How to Get Clearance for the Elevator in Borderlands 4

By Ambar Jimenez | 2025-09-14 13:07:35
Welcome to Kairos, Vault Hunter. You've just survived a crash landing and a brief, explosive introduction to the local wildlife. Now, as you begin your first real mission in Borderlands 4, you're faced with a seemingly simple task: activate an elevator to meet up with Claptrap. But as many players are discovering, the "Recruitment Drive" quest has a surprisingly tricky roadblock.The elevator won't budge, and without a clear objective marker, it's easy to get stuck. This early-game puzzle is a common point of confusion for new players, but the solution is simple if you know where to look. This guide will walk you through the precise steps to get clearance for the elevator and continue your adventure.

Solving the Recruitment Drive Elevator Puzzle in Borderlands 4

The Recruitment Drive: Solving the Elevator Mystery

The "Recruitment Drive" quest begins immediately after the tutorial segment, with you and Claptrap making your way across the Coastal Bonescape. It's a straightforward mission that introduces you to the basic combat and traversal mechanics of the game. However, once you reach the elevator that leads to your first safehouse, the mission seems to come to a halt.You'll find the elevator at the end of a short path, surrounded by the bodies of defeated Timekeeper goons. Despite your best efforts, the elevator remains unresponsive. Your next objective is to "get clearance" for it.The key to solving this puzzle is to pay close attention to your surroundings. The hint is right in front of you: the dead enemies hold the answer. To get the elevator to work, you need to find the specific Timekeeper corpse that has the clearance key.

Here's the simple solution:

  • After you clear the enemies and approach the unresponsive elevator, turn around.
  • Look for a body sitting against a crate by the railing. The body is slumpedover, and it can be easy to miss in the heat of the moment.
  • Approach this specific corpse. You should see a small on-screen prompt to "Interact" and "Take Bolt."
  • Interact with the body to pull the Bolt from its neck. This is the access key you need.

The interaction prompt is notoriously small and can be hard to spot,especially for new players who are still getting used to the UI. Youhave to be standing very close to the body for the prompt to appear.This is the main reason so many players get stuck at this early stage of the game.

The Beginning of Your Journey

Once you've "borrowed" the access key from the deceased Timekeeper, simplyreturn to the elevator and activate it. The elevator will come to life,bringing Claptrap up to your level and allowing you to proceed with thequest.

With the elevator running, your final objective for"Recruitment Drive" is to establish your first safehouse. This new areawill serve as a crucial hub for your early-game adventures, providing:

  • A Fast Travel point, allowing you to instantly return to this location from anywhere on the planet.
  • Vending Machines to sell unwanted gear and purchase new weapons, shields, and ammo.
  • A Bounty Board with small side quests to take on for extra experience and Cash.

This first safehouse is just the beginning. As you explore the various regions of Kairos and other planets in Borderlands 4, be on the lookout for additional safehouses. Activating them willexpand your network of fast travel points, making it much easier tonavigate the world and get to key locations for farming, missions, andloot. With your first safehouse secured, you are now officially a partof the Crimson Resistance and can start preparing for the challengesthat lie ahead.

Platform(s): PlayStation 5 PS5, Microsoft Windows PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S
Genre(s): First-person shooter, action role-playing
Developer(s): Gearbox Software
Publisher(s): 2K
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Release date: September 12, 2025
Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
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