How to Get Inside a Locked Car
Nothing is more maddening than getting locked out of your car and standing there staring at the keys dangling from the ignition. It's especially bad if you have also left the engine running. However, there are ways to get inside most locked cars so that you can retrieve your keys—and your dignity—without resorting to the car dealership or a locksmith.
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Instructions
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Count your blessings if you have an old car with the old up and down buttons on it—at least for the moment. It's like having a "get inside your car" insurance policy. Straighten out a wire coat hanger. Curl the end into a little hook and gently slide it between the side or vent window and the rubber molding. Carefully use the hook to grab the button and pop it up.
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Go to a nearby gas station or a parking facility office, if you are fortunate enough to be parked near one. Many of them have a jimmy on hand. This nifty little tool opens doors. It slips between the door and window and works on the internal locking system in the door, opening it with ease. It doesn't hurt your door, either. Show your appreciation—this can save you hundreds of dollars in locksmith's bills.
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Call your roadside assistance provider. Many people don't realize that the same folks who come to your rescue when your car dies on the road can also come to your rescue in your driveway. The plan often has a service policy for opening locked cars. Check your policy to find out.
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Try breaking the small vent window if you have to break into the car. It's a lot cheaper to replace. If you're lucky, only the latch on the window will break and the glass will remain intact.
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Check your newer car to see if your keys have been coded. Some codes may be engraved right on the key; others are hidden inside a plastic piece on the key. You can call any dealer who sells your make of car and find out if your keys are coded, if you can't see it yourself. Have a key made without a locksmith's charge by calling the code in to the locksmith. Even if he needs to come out to bring you a key, it's far cheaper than having him make a wax model and then craft a new key.
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Get more information on understanding your car and how to take care of some of the simpler things yourself and save a bundle, go to The Family Car web magazine. The URL is listed below.
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Tips & Warnings
Write your car key code down in your wallet. (Don't write what the code is for, however.) The next time the unthinkable happens, you can solve the crisis without a bit of drama.
Ask the person who provides the jimmy to work it for you, as the tool can be tricky.
