Man trapped in Cadillac XLR for 14 hours after battery dies

A 75-year old Cleveland man ended up trapped in his 2006 Cadillac XLR for 14 hours last month, according to a story reported by the Detroit Free Press. The owner of the car, Peter Pyros, hopped into his roadster to back out onto his driveway, but he quickly learned that the battery was dead. He was "trapped" because the doors use an electric button to activate the door latch to open the door. Since the battery was dead, the buttons did nothing.


https://www.autoblog.com/2018/09/13/stuck-cadillac-xlr-dead-battery/?ncid=edlinkusauto00000021&yptr=yahoo

People don’t leave the owners manual in the glove box? That seems like a very stupid thing to do.

Hello, OnStar...

Was it a convertible?

The XLR was a weird car. Cadillac's next generation Allante, built on the C5 Corvette platform.  Only 15,000 ever made.  A neighbor worked at the GM Tech Center and brought one home for the weekend years back.  Let me take it out for a spin.  Smooth shifting and was reasonably fast once up and running but was a complete dog out of the hole.  Really low front air dam that hit the ground when turning into the slightest of driveway inclines.

Most fascinating was the XLR's retractable roof.  Designed and built tooling for that stupid power tonneau cover Lincoln put on their extremely poor selling (less than 3500 made) Blackwood pickup truck.  The MSRP was crazy expensive at the time and it wasn't even 4-wheel drive.  The development and tooling costs for the tonneau cover combined with lackluster sales probably had Ford taping hundred dollar bills to every one they ever sold.

The XLR's roof took Ford's stupidity to an entirely different level.  Was not involved with the XLR but development and tooling costs must have been at least 10x (maybe 20x...?) what Ford pissed away on the Blackwood.

Floyd Robertson wrote:Hello, OnStar...

Dead battery and no cell phone.

Actually used Onstar once.  Took a vehicle to Discount Tire for a free tire rotation and they managed to lock the keys in the car after pulling it into a bay.  Was only a mile from home and thought about calling the wyff to bring the other set of keys, then remembered Onstar.  

Didn't have a cell phone yet so called them using DT's phone.  Wasn't sure whatever signal Onstar was sending would work since the vehicle was inside a building, but it did.  Pretty cool.

The Pantry wrote:

Floyd Robertson wrote:Hello, OnStar...

Dead battery and no cell phone.

Actually used Onstar once.  Took a vehicle to Discount Tire for a free tire rotation and they managed to lock the keys in the car after pulling it into a bay.  Was only a mile from home and thought about calling the wyff to bring the other set of keys, then remembered Onstar.  

Didn't have a cell phone yet so called them using DT's phone.  Wasn't sure whatever signal Onstar was sending would work since the vehicle was inside a building, but it did.  Pretty cool.

So you don't think cellular works inside of buildings?

I'm assuming the guy wasn't strong enough to kick a window out.

I have one of those devices in each of my kids cars and my wife's and mine. It's a hammer type thing with a point on one end and a slotted razor blade on the other. In our gloves. In an emergency the seat belt can be cut and the window can be broken. Will we ever use them? Nah, even in an emergency, I'd maybe forget it was there, but just in case. Ithink it cost 7 bucks.

DWags wrote:I'm assuming the guy wasn't strong enough to kick a window out.

I have one of those devices in each of my kids cars and my wife's and mine. It's a hammer type thing with a point on one end and a slotted razor blade on the other. In our gloves. In an emergency the seat belt can be cut and the window can be broken. Will we ever use them? Nah, even in an emergency, I'd maybe forget it was there, but just in case. Ithink it cost 7 bucks.

You should post this in the silver thread. Apparently if you try to prepare for the worst, most of the losers on this board will attack you for it.

DWags wrote:I'm assuming the guy wasn't strong enough to kick a window out.  

I have one of those devices in each of my kids cars and my wife's and mine.  It's a  hammer type thing with a point on one end and a slotted razor blade on the other.  In our gloves.  In an emergency the seat belt can be cut and the window can be broken.  Will we ever use them?  Nah, even in an emergency, I'd maybe forget it was there, but just in case.  Ithink it cost 7 bucks.  

I keep the same sort of thing in my car at all times, don't know if I will ever need it but it will do the trick. Friend of mine is a federal agent, he has the same thing in his cars at all times. He actually had to use one when he was driving home from work and was the first person on the scene of a rollover crash. Smashed out the window(he said it was surprisingly easy), and then sliced the seat-belt to get the person out of the car. Pretty solid knife you can find for around $20.

DWags wrote:I'm assuming the guy wasn't strong enough to kick a window out.

I have one of those devices in each of my kids cars and my wife's and mine. It's a hammer type thing with a point on one end and a slotted razor blade on the other. In our gloves. In an emergency the seat belt can be cut and the window can be broken. Will we ever use them? Nah, even in an emergency, I'd maybe forget it was there, but just in case. Ithink it cost 7 bucks.

The Lifehammer. Yeah, we have them. Mrs. GreenWay has a thing about driving over water, that’s why we bought em.

pulling69 wrote:

DWags wrote:I'm assuming the guy wasn't strong enough to kick a window out.  

I have one of those devices in each of my kids cars and my wife's and mine.  It's a  hammer type thing with a point on one end and a slotted razor blade on the other.  In our gloves.  In an emergency the seat belt can be cut and the window can be broken.  Will we ever use them?  Nah, even in an emergency, I'd maybe forget it was there, but just in case.  Ithink it cost 7 bucks.  

I keep the same sort of thing in my car at all times, don't know if I will ever need it but it will do the trick. Friend of mine is a federal agent, he has the same thing in his cars at all times. He actually had to use one when he was driving home from work and was the first person on the scene of a rollover crash. Smashed out the window(he said it was surprisingly easy), and then sliced the seat-belt to get the person out of the car. Pretty solid knife you can find for around $20.

Despite the obvious intention of that knife, because of the blade, it might be illegal to have in your car or on your person. I’d have to check Michigan law. A gun? Sure. A knife? No fucking way, bruh.

Knife is 100% legal in MI and in most states, some have laws with a 3" blade length, 3.5", or under 4". Most knife laws are regarding personal carry. The knife I pictured has a 3.3" blade.

PS If you have that in your glove box chances are so does the cop.

https://hobanco.com/blogs/news/michigan-knife-laws

pulling just found out how dumb the Michigan carry law for knives is. A "pocket" knife is legal at 4" and under. BUT if you dare say it is for personal protection then it has to be 3" or less.

Makes no sense. I can get a CPL and carry concealed any handgun I can properly conceal, no restrictions on capacity, etc. But if I have a CPL and carry a knife over 3" I am subject to harsh and stiff penalties. That makes sense.

TheReal_LWS wrote:pulling just found out how dumb the Michigan carry law for knives is. A "pocket" knife is legal at 4" and under. BUT if you dare say it is for personal protection then it has to be 3" or less.

Makes no sense. I can get a CPL and carry concealed any handgun I can properly conceal, no restrictions on capacity, etc. But if I have a CPL and carry a knife over 3" I am subject to harsh and stiff penalties. That makes sense.

That is why you ALWAYS have a pocket knife, never is it for personal protection....Now, if an incident arises where you needed it to defend yourself well then consider yourself lucky you always have your trusty pocket knife with you every day.

pulling69 wrote:

TheReal_LWS wrote:pulling just found out how dumb the Michigan carry law for knives is. A "pocket" knife is legal at 4" and under. BUT if you dare say it is for personal protection then it has to be 3" or less.

Makes no sense. I can get a CPL and carry concealed any handgun I can properly conceal, no restrictions on capacity, etc. But if I have a CPL and carry a knife over 3" I am subject to harsh and stiff penalties. That makes sense.

That is why you ALWAYS have a pocket knife, never is it for personal protection....Now, if an incident arises where you needed it to defend yourself well then consider yourself lucky you always have your trusty pocket knife with you every day.

Yeah, I had to stop carrying my 3.5” push dagger, but my 4” pocket flipper is just fine. Can’t even use my smaller push dagger because it’s for protection, although I do use that one in my shop fairly often.

I do not carry a knife. I have one in the car, but carrying? What am I, Jed Clampett?

TheReal_LWS wrote:

The Pantry wrote:
Dead battery and no cell phone.

Actually used Onstar once.  Took a vehicle to Discount Tire for a free tire rotation and they managed to lock the keys in the car after pulling it into a bay.  Was only a mile from home and thought about calling the wyff to bring the other set of keys, then remembered Onstar.  

Didn't have a cell phone yet so called them using DT's phone.  Wasn't sure whatever signal Onstar was sending would work since the vehicle was inside a building, but it did.  Pretty cool.

So you don't think cellular works inside of buildings?

Was almost 20 years ago. Wasn't sure what kind of signal they used back then. Thought maybe it was like AM radio that goes dead under freeway overpasses.

Why do you insist on being an overly critical dickhead all the time?

The Pantry wrote:

TheReal_LWS wrote:

So you don't think cellular works inside of buildings?

Was almost 20 years ago. Wasn't sure what kind of signal they used back then. Thought maybe it was like AM radio that goes dead under freeway overpasses.

Why do you insist on being an overly critical dickhead all the time?

Sorry buddy. I thought it was well known that onstar was just an on board cell phone. You could even make phone calls with it. Peace brother man. No offense.

Jake from State Farm wrote:

Rocinante wrote:I do not carry a knife. I have one in the car, but carrying? What am I, Jed Clampett?

I've got one with a 2 inch blade, use it all the time and even managed to inadvertently get it through the TSC check point one time.

Flew the family from DTW to San Diego on vacation year after 911 to visit my FIL. On the way back TSA at San Diego found a Leatherman I kept in a pouch I carried my contact lens stuff in. Had completely forgotten it was in there. They were cool about it. Let me take it back into the terminal and mail it home to myself.

Got back home and started unpacking. Wyff was really fussy about food so we took a backpack cooler filled with homemade sandwiches, fresh fruit, etc on every flight. Was unpacking the cooler and found a serrated steak knife we kept in there in case we needed it to cut up the fruit.

The Leatherman showed up in the mail a couple days later but that steak knife made it through security in both Detroit and San Diego. I'm sure the security equipment used now is more sophisticated.

I've been confused by Michigan's knife law. I used to have a bayonet (my fathers) on the floor of the car under the driver's seat. It was there so long, I had forgotten about it until I cleaned it out for selling.

Was that breaking the law?

The Pantry wrote:

Jake from State Farm wrote:

I've got one with a 2 inch blade, use it all the time and even managed to inadvertently get it through the TSC check point one time.

Flew the family from DTW to San Diego on vacation year after 911 to visit my FIL. On the way back TSA at San Diego found a Leatherman I kept in a pouch I carried my contact lens stuff in. Had completely forgotten it was in there. They were cool about it. Let me take it back into the terminal and mail it home to myself.

Got back home and started unpacking. Wyff was really fussy about food so we took a backpack cooler filled with homemade sandwiches, fresh fruit, etc on every flight. Was unpacking the cooler and found a serrated steak knife we kept in there in case we needed it to cut up the fruit.

The Leatherman showed up in the mail a couple days later but that steak knife made it through security in both Detroit and San Diego. I'm sure the security equipment used now is more sophisticated.

Was that luggage checked?

The contact lens pouch and cooler were carry on. Had forgotten the steak knife was in a side pocket of the cooler. It had been in there for years.

So, the battery in the car was strong enough to lock the car, but not unlock them a very short time later? It no make sense.

tGreenWay wrote:So, the battery in the car was strong enough to lock the car, but not unlock them a very short time later? It no make sense.

Thought the same thing. GM electronics can be quirky. My SUV has a handle to release the tailgate and a separate button to open the rear hatch glass. Problem is the locks for both are electronic...no key. Have had occasional issues that are tied to the wiring harness running from the roof of the vehicle to the tailgate. Wires somewhere in the harness have frayed and sometimes (usually in cold, wet weather) power to the tailgate goes out, making it not possible to open the tailgate or hatch glass. Supposedly GM designed a manual release into the tailgate but I've never bothered looking for it. Just wait for the weather to get warmer and drier and it eventually starts working again. Had a repair shop look at it once. They slapped some insulating goop on the wires and got it working again for a couple years before it went out again. Vehicle is too old to bother spending hundreds on replacing the entire harness.

The harness issue also knocks out other functions in the tailgate including the rear wiper and defroster. For some reason it also knocks out the retained accessory power feature that allows operating the power windows and radio for 10 minutes after the ignition is shutoff. The biggest PITA about the harness issue is it also makes remote lock/unlock non-functional, forcing use of the key to open the driver door. I very rarely open the tailgate anymore because that will sometimes joggle the harness enough to upset it, even in good weather.