Back to GuidesIt’s hard to think of anything more frustrating than locking your own keys in your own car. But it happens quite frequently. Folks start thinking about other things, mindlessly going through their day, and then before they know what hit them, they’re standing on the outside of the car, peering desperately through the window at the keys dangling from the ignition.
But this, too, shall pass, since there are several solutions that can help you get out of this tricky situation. Fear not—all is definitely not lost.
Try Obvious Fixes First
There are a few ways that you can damage your vehicle when you try to get the keys out of it from behind a locked car door. And that’s not something you want to happen. For this reason, start with the most obvious fixes for the problem at hand, slowly eliminating them one by one until you reach the more complex solutions. The solution for a lockout largely depends on the type of car and the type of lock.
A Word About Emergencies
With the above being said, now is as good a time as any to add the disclaimer that if there is an emergency being caused by your keys being locked inside your vehicle, call 911 immediately. This means that if a person or a pet is locked inside, you need to get them out sooner rather than later. And if EMS is taking too long to respond, you may have to break a window—but do so safely by selecting a window that’s not near the baby in the backseat or the pet hovering in the floorboard waiting on help.
Simple Fixes to Consider
Assuming you have no real emergency going on that is only solved by your doors being unlocked, you can move on to looking at simple fixes for the problem of having your keys locked inside your car.
First off—have you checked all of the doors? Maybe one was inadvertently left unlocked. It is not unheard of for a customer to call for lockout service only to find that the back door of the car was already unlocked.
Can someone bring your spare key to you? If you have a spare key, can you call someone up and request that they bring you the key?
Does the local police or fire department offer unlocking services? Call them up and ask.
Do you have AAA or some other roadside assistance plan that provides unlocking services? Call them. Now is the time to take advantage of your benefits.
Are none of these options working for you? If not, it’s time to consider other alternatives.
Forcing Your Way Inside
If you find that you are still locked out of your vehicle after trying the simple and easy solutions above, then you may have no choice but to force your way inside the car.
At this point, if you have a slim tool called a Slim Jim (or if some passersby have pity on you and offer you the use of one), you may be in luck. These tools work by sliding down in the door cavity and triggering the unlocking mechanism. Keep in mind that the Slim Jim can damage the components of your door, and using one is not always a surefire recipe for success.
A better alternative may be the bladder and pump, which is an air bladder with an attached bulb-type pump. This auto entry tool is available at most hardware and automotive stores. Typically sold in a kit, this option features a long metal rod along with a flat air bladder equipped with a bulb pump and some plastic wedges. Follow the instructions on the kit to (hopefully) open the door to your car and retrieve your car keys.
Based on that same premise, you can possibly use some construction shims and a metal coat hanger or another semi-rigid rod to achieve a similar effect. (You’ll need to deconstruct the coat hanger a bit by unraveling it, creating a thin rod-like apparatus as a result). The reasoning behind this method is to use the shims to create a sufficient amount of space between the car’s window and pillar to insert the coat hanger without causing any harm. To do this, insert the wedge into position and slide the coat hanger in.
Once you gain entry into the door’s open space, there are a few ways you might be able to unlock your car’s door. The easiest—although probably the least likely to work—is to maneuver the coat hanger or the rod (depending on whether you have an auto entry kit described above or not) to push down on the door’s unlock button. Alternatively, it might be a bit easier to try to use the coat hanger to pull the door handle or lever on the door.
If you’re unable to get the door unlocked using the coat hanger and these two methods, then you can go fishing for your keys. Try to hook the keys onto the coat hanger or rod, and then attempt to pull the keys through the opening you have created. Similarly, you might be able to reach the key fob buttons on your key ring. If this is the case, try to push the fob’s unlock button. Although it sounds tricky, this has worked before for other locked-out car owners.
And finally, another option that results in minimal or no damage to your car is the cowboy method. This method involves inserting a string or shoelace, fashioned into a lasso with a slip knot, at the corner top of the door and the door frame, moving it back and forth to maneuver it into the space between the door’s frame and the weather stripping on the car. The method then involves lassoing the vertical door lock and pulling it upwards (very gently) to unlock the car door and retrieve your keys inside. It’s very difficult to unlock a car door using this method, but some lucky (or maybe very skilled) folks have reported success doing so.
Lock picking kits are also available, and there are videos online that show how to use them. The method usually involves inserting a screwdriver-like tool into the door's keyhole on the front door or driver's side door and then giving a wiggle to locate and engage the locking mechanism inside. It definitely requires some skill to pull off.
Did you lock your keys inside the car with the car running? If so, then you can also try to roll down the window by using the deconstructed metal coat hanger to push down on the button or locking mechanism that operates the windows. Although this is an obvious fix for the problem of locked-up keys, it is an often overlooked option.
Easiest Solution for Locked-Up Keys
The easiest and likely fastest (not to mention, less stressful) method of getting your keys out of your locked car is to just call for help. AAA is one of the most popular roadside assistance services, and it offers lockout services for its members. And if the technician responding to your service call can’t unlock the car for you, then AAA coverage pays for the services of a locksmith to come out and get your keys unlocked. Progressive, Better World Club, USAA, Geico, AARP, and the Allstate Motor Club all offer similar services for members.
As a Last Resort…
Perhaps any discussion of solutions for keys that are locked inside cars would be remiss if it didn’t address the elephant in the room—breaking out the window. Yes, it seems a bit aggressive, but if you really need to use your car (or your keys because your house key or other keys are on the same key ring), then this can be a viable solution in a very limited number of circumstances. Just remember to be careful when breaking glass and be sure to use safety measures when cleaning up the inevitable mess it makes.
Why Asking for Professional Help is Your Best Bet
Although the spirited discussion above provides some useful tips for unlocking a locked door to get to the keys dangling from your car’s ignition, you want to ask yourself if it’s really worth it before trying any DIY tips for unlocking your car. But why?
Simply put, automakers go to a lot of trouble to make it hard for would-be bad guys to break into the cars they sell. And that’s essentially what you’re trying to do when you use these methods to get to your keys. This is especially true of late-model vehicles since anti-theft components get even harder to crack over time. Older cars and their manual locks made it a lot easier for distracted or forgetful owners to shimmy their locks and avoid calling out a locksmith to get back inside. That’s not as true today, and you can even cause some major damage to your car if you don’t know what you’re doing when you force your way inside.
That’s why your local locksmith is trained in up-to-the-minute auto unlocking techniques. They have specialized tools and equipment that average Joes don’t own. And they have experience in unlocking cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and even home entry doors. Because of this, it is generally the best practice (assuming your AAA responder can’t do it) to call for a locksmith’s help on this one. What’s more, locksmiths know how to help you get into your vehicle even if it has a keyless ignition or keyless entry system that uses a transponder.
Another reason locksmiths are more capable of opening locked doors than you are is that they have the skills to unlock a car physically without causing damage to the exterior. Most DIY efforts at popping a lock open result in dents on the car. A locksmith can actually use a special tool to make a copy of your key while it’s still locked inside—simply by using a key analyzer to analyze your door’s lock.
How Much Do Locksmiths Charge for Unlocking Services?
Calling a locksmith to let you in your locked car isn’t exactly cheap. According to HomeAdvisor, the typical range for locksmith services is $97 to $216. Locksmiths charge an average of $50 to $100 an hour, and their after-hours rates run from $75 to $125. Trip charges, emergency trip charges, and unlocking charges may be assessed separately or on top of the locksmith’s hourly rate. Prices vary widely by geographic location.
Avoiding the Problem
No one purposely locks their keys in their car, but we’re all human. Things happen. Still, locking your keys up in your car is a problem that is avoidable, or at least manageable, if you’re proactive about the possibility of it happening. And preparing for that potentiality may save you big bucks if you find yourself locked out.
For instance, it takes little money or effort to have a spare key made for your car—one that you hide in an inconspicuous place or that a friend or relative holds for you until it’s needed. You might also keep a spare key to your car inside your purse or wallet.
It also takes minimal effort and a very small cash outlay to sign up for roadside assistance. In addition to vehicle unlocking coverage, plans from AAA and others also offer towing coverage, battery coverage, and gas delivery. If you just use the service of your roadside assistance plan one time (say, for calling out a tow truck), the plan has essentially paid for itself, since most run less than $100 per year and even cover more than one vehicle and other drivers too. And whether you drive a Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, or some other car, you're eventually going to need some sort of roadside help.
The Bottom Line
Now that you know more about what to do when your keys are locked in the car, you're more prepared for this all-too-common life emergency. And now that you know what can happen if you lock yourself out of your car, you can take steps to avoid the situation in the first place.
