Are you traveling with your kids? Whether it’s a quick trip to the local supermarket or a long drive, your kids will start finding things to play with. If they’re not fiddling with their gadgets, they’re going to start messing the car. That could lead to unsafe situations for kids. That is why it is best to know beforehand how to check the child lock in the car.
Most car models have protective measures to prevent your kids from opening the doors or windows. “Child Lock” may seem irrelevant to others and often taken for granted, but its existence is of utmost importance to your family’s safety. In this article, we’re going to tell you how you can make full use of it.
What Is a Child Lock?
Child Locks are small switches installed at the side of the rear doors. While the doors are open, you can disable and deactivate the child lock. When turned on, even when the key is disabled, your children won’t be able to open doors from inside. It ensures that someone has to pull the exterior door handle from outside to open the passenger’s seat.
The child lock feature is an essential element of safety, especially those with children on board. If you’re driving, you do not realize what’s happening in the back seat. It might not be enough to lock the doors. The child lock offers protection of the second standard.
How to Check Child Lock in Car
Most cars have the lever or keys for doors with slots or backseats for children. You can consider the keys to the inner section you can’t see while the door is locked. There is a symbol that looks like a kid with an arrow that says how to approach him.
Depending on the car, you flip it up and down for the lever locks. It will be a curved button with a small notch inside for the key in slot ones.
A dashboard click or electronic device may be mounted in newer cars to activate the doors. Once again, check your user manual to ensure they are engaged.
When to Engage Your Car’s Child Lock
Ideally, you need to do that even before your toddler can reach the car door handle. Don’t hesitate to touch the locks at both the passenger door.
While at it, and if your car has the power, activate your window locks too. Children love to throw things in. The last problem you see is a sippy cup or shoe whirling down the street behind you because the window is opened.
Baby vehicle doors and window locks are often a smart option for dealing with dogs, children and elderly adults, or people with dementia. It’s always a safety precaution to know first how to check child lock in car.
How to Use Child and Window Locks
Child Lock
- When contemplating putting these protective systems on, it will be wise to position the car responsibly and ensure that the children/pets are cared for properly.
- Open the door/s you intend to ‘child safe.’ The lock mechanism will be positioned at the outside edge of the door right below the bolt.
- To activate the Child Lock, slide the switch to the other side, but in some cases, you will need to use a key. Remember, you must manually turn on the Child Lock, which you can only activate from the outside.
Window Lock
- Please remind the driver to click the window lock button to trigger the Window Lock. It’s the lever with the window symbol on the driver’s door below or beside the power door lock keys.
- The driver should have complete charge of both windows until it has been pushed. Meaning, the windows will only be opened/closed.
- Only re-press the Window Lock button to deactivate.
Apart from the Child and Window Locks, it’s safest to get your kids buckled on a child seat before you make your way. You’ve secured a worry-free ride with your kids.
How to Fix Child Safety Door Lock
- You can use a flat-head screwdriver to remove the plastic mask around the child lock handle, revealing a wider opening to see through the door lock.
- You can spray the WD-40 inside and outside the lock lever. Be careful to pour the lubricant deep into the structure of the kid lock.
- Switch off and loosen the child safety lock on several times, then reset it. Make that 15 to 20 times. Repeat that process for all troubled doors.
- Remove the plastic cover and shut the door over the child lock mechanism. Drive to see how the issue continues.
- Repeat this method but also put tape on the slider if the issue occurs by pressing the lever down. Make sure the tape is good enough to hold the lever in a downward location.
- If the issue continues, you may want to test the device first. You could have a locking mechanism issue, and may need a new replacement.
Conclusion
As you know, a child’s curiosity is uncanny. Even though they are taught that they shouldn’t touch a hot stove or a car door handle, potential risks can still be further prevented. While you keep your child buckled in a safety seat, it’s best to know how to check the child lock in the car before you go on a short or long trip. Find out more about Child Locks.