What to Do if You Locked Your Keys in Your Car

Everyone is likely to accidentally lock themselves out of their car at one point or another. It’s simply too easy for the keys or key fob to fall out of your bag or pocket when you get up from your seat and exit your vehicle. High-tech features like key fobs, touchpads, and remote-unlock sensors reduce the risk of a car lock out. However, similar conveniences like electronic anti-theft systems and keyless ignition can also increase the likelihood of leaving the key somewhere.

What Can You Do if You Locked the Keys in the Car?

In case you end up locked out of your car, you can open the locked doors with one of the following approaches:

Use Your Spare Key

You receive two keys when you acquire your vehicle from the car dealership. Set aside one of the sets as a spare in case of a car lock out.

Hide the spare key in your bag, purse, or wallet. If you accidentally lock yourself out of your car, take the extra key and unlock the door. You can also give the backup key to a person you trust and contact them to bring the spare key to you if necessary.

Having three keys is better than two. Ask your dealership if they can provide you with a third key. Keep one with you, store the spare key in your home, and entrust the third to a reliable person.

Unlock the Door with the Keypad

Do you drive a Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury vehicle? Many models from these brands have an option to add a security keypad feature on one of their doors. If you locked your keys in a car model with a keypad, you can unlock the doors by entering the appropriate code.

Get a Temporary Key

Some dealerships can provide a temporary key upon request. While the temp key cannot start the engine, it can unlock the doors and let you retrieve the permanent keys inside your car.

Ask your dealer if they can provide a temporary key to help you unlock your vehicle. Obviously, you’ll have to prove your ownership of the car by providing the vehicle identification number and other pertinent information.

Remotely Unlock the Car With the Manufacturer’s App

If you have a fairly new vehicle, it probably has an accompanying app for your smartphone that you can use as a key.

Sign up for the service when you purchase your car from the dealership and pair your new vehicle to your account to prevent getting locked out.

Unlocking Manual Door Locks with String

Old vehicles with manual locks on their doors can be opened with several unorthodox approaches. If you can get your hands on several feet of fishing line, thin shoestring, or twine, you can use the length to open one of the manual door locks. Tie a loop in the middle before inserting the string into the door seam. Next, try to catch the door’s locking mechanism in the loop and pull up to disengage the lock.

Unlocking Manual Door Locks with Wire Clothes Hanger

Alternatively, you can try to open the manual door lock with a wire clothes hanger. Straighten the hanger and slip it into the door frame near the lock/unlock button. Then, push the button with the hanger until it disengages the lock.

Unlocking Manual Door Locks with Plastic Strip

Instead of looking for a wire clothes hanger, you can use a sturdy plastic strip to open manual door locks. Adjust the strip’s shape and wedge it through the door frame to press the lock-unlock button.

Unlocking Manual Door Locks with Inflatable Pump Wedge

If you often find yourself locked out of your car, consider investing in an inflatable pump wedge. It makes disengaging manual door locks easier and prevents damage to the paint job.

Insert the wedge into the door jamb and inflate the device by pumping it. As the wedge expands, it makes room between the door frame and door jamb. You can insert tools through the gap and disengage the manual lock.

Locksmith and Roadside Assistance Services

If your DIY attempts to unlock your car fail, call the professionals. Contact a car locksmith with the appropriate training and specialized tools for opening locked vehicles.

Many car insurance plans include roadside assistance services. You can contact the insurance company for roadside assistance with locked keys in your car. However, some insurers only offer a limited number of free car lock out services annually. Once you use the free services, you must pay for later assistance.

Are you a member of an auto-club or service provider? Put your annual fees to good use by contacting them for roadside assistance.

Call Towing Services

Many towing services also provide car lock out services. The downside is that you have to pay them. Still, if you need to get your keys back quickly, it’s best to pay for their services.

Call Emergency Services

Sometimes, getting locked out of your car might put someone at risk. You might have a child, pet, or senior citizen trapped inside the vehicle. If the key is in the ignition, there’s always a risk of accidental engine starts that can lead to collisions.

Call emergency services when you need to unlock your car’s door immediately. The police should be able to help you by using a lockout tool (also known as a slim jim) or by carefully breaking the window glass.It never hurts to know how to get keys out of a locked car. However, act with caution when unlocking the vehicle using unconventional means. You might accidentally damage the door while disengaging the lock, which can look unsightly and require repair.