What To Do When You Lock Your Keys In Your Car

What To Do When You Lock Your Keys In Your Car

There are few things as frustrating as looking through the window of your locked car and seeing your keys dangling from the ignition. While this definitely can be an inconvenience, you do not have to panic just yet. There are options to get your door open and retrieve your keys.  We will show you what to do when you lock your keys in your car.

Check Your Car App

Many newer vehicle models are connected to an app created by the manufacturer. These apps provide many different services to the owner, including the ability to open doors remotely. If you have the app for your vehicle, check it first to see if there is an option to open your car door without the key.

Some of these apps may require a small fee for using this service, but this fee will likely be much less than calling a locksmith to come to your location.

Call Roadside Service

You may have roadside assistance available to you through a few different vendors.

Some dealerships offer warranties that have roadside assistance included.  Depending where you purchased your car, you may be covered by this warranty.

Check your car insurance provider.  Some insurance policies include roadside assistance as a covered benefit. You can also check your major credit cards. Many of these cards have roadside assistance available for free or at a deeply discounted rate.

If you belong to AAA or a similar program, you can also call them for assistance with unlocking your vehicle.

Call 911 If You Are In a Dangerous Situation

If your vehicle is broken down on the side of a busy road, there is a child or pet locked in the vehicle, or you are in a dangerous area where leaving your car could lead to harm, call the police or 911.

Call a Tow Truck

If you do not have roadside assistance, a tow truck can still be helpful. Many towing services carry lock-out tools in their truck. If they cannot open your doors, they can at least get you and your vehicle home.

Call a Mobile Locksmith

There are many locksmith services that can come to your location to open a door. This is a very valuable service, but it is also pretty expensive. You can expect to pay around $200 to have your door opened by a mobile locksmith.

What To Do When You Lock Your Keys In Your Car

Last Option

The very last option that you have is to break a window on your vehicle. This should only be used if all other options have been exhausted. Breaking a window will be very expensive for you in the long run and may even cost more than just calling a mobile locksmith.

If you are going to break the window, make sure that you hit the edge of the window with something hard, not the middle. While the first impulse will be to hit the center of the glass, this is actually where the glass is strongest, and you will be met with the most resistance.

Avoid Locked Doors By Having An Accessible Spare Key

When possible, keep a spare key in your purse or wallet. However, some of the newer vehicles only open via keyless entry or remote.  Spare fobs for vehicles with keyless entry are more expensive to replace than regular car keys, so it is advisable to keep track of them. Some remotes may even prevent the car door from locking if the key is still detected in the vehicle, an added bonus!

If you are familiar with the app for your vehicle, make sure that you are registered with the program and understand all of its available services.

Locking your keys in the car can be frustrating, but it is not the end of the world. Take a deep breath, and then figure out where you can get some help. There are many free and paid services that can have you back behind the wheel in little to no time.

And remember, if you are in a dangerous situation or there is a child or animal locked in the vehicle, especially when it is hot outside, do not hesitate to call the police for immediate help.

When Purchasing A Vehicle

Always remember to run a VINsmart report on any used vehicle before making a purchase.  A VINsmart report runs a complete history on the vehicle including whether it has ever been reported as stolen, involved in a major accident, or listed as a totaled vehicle.

VINsmart reports will also give you a registration history and mileage at registration.  It reports any significant incidents related to the vehicle, such as being involved in a fire or flood.

When you are going to purchase a used vehicle, the best way to ensure you are making a good purchase is to know the vehicle’s complete history.

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To get started with VINsmart, click here.

1 thought on “What To Do When You Lock Your Keys In Your Car”

  1. Thank you for explaining that you can call a mobile locksmith to help with getting back into your car. I didn’t realize that this was an option for this situation. I’ll have to see if the locksmith we use offers service like this.

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