How To Get Into A Locked Car: 6 Methods To Get Car Keys Out Of A Locked Vehicle Safely

When you get to your car, you discover that you’ve been locked out. Perhaps you locked your keys in the car, misplaced them, or the keys broke in what appears to be a bizarre accident. You want to scream within, but you try not to. What are you going to do? These things may happen at any time, whether you’re on a road trip or merely on your way home from the grocery store. Though it might be inconvenient and infuriating, here are some methods for getting into a locked automobile.

With a little patience, practice, and even more patience, you can get your keys out of a locked vehicle—and you won’t have to visit an auto body shop near you to have your window fixed afterwards. Here are a few pointers to help you get into your locked automobile securely. 

Method 1: Troubleshooting Locks

If you realize, “OMG, I locked my keys in my car,” and begin to panic, the first step is to take a deep breath. The next step is to investigate your locks. The good news is that you may be able to get access by just checking all of your automobile doors.

If you locked your keys in the car or misplaced them, the door lock may have failed to close correctly. To test whether you can get in, try all of the automobile doors and windows. If you are successful and get in this manner, congratulations!Just be sure to repair the broken lock once you’ve collected your vehicle keys, because open automobiles are one of the leading causes of car break-ins.

If you have your keys but your car door lock is damaged or malfunctioning, you can enter the vehicle through the trunk.

Even if you don’t have a hatchback, you may be able to enter your vehicle and unlock the doors through the trunk. If you have a physical key, try to open the door, as there may be a problem with your car’s remote that is stopping you from entering the vehicle.

Method 2: Load Up Your App

Newer vehicles can also be remotely opened using your automaker’s mobile app. You must sign up and link the car to your account prior to the lockout, however doing so at the time of purchase will avoid future lockouts. Here’s a quick rundown of popular vehicle lockout apps:

myChevrolet – Serves as a remote key fob for your GM car, allowing you to lock or unlock it, start or stop the engine, sound the horn, and even locate it.

Hyundai Blue Link® – Allows you to unlock, lock, start, stop, and activate your Hyundai’s headlights and horn.

NissanConnect® – Services include lock/unlock, Vehicle Health Reports, Maintenance Alerts, and Alexa and Google Assistant integration.

Toyota App – This app allows you to lock and unlock your doors, locate your Toyota, receive recall notifications, and access maintenance information.

MySubaru – The MySubaru app, accessible via STARLINK, locks and unlocks your vehicle, remotely starts and stops it, and even immobilizes it if it is stolen.

Method 3: Make Use of Your Shoelace

If you’re trying to figure out how to open a locked car door, you’re probably not thinking about your shoes. In fact, your shoelace may be able to assist you in unlocking your vehicle.

Unfortunately, this does not work with all auto locks. This requires that your vehicle have post locks, which are the sort of locks that stick straight up on the window sill.

You pull up to unlock them and can see them plainly from the exterior of the car. Here’s what you should do if you have that sort of automobile lock:

• Begin by untying the shoelaces on one of your shoes.
• 5 inches from the centre of the lace, cast an eyeball.
• At that moment, tie a slip knot.
• Work the shoelace at the halfway between the door and the car’s doorframe, holding one end of the lace at the top of the window and the other end on the side where the door would open.
• Loop the slip knot around the post lock with a flossing motion.
• Pull on both ends of the shoelace to hold the post and pull upward, restricting/tightening the knot.

Hopefully, this will assist you in unlocking your vehicle. If you’re wearing slip-on shoes or sandals and don’t have shoes with laces, check if you can borrow someone else’s shoelaces.

Method 4: Use Home Improvement Tools to Get Inside

When it comes to automobile buying advice, chances are you didn’t think about whether your vehicle had post locks or not. If your automobile lacks these sorts of locks, the good news is that there are various do-it-yourself options for getting back into your locked car. Here are some resources to help you:

A coat hook

If you have horizontal locks, you might be able to make a hook out of a coat hanger by untwisting and shaping it. After that, try using the car door and maneuvering the hook around the lock. Pull it to check if it unlocks.

A screwdriver as well as a metal rod

If you don’t have the keys, you can try to open your car door with a screwdriver and a metal rod. Open some room with the screwdriver, then insert the metal rod into the lock to test whether it unlocks. Just be cautious since these instruments might cause harm to the automobile.

Spatula

You could even find that culinary equipment like a spatula can assist you figure out how to open a locked automobile door. Place a spatula between the car doors to make room and pry the door open. You can unlock the door from the inside if you can open it with the spatula.

A wedge for an air bag pump

You may also purchase an air bag pump wedge to unlock your automobile door. Using this gadget, air is pumped between the automobile doors to create a large enough door opening to employ tools to efficiently unlock the car.

Plastic

If you have a strip of plastic, fold it into a U-shape, and then lay the bottom closed section between the door jambs and raise it up.

Method 5: Seek Professional Assistance

Having your car keys locked inside is bad enough. Sometimes you don’t have the time or energy to do it yourself, or your DIY attempts fail. If you’ve tried and failed to figure out how to unlock a locked automobile, it’s time to call in the experts.

Assistance on the road

You can seek roadside assistance for your automobile lockout scenario. These pros can come to you, but you must know where your automobile is. The good news is that you can use your Metromile App’s GPS feature to find your car even if you had to leave it to gain a signal.Customers who have roadside assistance will have assistance arrive to their area and open their vehicle for them (one of the added perks of being a Metromile customer).

Locksmith

If you don’t have roadside assistance, you should call a vehicle locksmith to get into your locked automobile. They will be able to access your automobile without causing any harm and will be able to repair any faulty locks that may have caused this situation. Furthermore, if your keys are lost or destroyed, a vehicle locksmith may produce you new ones.

Method 6: Call the police officers

Call the police officers who are manning a slim jim, which is used to aid with car lockouts. However, if your vehicle is a modern model, some police officers nowadays cannot assist you. If your situation is very grave, you should alert the police. Unless you’ve trapped a kid or an animal inside a heated car and want immediate assistance, we recommend using a non-emergency number rather than 9-1-1.

Finally, follow these procedures if you’ve locked your keys in your car and are attempting to find out how to get into a locked automobile. There are several methods for opening a locked automobile, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional. Just be cautious of potentially harmful solutions like as shattering the glass or using equipment such as slim jims, which are perilous nowadays because newer automobiles contain essential wiring housed in these locations. You can get into your automobile securely by using the alternatives given above.