Got Locked Out of Your Car? 4 Tips for Getting Back In

We’ve all been there before. Nothing is worse than realizing your keys are still in your car the moment you slam the door shut behind you. Not only is this a difficult situation to be in regardless, but it seems to only happen when you’re already running late for that company meeting or have tons of other errands to finish for the day.

Although your first reaction may be to scream out loud, “I locked my keys in my car,” there are some other options that might be a bit more beneficial. Keep reading below to learn 5 ways to get back into your car!

1. Use a Plastic Wedge

If you’ve locked your keys in your car and you’re at your home or place of work, look around for a plastic wedge. Any piece of plastic that you can fit between the metal of the car and the door should do. This wedge is going to create a gap for you to use tools to unlock the car’s doors.

This technique works best for cars that have the locks that can be pulled up from the interior of the door. It can also work for cars with other types of locks that can be opened with some type of tool. In this situation, you can use an access tool, a rod, or even a stick.

It’s one method that’s possible using common things found around your car, home, or office. If you can wedge the door open with the plastic and slide a stick in to push or pull the lock open, then you’re in the clear!

2. Use a Slim Jim

For the slim jim technique, older cars are more likely to be unlocked than the newer versions. Another downfall of this technique is that not everyone has one of these just lying around. However, if you or someone you know does have one available and your car doesn’t have electric locks, then you’re good to go.

A slim jim has a notch at the end of it, which makes it easier to grip the lock. The slim jim is used with cars with the cylinder locks that stick out of the door’s interior. Insert the slim jim through the door between the rubber on the window and the window itself.

Grip onto the lock and pull it up to unlock! This technique is similar to the coat hanger where you’d insert the straightened out hanger and pull up on the lock or trigger it in other ways.

3. Contact Your Insurance

If these two options above aren’t something you’d like to attempt, then you can always contact your car’s insurance company. Make the call and ask them if your policy covers roadside assistance. Explain to them the situation, and they’ll be able to tell you if you’re covered or not.

If you have the coverage, then your insurance company will walk you through the steps to getting your car unlocked. If you don’t have this coverage, then you might want to seek other options.

4. Call the Auto Locksmith

When all is said and done, never hesitate to call your local auto locksmith. A locksmith will unlock your car for you with little worries of creating damage. They’ll also create a new key for you, which might be something you want to consider to save you from this situation in the future.

This auto locksmith, for example, has twenty years of experience and works quickly and professionally to get you back into your car as soon as possible.

Help, I Locked My Keys in My Car!

Have you found yourself screaming, “help, I locked my keys in my car” recently? If so, then you’ll want to keep these 4 ways to get back into your car in mind. And when all else fails, be sure to keep a spare key handy.

A good tip is to give the spare to someone you know who you trust and lives or works close by.

For more auto repair tips and tricks, be sure to visit us regularly!