Auto Locksmith Services: What To Do When You Get Locked Out Of Your Car

Getting locked out of your car can be a frustrating experience. Whether you lost your keys or locked them inside your car, car lockouts usually happen without warning. However, when these unfortunate situations occur, it’s essential that you remain calm and never do anything that might worsen the situation. Instead, you should think of effective ways to successfully unlock your car.

So, if you’ve been locked out of your car, here’s what you should do from the get-go:

Man Forgot His Key Inside Car

Remember Where Your Car Spare Key Is Located

You probably have a spare key for your vehicle. But, if you haven’t brought it with you, think very hard where it’s located. You might have left it in your personal drawer, or your spouse might have the spare key. Wherever it is, you should ask someone to bring it to you and get back to your locked vehicle.

When you have a spare key, you no longer need to break your car’s door or window to get inside. That’s why you should invest in replacement keys for emergency cases, like car lockouts. Luckily, Bend Oregon locksmith services will be available to help you get a copy of your car keys ahead of time and ensure that you’ll be fine in case an unexpected lock issue arises.

Contact 911

If you believe getting locked out of your vehicle puts you in danger, calling 911 or finding a reliable locksmith near you for help can be the best thing you should do. More than your car, your safety should always come first, so don’t hesitate to seek assistance from the 911 team. They know how to handle such a type of situation and ensure you and your car will be safe until the lock issue is resolved. You can also consider calling an auto locksmith for car unlock service.

Check If You Can Avail Of Roadside Assistance

If the 911 team can’t come to your rescue, figuring out if you can avail of roadside assistance might be your next option. Fortunately, there are many ways to check whether roadside assistance is available at your disposal. This can include:

  • Car Insurance Coverage – Ask your insurance agent whether your car insurance policy provides roadside assistance. If yes, let them contact your car insurance company to seek help on your behalf. This is especially true if you haven’t saved your roadside assistance information in your mobile phone. However, if you’ve kept the information ahead of time, call the insurance company by yourself and ask for a tow service. Getting your car unlocked by a tow service can be one of the easiest and less expensive features of roadside assistance.
  • Auto Club Membership – If you’re a member of a well-known nonprofit auto club, check whether they can provide you with lockout assistance. Generally, auto clubs offer programs that can help you get back into your locked car. If you’re covered, call the representative and ask for assistance.
  • Credit Card – While most credit cards no longer offer compulsory roadside assistance, think very hard as you might have purchased one a few months ago. If yes, contact your credit card company to find out how they can help you with your current lock issue.
  • Warranty Service – If you’re driving a new car, there’s a high chance your warranty service covers roadside assistance. To be sure, call your car dealer and check the matter for you. If yes, ask them to help you with the unfortunate situation you’re in.

Call A Loved One Or A Friend

It’s always a good idea to phone a nearby family or friend when you’re locked out of your car on the road. This is especially true if you think that asking help from strangers might put you in a vulnerable position. So, let your family and friends know where you are so they can help you the soonest possible time.

For instance, they can assist when you try to troubleshoot your locks on the road. Also, if the troubleshooting fails, having someone on your side can make sure you and your vehicle are safe until professional help arrives.

Seek Professional Help

Auto locksmith services aren’t only available during normal situations. You can also avail of these services in emergencies when you get yourself locked out of your car in the middle of the road at night. Generally, seeking professional help can be the best thing you can do to get out of this trouble.

When roadside assistance isn’t available, you can contact a locksmith service provider, like Locksmith Plus, to help you. Wherever you are, they can come over to perform round-the-clock car unlocking and other locksmith services. They’ll unbolt your door locks without destroying your vehicle and fix any malfunctioning locks to keep you safe while being stranded on the road. ASAP Locksmith – Car Locksmith Services is what you need for professional and 24-hour car locksmith services in Dallas.

Try To Troubleshoot Your Locks

Whatever the reason for your lock issue, you might find a way to fix the problem by yourself. For example, if your car key is locked up inside the car or lost somewhere, it’s best to check all the doors as there might be a door lock that didn’t close successfully. In such a case, you’re able to resolve the issue and get yourself back behind the wheels as soon as you can.

But, if you have your car keys with you, but the lock is malfunctioning, you can check the other lock cylinders on your car to potentially unlock your vehicle. If it fails, you might use the trunk to unlock your doors and get inside your car in no time.

On the other hand, apart from the ways mentioned above, you can also use the following methods to unlock your vehicle without using the keys:

  • Shoelace – You can use a shoelace to resolve your car’s lock issue. All you have to do is turn your shoelace into a slip knot and, then, intertwine it into your car through the window. From there, pull the shoelace to squeeze the loop around the lock and pull it once more to force the lock to go upwards. Once you’re done, wait until you successfully unlock the door.
  • Coat Hanger – If your vehicle comes with horizontal locks, you can make use of a coat hanger to remedy the problem. Just make a hook out of the hanger and get it around the lock, and pull. If you do this right, you have a better chance of unlocking your car door in no time.
  • Strip Of Plastic – If you have someone who can come to your rescue, ask them to bring a strip of plastic so you can perform a do-it-yourself unlocking process. Simply bend the strip, insert it to the door jamb, and pull the lock. This can be one of the easiest ways to unlock a car door.
  • Rod And A Screwdriver – Although this method seems to be an easy way to unlock a car door, this should be done carefully as the screwdriver can easily break your vehicle’s interior and exterior. To get started, use the screwdriver to create a small space and the rod to push the lock and unlock it.
  • Tennis Ball – If you can borrow a tennis ball from someone, use it to unlock your locked doors. The principle is that you should create a hole in the ball, put the hole over the keyhole, and push to produce air force. The air force coming from the tennis ball will be used to unlock the vehicle even without using the keys.
  • Inflatable Wedge – The unlocking process is similar to the rod and the screwdriver. But, instead of a metal object, you’re going to use air from the inflatable wedge to unlock the door. Also, using an inflatable wedge can be an ideal option because it doesn’t damage your car paint.
  • Spatula – If someone can lend you a spatula, use it to unlock the door lock by inserting the lever and holding the door open. From there, push the spatula in and start lifting the lock to open your car.
  • Lock Picking Tool – Car picks should be one of the essential tools in your car toolbox since they’re worth using in emergency situations. Hence, if you’re familiar with how a lock picking tool works, use it to your advantage. Just insert your tension wrench into the lock’s keyway, find the appropriate tension, and set all the pins. Once you’re done, fully rotate it with a torque wrench and unlock it.

As you can see, there are several things you can use to unlock your car without your keys. However, if you believe professionals can best handle these methods, contact a trustworthy locksmith service provider near your area. You may check out the following video for more information if you’ve been locked out of your vehicle in Bend Oregon or other nearby places.

Final Thoughts

There are numerous ways to open a locked vehicle. Whether you want to troubleshoot the locks yourself or seek professional locksmith assistance, the choice is yours. Just be sure to keep yourself safe when trying to figure out how you can solve the lock issue as soon as you can.

Hopefully, you find this article beneficial in understanding what you should exactly do when you get yourself locked out of your car while on the road.