Safe Won't Open With Code: Here's What To Do

A safe with valuables in it
Publish at Sep 21, 2022 By: Isaac Bell
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Imagine you need something valuable that you kept in your safe is required, and the safe combination isn't working now. You're confident that you've put the correct combination, but it's still not working.

These types of situations make us lose our temper at the moment. But the secret is to keep calm and think rationally. Machines are mere objects that can become faulty sometimes. Now, if you lose your temper or panic at that moment, it will not solve anything.

You have to think of ways to get out of the situation and try to open the safe. Now, as you're reading this article, it's a possibility that you're already in the situation. Keep reading the article to find out what to do when this happens.

Make Sure That You Put In The Correct Combination

Opening a safe with combination

To err is human. Human beings make faults sometimes. This is what makes us human. You can never rule out the possibility that you've been dialing the wrong codes all this time, especially in a situation like this.

If you haven't opened the safe in quite some time, it's normal to forget the safe combination. Keeping the safe combination saved somewhere can be a wise decision. Check there and make sure that the code is correct.

Again, you could know the combination by heart but dial the combination incorrectly. Make sure you're dialing it the right way. Now, if you've checked all that and the safe still won't open, we can assume there's a problem with the safe.

What Might Be The Problem?

Suppose your safe won't open even after dialing the correct code. In that case, there can be several most common reasons causing the problem.

Let's discuss the five possible reasons why the safe might have become faulty.

Dead Batteries

Sometimes the most critical problems have the simplest solutions. Cross your fingers and hope your batteries just ran out because there can't be an easier way out of this situation.

A dead battery will make the safe not work no matter whatever you do. Replace the batteries using brand-name batteries before doing anything else. Batteries from unknown brands degrade significantly more quickly than those from well-known brands. Even if your keypad beeps and lights up properly, it is crucial to attempt this step first.

The batteries could have enough power to run the keypad but not enough to retract the bolt work fully. If this trick works, you save yourself a lot of time and trouble.

Jammed Bolt Work

Even if you're using quality safe, the bolt work getting jammed is a normal scenario. Most users forget that safes are particular devices, not merely pricey metal boxes.

Over-stuffing the safe is one of the most frequent reasons for a stuck lever. Another scenario is that something may fall into a bolt hole at the safe's base. The bolts may become jammed in place if the safe has been overfilled. Either the handle won't turn at all, or it will turn partially before stopping.

Now, if it's a case of a jammed bolt work, you get to mule kick the safe, so it's time to let out your inner rage. Kick the door a couple of times with great force while facing away from the safe. This will assist in loosening the bolt work.

But make sure not to kick the keyboard or the safe handle. Enter the code after pulling the handle in the other way from how you usually do. This should allow the handle to move more easily and relieve some of the added strain on the bolt.

Deactivated Code

Deactivating your code can be another potential explanation for why your safe won't open. Have another person test their code to see if it is functional, assuming that someone else has access to your safe.

Lockout Mode Or Time Delay

If you've been entering the wrong codes in your safe and have done it too many times, it's possible that your safe has gone into lockout mode. Now, even if you're trying with the correct code, it won't open. This feature is actually for safety purposes.

The keypad often generates a quick succession of beeps, depending on its type. If this occurs, wait ten to twenty minutes before trying again, and you should be able to open the safe if this is the case.

Again, many safes have a time delay feature. If your safe has it, you won't be able to open it instantly after entering the code. To open a safe with this feature, you should follow the following steps:

  1. Enter the combination to start time delay, and you will see a light start flashing.
  2. After the delay period (usually five to ten minutes) is over, a beep will sound every 30 seconds, and the light starts to flash faster.
  3. Enter the combination again this time and turn the handle. You should be able to open the safe.

Disconnected Or Damaged Wiring

Electrical lines and circuit boards are components of any electronic equipment. And your safe also uses electronic locks and electronic keypads. Even though it's best to let specialists handle an electronic lock or combination lock, you may quickly check to determine whether the wiring is damaged or disconnected. Lose the complete keypad to check for loose, abraded, kinked, or severed wires.

Open the battery cover and remove the batteries if the wiring appears in good condition. Carefully separate the wire from the keypad. Replace or reinstall the batteries after waiting for around 20 seconds. Then reconnect the wires to see if the lock is operable.

Now, if the wiring is severed or damaged, you won't be able to solve the problem and will need to contact a certified locksmith. Make sure to get the model number of the keypad and inform the safe technician. This guarantees that the safe locksmith will arrive with the appropriate keypad.

What Should You Do Now?

Now that you've identified the problem, you can try a handful of ways to open the safe before calling a locksmith to solve the problem for you. If applied properly, these following tricks could save you a lot of time and be financially beneficial too. But mostly, these suggestions are mainly for the times when you need to open the safe urgently.

Safe Bouncing

You might be able to bounce your safe if you made the error of buying a subpar safe from one of the businesses that security professionals don't advise. Your cheaply constructed safe could still open in this manner if it doesn't use the appropriate means. to better understand your security level, look at the various safe kinds.

However, this simple safe entrance technique can only be used on safes with functioning bolt work. You can bounce a safe by going through the two following steps.

  1. Turn the handle and strike the top of the vault at the same time.
  2. Keep repeating the process as long as the safe doesn't open.

This trick might be able to open the safe for you but always keep in mind that.

  • Don't strike the safe so hard that you leave a dent in it.
  • It will not break the safe but can harm the lock assembly if done a lot of times.
  • This process only works on cheap safes.

Manipulation

A safe with destroyed electronic components

When a safe is not opening, safe manipulation is the kind of safe breaking you see in heist movies. In those movies, a dapper man will twist a combination dial while holding his ear to a safe, unlocking the lo0ck with his bare hands and a little skill. Unlike the movies, possessing a stethoscope is less important than knowledge, practice, and innate aptitude.

This method still works with a professional locksmith to access your safe. The kind of locking mechanism that can be modified without hurting the safe is a manual combination lock. The manipulation process might damage the locked safe, but these damages are repairable.

But, this process can be quite tricky, and if you don't have the proper knowledge and experience, you might be unable to open the safe door. So, it's better to call a local safe locksmith in this scenario.

Violent Entry

Opening a safe violently

You should try this process only when it's an emergency, and you are desperate to get into the sentry safe, and if you don't have enough time for the subtler techniques. Violent entry techniques seriously compromise the combination safe once it has been opened.

The safe may also need to be opened by force if it has sustained significant damage and won't open. The safe may not be able to open correctly due to jammed or completely damaged bolt work. Or, a safe occasionally refuses to open and can't be opened without being disassembled.

While using violent entry to open the safe, you must be careful that you don't harm the internal components and also yourself. So, it's best to leave these matters to safe technicians.

Call Amorlocks Locksmith Houston TX To Open Your Safe

Armor Locks Co. provides a trusted locksmith service around Houston, TX. Whether you have a home/office safe or a gun safe, if you're facing any problem regarding it, our locksmiths can solve that problem for you at a great price.

Our technicians are highly skilled and have worked in this field for a long time. Their experience speaks for themselves. We provide our service 24/7. So remember, whenever you need us, we're just a call away.

Call us at 832-481-5030 to get our services or any other inquiries.

Article written by: Isaac Bell
I'm Isaac Bell, founder of Armor Locks Co. I founded the company in 2014, and we've been growing. We're a Houston-based locksmith and security services provider, and we're dedicated to providing quality service and helping people in emergencies. We still uphold our founding ethos of putting customers first, which is why we're one of the most trusted names in security. Thank you for considering me for your next project!