Locked out of your car? Don’t panic

Locked out of your car? Don’t panic

All it takes is a moment’s lapse in concentration: you’re busy with the kids, or late for a meeting and you walk away from the car as normal, but then realise your keys aren’t in your pocket or handbag and you’ve left them in the car or in the boot. But by the time you have realised it is too late, and the car has automatically locked with your keys safely inside. 

Locking your keys inside your car is surprisingly common – it is something that auto locksmiths see on an almost daily basis – so if it does happen to you, while you might feel embarrassed, you aren’t alone and there are people out there who can help.

But if it does happen, and you need to get back into your vehicle and you don’t have a spare key with you, what should you do?

Don’t smash your way in

This is really important: don’t be tempted to get a brick, or any other heavy object that comes to hand, and throw it through the driver’s side window. Not only is it dangerous, with all the broken glass in and around the driver cockpit that could result from it, it can also be expensive because while you might have your car keys back, you now have a window that need to be fixed – and quickly. It can also void your manufacturer’s warranty.

Don’t try a homespun method

Likewise, don’t be tempted to try an alternative method, such as sticking a coathanger between the window and the weather stripping. It often doesn’t work and can end up causing damage to the car, which again will need fixing quickly and can leave you with a bill you don’t need to have. 

Also, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. There are sites out there that give various tips and hacks to get into a car, but these aren’t always reliable and can end up causing damage. While some tricks may work on older cars that don’t have electric windows or central locking and engine immobilisers, it’s a different story for more modern cars, which are more secure than ever.

Trying methods like these can also trip the car’s alarm, which will just add to the stress of the situation as it cannot be turned off.

Call an auto locksmith

Your first call when you have locked yourself out of your car should be to an auto locksmith. Auto locksmiths are specialists in everything to do with car keys and locks and are able to get into your vehicle, often within minutes, without causing any damage to the vehicle. This is thanks to the specialist lock-picking equipment – which isn’t available to members of the public – that they carry on their vans.

Auto locksmiths are fully trained in a wide range of ways to get into your car – no matter what make, model or age it may be – and get your keys back and you on your way again. This training is refreshed regularly to ensure that they are constantly updated to keep up with the ever-changing technology used by manufacturers on their keys and the new models that appear on the market each year.

In addition, a call-out for an auto locksmith is cheaper than the cost of replacing a window or any other damage caused if you try to get in yourself! 

If you live in the East Midlands, then give Auto Locksmiths a call on … . Our friendly staff can provide you with a no obligation quote, as well as book a time for one of the team to come out to you. If it is an emergency, we can be out to you wherever you are in the East Midlands within an hour, day or night, 365 days a year. There isn’t a lock that has beaten us yet!

What you need when you call an auto locksmith

If you have locked the keys inside your car, we will need a few things from you when you call us to arrange for us to come out to you:

• Ensure you know the make and model of your vehicle and the year in which it was made
• Some form of proof of ownership of the vehicle
• Your location or postcode

It is also worth contacting your insurance provider if you have key protection in these situations.

Get a spare key cut

If you have a spare key to hand, then locking your keys in the car isn’t a problem. But while cars should come with a spare key, not all do and they can get misplaced (do you know where yours is right now? Are you sure?). If you don’t have a spare key, it is worth getting another cut just in case this happens again or your main key breaks at a later day, and this is something an auto locksmith can do when they are getting your keys out of your car.

Auto locksmiths carry with them in their vans specialist key cutting equipment which enables them to cut a new key for any make or model of car that is on the UK roads. They also have the software necessary to download the key’s data from the car’s ECU and transfer it to a new key to ensure it works.

So if you find yourself locked out of your car, and get that sinking feeling, rest assured that help is only a call away and one mistake doesn’t have to ruin your whole day.

If you are in the East Midlands, give Auto Locksmiths a call: our qualified professionals can get you back into your car and on the road for a price that is competitive with any other auto locksmith in the region – and certainly cheaper than fitting a new window. For more information click here