When to Unlock Your Car Yourself (and When to Call an Auto Lockout Service)

Opening a car door without a key isn’t impossible. After all, car thieves learn how to do it somewhere, so why can’t you? The question isn’t really whether you can unlock your car yourself; it’s whether you should unlock your car yourself (or call a professional).

When you lock your keys in your car, it can be tempting to panic. But there are several things you can try to unlock your car yourself. We’ll go over a few of these, as well as when it makes more sense to call the police or, more commonly, a professional auto lockout service.

When to Call the Police

For starters, survey the situation and determine whether it’s an emergency or not. If there are children or pets in the vehicle, you might need to call 911 or do something drastic like break the window. This is especially true if it’s hot outside. Or, your car could be in a precarious situation, such as a crime-ridden area or on the railroad tracks. Either way, if time is of the essence, give the authorities a call before trying to unlock it yourself or calling an auto lockout service.

When and How to Unlock Your Car Yourself

Next, decide whether it makes sense to unlock your car yourself. (We’re going to assume here that you don’t have a spare key. If you do, now’s the time to use it. If you don’t, get one made while you can.) As long as you own the vehicle and accept that there may be damage as a result of your efforts, you’re fine to try. (You may also look like a thief, so keep that in mind as well.) Here are a few ways to unlock your car when you don’t have a key:

If the locking mechanism unlocks by pulling up, you can use your shoestring to tie a small loop and pull it up.
If the car is near your home or you have a wire hanger on hand, you can make a hook that goes inside the weather stripping and unlock the mechanism.
A screwdriver can help you pry open the door wide enough to access the door locks with a long rod (or other instrument).
Other methods may also work: slim jim’s, inflatable wedges, strips of plastic, tennis balls and so forth. But again, you might look like a thief.

If none of these work (or you’re tired of trying or don’t want to risk potential damage to your vehicle), it might be time to call a professional to handle it instead.

When to Call a Professional

An auto lockout service can get your car unlocked in a jiffy and is likely a better option than trying to unlock your car yourself. Not only do these professionals know what they’re doing, they have advanced equipment that can unlock your car, replace lost keys and even repair broken locks and doors. At A-1 Locksmith, we even meet you at your location promptly and are bonded, insured and monitored by GPS.