spacer and cold air intake, bored throttle body, #784 injector upgrade
Tried this for giggles on mine, hadn't even locked the keys in. Worked but took some finagling to do so and plenty of window licking. Great tip! Thanks!
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 889
Likes: 2
From: Detroit, MI
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
haha yeah yoopers can be crafty...and I don't condone spare keys but if you saw the roads and snow in the winters here, spares don't seem to have a good hiding spot...lol can't wait to see some feedback and just for general knowledge I am fin lol last name is Aho for crying out loud, I just like to talk and type in real english haha.
as far as the area goes yes it's alot different from most areas, lots of wilderness and animals....fairly quiet and beautiful....good grounds for an xj also....good place for a vacation!
as far as the area goes yes it's alot different from most areas, lots of wilderness and animals....fairly quiet and beautiful....good grounds for an xj also....good place for a vacation!
I spent a winter in a cabin on Shelter Bay when I was young (many, many years ago). Couple Fins next door drank Pabst Blue Ribbon all day, every day, and poached deer all winter. One them looked like a 150 pound Santa Claus - his name was Urho Hakola or something like that. Brings back memories.
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7,874
Likes: 100
From: Northern Ontario, Canada
Year: 1990, 1999, 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
you just have to be careful, if you bend the little tab that the rod hooks through, you will have problems getting the door closing/locking.
if you're crafty, you can easily make a tool to gain entry. although it may take a different tool for each type of vehicle, there are only a few tools in the industry.
for example, these are right from my lockout manual for towing.
cherokee 2 door and 4 door and all wranglers are the same procedure.
for some strange reason, the mj is different from the xj...
if you're crafty, you can easily make a tool to gain entry. although it may take a different tool for each type of vehicle, there are only a few tools in the industry.
for example, these are right from my lockout manual for towing.
cherokee 2 door and 4 door and all wranglers are the same procedure.
for some strange reason, the mj is different from the xj...
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 3
From: USA
Year: 1999
Engine: l6 4.0, K&N FIPK & 62mm bored TB
funny story, in pennsylvania earlier this summer for NAXJA's NAC-Fest there were a bunch of us in the campground BSing and what not. one lady went to go leave in her jeep and realized she locked her keys in it, another guy at the campground put his keys in her door and it unlocked it. both pre 97
That was me at the camp ground.
Johhny1217, nope, it wasn't scary at all (Only thing is my 4 roof lights were on because I had turned them on to show the kids my light covers).
But as for being scary ... I was surrounded by fellow Jeepers - have you heard of redneck ingenuity? I knew one way or another someone would think of something. Funny thing is, I picked one guy out of the group, asked him to come over, and IIRC, after we brainstormed a bit, he was the one whose idea it was to try someone else's key. And oddly enough, that key didn't open the passenger door or start the XJ!
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
Thank you so much, this saved my butt tonight. I was going to call a lock smith but thought why not look up on here and see if there's any tricks first. Sure enough, I pulled the rubber piece of, pulled the panel and stuck my hand in between to hold it open, then looked in with my phone flashlight to see what I was working with. Immediately saw the plastic clip, pulled my antenna off and pulled it up and it was unlocked. It's scary how easy it was but it saved me. Thanks a bunch!
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 3
From: USA
Year: 1999
Engine: l6 4.0, K&N FIPK & 62mm bored TB
wow ... talk about resurrecting an old thread!
You're right tho ... I wish the mods would delete this one. There are enough XJs reported stolen that we really don't need a thread like this in the public domain. If you lock yourself out, call AAA or a locksmith. If you have any cute little tricks to get into a locked XJ, don't post them here.
On the same note ... I got the keys locked in the XJ on another occasion with the keys in the ignition (the doors lock automatically when you start it. I get locked out all the time). It was in a blizzard at WAWA gas station & I called AAA. He was unable to break into the XJ & snag the key from the ignition. Cold, windy & snowing very hard & this guy had no gloves on. He was NOT happy.
You're right tho ... I wish the mods would delete this one. There are enough XJs reported stolen that we really don't need a thread like this in the public domain. If you lock yourself out, call AAA or a locksmith. If you have any cute little tricks to get into a locked XJ, don't post them here.
On the same note ... I got the keys locked in the XJ on another occasion with the keys in the ignition (the doors lock automatically when you start it. I get locked out all the time). It was in a blizzard at WAWA gas station & I called AAA. He was unable to break into the XJ & snag the key from the ignition. Cold, windy & snowing very hard & this guy had no gloves on. He was NOT happy.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
99 xj keys inside
So....tonight as I know some of us have done, I ever so brightly managed to lock both sets of my keys in the xj......so that set me to pondering over how to get into it without screwing anything up or spending money I dont have for some guy to come get them out for me.
This is what I found out, I am assuming it will work on at least 97+ due to the fact mine is a 99, so if you have an earlier model, feel free to try it out and give some feedback.
What you will need is a pair of pliers or something of that sort to pull off your antenna, now go over to your driver side door, and look at your window where the glass starts to go into the door, see that black rubber type strip on the metal? Pull it up and off of your door, it just slips on there.
Now carefully pull the door metal outwards, it wont hurt it, just flex it out to take a look inside (you might need a flashlight, and may drool on the window a bit trying to get a decent look), aim your eyeballs towards the latch area and under the outer door handle, you should see a nice metal bar heading downwards with a plastic clip, mine happened to be a red clip, once you spot that little guy get your antenna in the door, put the part with the little ball in there and hold the screw side, and get it under that clip on that rod, hook the ball on there and pull up....your door should now be manually unlocked.
Push the button and open the door, and remember your keys next time, its not fun climbing into the second story window of your apartment to get tools, nor is it fun feeling like captain ********.
Reinstall all the stuff you took off of your rig, and call it a day.
Hope this helps someone out, it took about 30 seconds to do it once I figured it out, if you feel like testing it out, do so and leave some feedback.
Again I am assuming 97+ have the same setup, not sure on any years before this, as mine is a 99.
This is what I found out, I am assuming it will work on at least 97+ due to the fact mine is a 99, so if you have an earlier model, feel free to try it out and give some feedback.
What you will need is a pair of pliers or something of that sort to pull off your antenna, now go over to your driver side door, and look at your window where the glass starts to go into the door, see that black rubber type strip on the metal? Pull it up and off of your door, it just slips on there.
Now carefully pull the door metal outwards, it wont hurt it, just flex it out to take a look inside (you might need a flashlight, and may drool on the window a bit trying to get a decent look), aim your eyeballs towards the latch area and under the outer door handle, you should see a nice metal bar heading downwards with a plastic clip, mine happened to be a red clip, once you spot that little guy get your antenna in the door, put the part with the little ball in there and hold the screw side, and get it under that clip on that rod, hook the ball on there and pull up....your door should now be manually unlocked.
Push the button and open the door, and remember your keys next time, its not fun climbing into the second story window of your apartment to get tools, nor is it fun feeling like captain ********.
Reinstall all the stuff you took off of your rig, and call it a day.
Hope this helps someone out, it took about 30 seconds to do it once I figured it out, if you feel like testing it out, do so and leave some feedback.
Again I am assuming 97+ have the same setup, not sure on any years before this, as mine is a 99.