Modern electric vehicles are packed with incredible technology, from flush-mounted electronic door handles to app-controlled remote entry. But when the electrical system completely dies, that futuristic tech can quickly become a terrifying trap. One California family learned this the hard way when a sudden battery failure locked their infant inside a 2024 Cadillac Lyriq EV.
The incident occurred on the morning of January 4th as Lacey Gunn was preparing to take her children to church in her parents’ Cadillac Lyriq. Everything appeared normal as she placed her 12-month-old baby, Lyla, into her car seat and closed the door.
However, when she walked around to the driver’s side to load her toddler, Hazel, the vehicle’s electronic door handles refused to pop out. The car had gone completely dark, leaving the mother totally locked out of the cabin.
Panic quickly set in as the family exhausted every available option to get into the car. Gunn first tried using the physical key fob, but it was completely unresponsive. She then attempted to use the remote keyless entry feature through the Cadillac mobile app, but the vehicle remained locked. Even the EV’s charging port refused to open.
Desperate, the family contacted OnStar, General Motors’ dedicated safety and security service. While the service advertises remote vehicle control, the OnStar representative was unable to unlock the doors because the Cadillac’s dead battery prevented any communication with the car’s computer.
Read More from MotorBiscuit:
- What Actually Happens When Your EV Battery Dies Completely?
- How the Lemon Law Works: Can You Really Force a Dealer to Buy Back Your Car?
ChatGPT Provides the Rescue
As the clock ticked past 20 minutes, the trapped 12-month-old began crying and growing highly distressed in the cold winter weather. While Gunn was on the phone with 911 debating whether to smash one of the vehicle’s windows, her husband typed their exact situation into ChatGPT.
Within seconds, the AI provided the manual override solution: the family could access the cabin through a small latch in the trunk by using a hidden physical key located inside the fob. In their panic, the parents broke the key fob open to retrieve the metal key – though GM confirms there is a button on the side to slide it out – and finally pulled the baby out through the rear hatch. The child had been trapped alone in the dark car for 27 minutes.
The Lyriq was eventually towed to a local Cadillac dealership, where a diagnostic report confirmed that a faulty 12-volt battery had caused the electrical system to crash into lock mode.
Interestingly, the dealership initially handed the grandparents a bill for nearly $1,000 to replace the key fob they broke while rescuing the baby. It was only after local news outlet ABC7’s Seven on Your Side team contacted General Motors that the dealership agreed to refund the cost of the fob and the family’s rental car gas.
The child’s grandmother, Erica, is only halfway through her two-year lease but refuses to drive the car, leaving it sitting vacant in her driveway for months. She asked Cadillac to buy back the lease, but the automaker denied the request.
According to Lemon Law attorney William McGee, the family currently has no legal recourse under consumer protection laws. To qualify for a Lemon Law buyback, a vehicle must undergo multiple failed repair attempts for the same issue, meaning the family is stuck with the lease unless the car traps someone again. Currently, the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq is not under any specific safety recall for its 12-volt battery.
Why Does a High-Tech EV Rely on a 12-Volt Battery?
To many drivers, the most confusing part of this ordeal is the fact that an electric vehicle – which is essentially a giant battery on wheels – can be completely immobilized by a dead battery. But it is a surprisingly common flaw across the entire EV industry.
While the massive, high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack under the floorboards is responsible for actually powering the electric motors and moving the car, almost all EVs still rely on a traditional, old-school 12-volt lead-acid battery. This smaller battery is responsible for powering the vehicle’s low-voltage systems, including the infotainment screens, the onboard computers, the hazard lights, and, crucially, the electronic door locks.
If that 12-volt battery suddenly fails or drains unexpectedly, the “brain” of the car shuts down entirely. As a built-in safety mechanism, the dead computer will automatically sever the connection to the high-voltage pack. The result? A fully charged EV that is completely bricked and locked down.
How to Avoid an Electronic Lockout
As automakers continue to replace physical door handles and traditional keyholes with app-based entry and flush-mounted electronic buttons, the risk of getting locked out (or trapped inside) is only increasing.
If you drive a modern luxury car or an EV, do not rely entirely on your smartphone app for access. Always keep your physical key fob with you. More importantly, take five minutes today to learn exactly how your vehicle’s manual override system works.
Nearly every modern key fob has a small button or release switch that allows a physical, laser-cut metal key to slide out of the plastic housing. Once you have the metal key, check your owner’s manual to find the hidden keyhole. On some cars, it is hidden beneath a plastic cap next to the driver’s door handle; on others, like the Lyriq, it is hidden near the rear hatch. Knowing where this emergency access point is before a crisis strikes could save you from a very costly, terrifying ordeal.
