Locked Keys in Car? Here's How to Get Back Inside Without Calling Roadside Assistance
It's more likely than you think you'll lock your keys inside your car. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to get back inside without calling assistance on the road.
By taking preventative measures, such as always double-checking before locking the doors, and keeping spare keys in designated areas to avoid being locked out of your car altogether!
1. Inflatable Wedge
The feeling of locking your keys in your car could be one of the most unpleasant things you can experience. It can throw your entire day into chaos and cause you to wonder how you will get home or work, or to your next event.
There are many ways to get back in your car after losing your keys. You can break the glass by using a coathanger wire that you've turned into a 'hook' or making a wedge from two or three door stoppers. If you don't own these items or your car has an auto lock and an air pump wedge might be the best option.
An air pump wedge is a multi-purpose tool used by professional locksmiths and repo professionals for auto lockout services. These tools typically have an inflatable bag that is slipped between the door and the weather stripping of the car to create an opening that can be opened by longer-reaching tools such as rods for unlocking vehicles. These wedges are made to be strong and non-marring, which helps to avoid scratching the paint of your car while providing a sturdy solution to get into the locked vehicle.
There are a variety of DIY air wedge kits available on the market. Some come with a hand pump to manually inflate. A good kit should be able to form a gap between the door and the jamb sufficient to allow for the installation of access tools and open the majority of cars that have manual locks.
If vehicle lock out works it is possible to call roadside assistance, or a local lock-smith If you don't have a spare key. If this is the only option, ensure that you keep your spare key in a secure location to ensure that you don't have to be concerned about losing it when you need to utilize it. Whatever method you choose, remain patient and remember that it's okay to be scared when you lock your keys in your car. your life will go in the normal way when you follow these easy guidelines.
2. Coat Hanger
Wire coat hangers are a standard household item that can be used to open the car. The trick is to bend your hook into a small V shape to allow it to grab the lock post in your door. Then, you can move the hook to unlock the lock. Similar techniques are used by police officers who have a slim Jim, however coat hangers require less fiddling.
Tie a slipknot at the middle of a long, paracord or string that is stiff. Make use of the slipknot at the top corner of the car door to pry it open. This will give you enough room to insert a long rod like a clothes hanger or blood pressure cuff. If you don't have a blood pressure cuff, ask your local drugstore for one. They often include them in their emergency kits.
Unravel the end of your coat hanger and straighten it out so you have a hook on one side and a straight one on the other. It may be easier to bend the hook into a V-shape, especially if you have pliers. This will require you to repeat the process a few times until you achieve the desired hook shape. Once you have the perfect shape, you can slide it over the weather stripping on the bottom of the door. Place it in the door just above the handle.
Once you have the hanger positioned on the wall, you can move it forward and back to find a pin or a bar that is responsible for the door lock post. Depending on your vehicle, it may be located just above or below the door's interior handle. Tap it lightly to see if it is able to move it. You can also try to pull it upwards or backwards in order to deactivate the lock.
If the lock's post shakes then you have successfully disconnected the lock. You can then pull the handle backwards and you're back in your car! This method works for older vehicles that have manual locks. Just be careful not to damage your window or the car frame by slipping the hook in too hard.
3. Shoestring
There are many tools that can help you get into your car locked quickly. You can make use of a long wood or metal strip that fits through the gap between the car and the door frame to push the unlock button from inside. However, these options are not always easy to locate and may scratch the paint of your car. An air wedge is a different alternative. It's shaped like an inflatable cuff you might find at an office of a doctor. It can be pumped into the gap to make it enough to push the unlock button. These devices are inexpensive and can be used over and repeatedly to unlock your vehicle.
A shoelace is a more simple tool. To find the slip knot, first unlace a shoe and look around the middle. Set one end of the shoelace between the corner and the doorframe of your car and work it through the crack until it forms a tie around the knob of your lock. Pull the knob tightly and pull upwards. This method can be mastered through practice in less than 30 second.
If this method doesn't work, you can use a slim Jim to open the door of your vehicle. A slim jim, a thin, flat metal tool with hooks at both ends that fit between the weatherproofing rubber of your car door and window, is the ideal solution. One can use the hooks of a slim jim in order to open the car door, however this method is a bit risky since it requires insertion of the device through the window's glass and could damage the seal of the door.
Prepare for the possibility that you leave your keys inside your vehicle and require to get it. There are several ways you can prepare for this situation before it happens, such as signing up for an automaker's app or service, subscribing to roadside assistance, or even leaving an extra key and fob with your family or friends.
4. Blood Pressure Cuff
Many doctors, nurses and other staff members carry a blood pressure cuff along with them. This is a small device that can be used to open your car after locking the keys inside.
Insert a deflated arm into the gap between the frame and the door. Slowly inflate the wrist until it forms an opening. Do not over-inflate the cuff or you may damage the door. You should now have enough room to fit a coat hanger made of wire or any other long, thin object that could reach the unlock button inside the door.
If you don't have a hanger for your coat Try a piece tubing or some wire. This is a trick that professionals use to open automobiles, so it's bound to work!
There are many tricks to gain entry into a locked car, but you need to be careful not to do anything that might damage your vehicle or hurt yourself. Always try the simplest and most secure method first. Your insurance policy could also cover these types of services! If all else fails call 911 or contact a towing company. They will charge a small fee, but you'll save time and money in the long run. The good news is that most of us have locked keys in our cars at one point or another. It's not a big deal when you know how to enter. If you have an extra key in your home, ensure that you have it in a place where you can access it. If you don't, ask a trusted friend or family member to keep an additional key for you. Also, make a habit of checking your keys before you press the lock button. Also, never lock your car with the remote, simply to be sure. These simple tips can keep you from being locked out of your vehicle in the future.