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The next time you lock your keys in the car, you’ll want to try these genius tricks.Realizing you’ve locked keys in your car is never fun, especially when you’re running late. Luckily, newer cars make it much more difficult for you to do this. But if you find yourself standing outside your locked car with your keys sitting in the cupholder, these tricks will come in handy. Before you send out the “locked keys in car” SOS text, learn how to unlock a car door without your keys with these three methods.
Use StringHere’s a tip for the next time you have to send the dreaded “locked keys in car” text: Keep a roll of string around, and you’ll never have to cash out for a locksmith again. The video below shows you how to unlock a car door without your keys. Just tie a slip knot in the string per the video’s instructions, creating a loop the size of your index finger at the end. Then, wiggle the string with the loop into the upper right corner of the driver’s window. Now, holding the string with both hands, move it gently in a back-and-forth motion (like you’re flossing a giant tooth). Doing so will shift the string further down the window and toward the inside lock. This is where things can get tricky. Carefully maneuver the loop over the lock, pulling the ends of the string to tighten the loop at the same time. When you think you have a solid grip around the lock, gently pull up on it to unlock the car door. Voilà. You’re back in action — and back on the road. Try a Coat HangerThe coat hanger trick is a classic; you’ve probably seen it in a few movies. All you need is a coat hanger and pliers. “Use the pliers to unravel the coat hanger so you have one side hooked and one that’s straight,” says Laura Gonzales, marketing manager at Audi Bellevue in Washington state. “You’re going to slide the coat hanger between the window and the weather stripping. Once the hook is below the window, you can start fishing around for the control arm. Once you find it, pull onto it and your door will open.” Use a WedgeThis method can be a little tricky, warns Bill Evans, manager of J&E Auto Body in Clark, N.J. Find a thin but strong tool you can use as a wedge. Pull the top of the door frame out with a pry tool and push the wedge in to hold the door frame out. Then, using a long, skinny rod (it could even be a coat hanger), push the unlock button. “Triple A drivers and tow truck drivers usually do it this way, and that is how we do it also,” says Evans. “However, even the experienced people will scratch the paint or tear the weather stripping during this process, and you may need to see a body shop to realign the top of the door frame since sometimes they remain bent out away from the body after the wedge is used.” So make sure the repair costs are really worth it before using a wedge to get yourself out of your “locked keys in car” debacle. It’s pretty easy to get locked out of a car, and if the key gets lost or locked inside of the vehicle without a spare handy, then there's a real problem. Sometimes, people have been forced to take extreme measures to retrieve keys that have been locked inside of a vehicle, some even going so far as to smash one of their own windows. Tempered glass is treated to shatter into thousands of pieces when it breaks so that there are no large shards of glass flying in an accident. You can avoid the hassle and cost of breaking open a window and cleaning up the glass shards if you know the right way to break into your own car. There are a few techniques that you can try, as they don’t take particularly specialized equipment and they can be done by people with little or no prior locksmithing experience. Calling a professional locksmith is usually an option, but there could be a long wait or professional locksmiths may not be available nearby.
Unless the situation is an emergency, don’t rush any of the steps involved. Don’t force the door open. Damaging the doors or the locks themselves turns an inconvenience into a serious problem.
Method 1 of 4: Unlocking a door with manual locks from the insideUsing a tool like a wedge (professionals use a powerful airbag), it is possible to open the top of the door wide enough to get a metal rod around the locking pin and pull the pin up, thereby unlocking the door.
It is important to use a technique that addresses the specific type of lock the vehicle has. There are two main types of locks:
Step 1: Use a wedge or tool to hold open the door space. Find something thin that can be used to open up a gap at the top of the door, between the car’s body and the doorframe or window.
Step 2: Slide the tool into the door gap. Wedge the tool into the space between the body of the vehicle and the top of the door on the side opposite the hinge (this corner can be pulled out the most). Pull the space open with your fingers to make more space for the tool to fit into. Step 3: Keep inserting the tool until it is visible. Carefully work the tool down and into the space until it is visible through the window.
Step 4: Make a hook. Now you can fashion a tool or hook to grab the locking pin. A clothes hanger works well, but you can use whatever is handy.
Step 5: Open the lock using the hook. Use the wedge to open up a space large enough to fit the tool into the car. Grab onto the locking pin with the tool and pull up on it until the door unlocks.
Method 2 of 4: Unlocking a door with automatic locks from the insideWith automatic locks, the amount of difficulty involved in unlocking them from the outside is decided by two things:
The steps to get the top of door away from the body are the same as with manual locks: simply use a wedge or other long, thin tool to make a space and then use another tool to press the “unlock” button. Step 1: Identify how the locks are activated. Automatic locks may be activated in a number of ways. Check whether the unlock button is located in the central console or on the driver’s side.
Step 2: Make a hook or loop tool to press the button. Some automatic locks have a simple button on the armrest of the driver’s side, and a straight metal rod or other tool can be used to reach the button and press it to unlock the door. If there is a switch or if the button is not easily accessible, then the tool may need a hook or loop at the end. Trial-and-error is the best technique for finding what works.
Method 3 of 4: Unlocking the door from the outsideIn some cases, it is faster and easier to make a lockout tool (also called a Slim Jim) to unlock the door from the outside. This technique takes a little bit more finesse, and is more likely to damage the weather stripping and/or the wires inside of the door.
Here is how to use this method: Step 1: Make a ‘Slim Jim’ tool. To fashion a Slim Jim, it is best to use a coat hanger or other long, relatively thin piece of metal and straighten it out, bending a hook into one end. This is the end that will go into the door.
Step 2: Insert the Slim Jim into the door. Since there are usually more wires in the driver’s door, it is best to use this method on the passenger side door. Slip the tool in between the weather stripping along the bottom of the window and the window itself.
Step 3: Open the lock with the hook. The locking mechanism is located right under the locking pin, so try to use the hook to grab the inside of the locking mechanism by sliding the hook back toward the lock and pulling up once the hook grips the lock.
Method 4 of 4: Gain entry through the trunkWith manual locks, there is a chance that the trunk is unlocked even if the doors are locked. If this is the case, then it may be possible to get into the vehicle through the trunk. Here’s how you can unlock the vehicle through the trunk: Step 1: Open up the trunk. Look for any opening that you can use to get into the interior of the car.
Step 2: Push the rear seats forward. Look for something to press or pull on that would allow you to lower the rear seats and push them forward. Many sedans have a cable that can be pulled on for just this purpose. Look all along the edge of the rear seats. Step 3: Get into the car. Crawl into the car and unlock the doors manually.
If you use any of the above methods to open your car when you lock your keys inside, you won't have to resort to breaking a window to get your keys back. If your car’s trunk, door or power locking mechanism refuses to unlock/lock, get a certified mechanic, such as one from Your Mechanic, to inspect the locking mechanism. The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details |