I parked my 2003 Dodge Viper for the winter and when I went to get into it for the registration the key would not open the doors. It appeared to have no power so I put a new battery in and I still cannot open the doors. When I parked it I left a set of keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked, but they are now locked and the other set of keys will not open the doors.

I parked the viper locked the doors with the alarm on. I went to start it and the alarm light is of I have no response to my electronic opener. I cannot open manually with the key. I have tried disconnecting battery, charging battery, reprogramming hand held opener. The thing is sealed and cannot be opened.

The remote may have lost syncronization. According to the service manual if you hold the lock and unlock buttons on remote for 5-10 seconds, you will get a chirp and remote will now be syncronized. It could also be that the battery in your remote is dead as happened to me.
As to opening door, a dodge dealer told me there was a service advisory on this. It says first try key in door and when turning key towards rear of car, be pushing in on door near latch and at same time pushing down on door handle. I tried this and door opened right up. If cannot get door open then advisory says you need to energize fuse #62 which is for the PCM. Energize by running jumper wire from positive terminal to fuse in #62. Just touch fuse contact on top, do not hold there for long. I did not try this as I was able to open door with key. Once I started car there were some starnge sounds coming from dash. May have been something with electronics, not sure. I shut car off and started again, this time no sounds, everything okay. One remote worked, one did not. I assume battery dead and will replace. If still not working, you can re-program remote by reading page 15 in owners manual but need at least 1 working remote to do this, otherwise have to re-syncronize.

Hello judith_brodm,

I had a situation where I locked my keys in my truck, doors shut, could not get through the back window, and luckily, the hood was up. So, I took a wild chance and thought to do this:

Disconnect the battery - Just one side. Not both. This worked for me. (power locks).

I read that you replaced the battery though. Even though you have no power, your keys should be able to unlock the door manually. That's strange. The only other thing I could think of, cause for a nice care such as a Viper (my dream car actually, as well as a Plyouth Prowler), I wouldn't try the hanger in the window thing; is to call a lock smith. It only takes a few minutes - what they do (at least the one I called for u-haul) is lightly pry the door enough to fit a deflated balloon in the door. then, once the door is open enough, they use a hand held mechenism to ulock the door and Presto!!

The balloon and prying on the door shouldn't hurt it or affect the function of it. The u-haul door was fine, so...but, choose this option at your own discretion.

I hope this information is helpful. I sincerely understand the frustration of your sitiuation, and can personally sympthize. Thank you for choosing fixya.com, and please, let me know if I can be of any fruther assitance, or more asssitance than I was here today.

Thank you, and feel free to rate my solution at your convenience.

carsandcomps
Guru, fixya.com
Oregon