In this article we will advise you how to open a car door if the key is lost or left inside the car.
Every year there are more and more cars on our roads. However, unfortunately, not all people care about the proper operation of their vehicles, ignoring simple rules like “always take the keys with you when leaving the car” and “always carry spare keys with you.” As a result, we have a very understandable and predictable problem: “The key is in the car, what to do, how to get it?”
In fact, these situations are not hopeless; there are many ways to remove the key from the car or open the car without a key.
How to open a car door without a key if the keys are left inside: possible methods, tips
It will no longer surprise anyone when the keys for some reason remain inside the vehicle. There are a huge number of reasons, however, the most common is the usual inattention of drivers.
The first thing the driver experiences in this case is shock. However, when this state passes, and this happens quite quickly, active mental work begins to search for possible options for exiting the situation.
So, we present to your attention the most popular ways to open a car without a key:
- Using shoe laces
- Through the trunk
- Using a tennis ball
- Radical methods: break glass, lock
- Using a hanger or metal wire
- Using a ruler
- With a rope
Open the door
Now let's talk in more detail about all of the above methods.
- If this morning you decided to put on sneakers, and now you’re standing next to a locked car with the keys inside, consider yourself lucky. Experts say that it is with the help of laces that you can easily open a machine door:
- This method, of course, is only suitable for those vehicles whose car lock protrudes upward, that is, it is possible to put a cord over it and pull it
- So, take the lace, it should be long enough. Tie a loop in the middle of the lace that can be tightened
- Now go to the door you want to open. Place the end of the string through the top corner of the door. To ensure that the loop is inside the vehicle, pull the lace gradually, moving it back and forth
- Make sure that the loop does not come undone during this process.
- Once the cord is inside, place the loop over the lock button, tighten it and lift the button up
- That's all, open the door and take the keys
- A fairly simple, however, method suitable only for new cars is through the trunk. Moreover, it will be possible to open the car in this way only if the doors are locked and the trunk is not:
- Almost all new cars have a cord or button that can be used to lower the back seat
- Open the trunk, look for a cord or button and lower the seats
- We sneak into the car and take the keys
- You can find many videos on the Internet in which experts demonstrate how quickly and easily you can open a vehicle door using a regular tennis ball. However, there is a warning here; it is unlikely that you will be able to open the car using this method the first time:
- We take the equipment and make a small hole in it, literally cm to the floor. The hole should not be through
- We press the ball with the hole to the car lock and squeeze it with a sharp movement
- The air flow will enter the lock and the door will open. Experts warn that several manipulations may be required, since you need to pump the lock with air.
Deal with a locked door
- If you don’t have time for sophisticated methods or don’t want to “play” with the door lock for a long time, you can resort to quick, but very expensive methods - breaking the glass or door lock:
- Regarding glass, of course, if you are somewhere outside the city, in a field, forest and there is absolutely nothing at hand that would be useful, then there is only one way out - take an object that can break the glass and do this such an unpleasant procedure
- First, of course, think over an action plan. Decide which glass will break. If you know about cars and their components, think about which glass will be the cheapest to replace. As practice shows, it is not always cheaper to break small glasses. Replacement sometimes costs more than side ones
- After this, protect your hands from fragments by at least wrapping them in clothes
- Now take your inventory and break the glass. You need to hit as carefully as possible, but quite hard
- Remove sharp pieces and reach into the machine with your hand. open the door
- If you carry out a similar procedure at home or where there is at least some equipment, then make sure that the glass crumbles to a minimum after breaking. To do this, take tape and cover all the glass with it, except for the place where the blow will be made.
- The doors and body of the car should also be protected by simply covering them with some kind of cloth or rag.
- As for the lock, in an emergency and if you have a screwdriver at hand, we use the following option. We insert the screwdriver into the key hole and begin to turn it. The lock will break
- If you do this procedure in more “comfortable conditions,” you can use a drill. Drilling out the lock secret
- If your car is not new or domestic, then the following option is possible:
- A car whose lock is old and broken can be opened using a similar key
- To do this, insert the key into the key hole and carefully turn it back and forth.
- Do not put too much pressure on the key and lock, as you may break them.
- Manipulate only as much as the lock and key allow
- Sometimes this simple method works. However, if successful, think about it, maybe you should change the locks, because scammers can use the same method
Breaking glass is not the best option
If you have gone through all the possible options in your head, including buying a new car and disposing of the one in which you forgot the keys, and still have not found a solution to the current situation, then, indeed, it is worth breaking the car window, and then purchasing a new one and inserting it into your place. The best thing to do is break the passenger door glass. We do not recommend breaking the small glazing windows of your car, as they may turn out to be expensive or rare.
Important! When breaking glass with a hammer, stone or other object, wrap your hand in a thick cloth and cover your face with your other hand, or turn away completely.
We remind all drivers: be careful not only while driving, but also when getting out of your car. Never lock your car without checking that you have the keys with you.
How to open a car lock using a wire?
Wire is one of the most versatile methods used in such situations. The method is also very popular because this equipment is very easy to find.
To people who have never opened a car in this way before, it may seem that this is not at all realistic, however, practice proves the opposite to us. By the way, beginners need to be prepared for the fact that they will only be able to open the car with a wire 2-3 times.
So, we need the following inventory:
- Screwdriver
- Wire
- Small nail file
Next we perform the following manipulations:
- Each vehicle window has a rubber seal. Decide which window you will be working with and take out a little of that same sealant. Just a few cm will be enough.
- For this procedure we use a nail file; it is very convenient to pry up the material. You can also use a screwdriver.
- Now we take the main equipment - the wire and make a hook at one end. The wire must be solid, otherwise when you push it into the car, it will easily bend. At the same time, take into account the thickness of the material; a wire that is too dense and thick will not fit into a small gap.
- So, we insert the wire into the resulting hole. When you use it to find the lock, slide it to the left.
- The essence of the method is that with the help of a wire you find the rod of the door mechanism and lift it up with the wire.
Wire opening
Another method you can try:
- Try carefully lowering the car window. This method, of course, depends on luck, since this is not always possible.
- If the window has dropped at least 1 cm, insert a wire with a hook at the end into the hole and, hooking the lock button, lift it up.
And the 3rd method, for which you also need wire:
- Choose the doors you will work with
- Gently bend the top corner of the car door
- This can be done safely for the car using wooden objects, for example, kitchen utensils that are suitable in shape, size
- If you don’t have such equipment at hand, use a screwdriver, but wrap it in cloth before starting the procedure
- We also make a hook at the end of the wire and insert it into the gap resulting from the previous manipulations.
- Using a hook, we hook the lever that is responsible for opening the door and pull it
- If there are buttons that lower and raise the windows, use them
Alternative methods of unlocking locks
Modern car models are opened using a central lock and a button on the key fob, if the battery is in good mechanical order and has not frozen. If the battery is dead, you can solve the problem: look for an additional battery, a pair of power cables from 2 cm in diameter and about a meter in length. Alligator clips are required. Find the plus of the dead battery, using a wire, connect it to the plus of the charged battery. Fasten the wiring coming from the negative terminal to unpainted parts of the car. You can open the doors using the key fob since the battery is working.
In those cars where the lock button is not on the side of the door, a plastic strip is used for emergency opening. It is easier to open doors with it than with a shoe lace. To do this, take a piece of soft plastic and move aside part of the door, pushing the tape inside the car. You need to try to hook the locking button and lift it up.
How to open a car lock using a ruler?
This method seems completely unrealistic, but despite this, it is still very popular. Moreover, with the help of an ordinary metal ruler, according to experts, you can open any domestic car in just a couple of minutes.
To carry out the procedure, we only need a metal ruler or, alternatively, a small piece of sheet metal. However, it is worth clarifying that to open some cars you may need the same ruler, but with a hook cut out at the end, since in such cars you do not need to press on the rod, but you need to lift it.
Opening with a ruler
- The ruler itself must be inserted between the seal on the glass and the glass
- We lower the inventory down until we hit the pull
- Next, we either hook it or, on the contrary, press on it
- As a result of such manipulations, the door should open
- You must understand that if you try this method for the first time, it will most likely take you more than a couple of minutes.
- It is also worth considering the fact that you are unlikely to open modern vehicles using a ruler, since the traction in such cars is protected by linings
We use wire
You can use a wire to open it
So, what to do if the keys are left in the car, how to open it? The first method we offer you is to use a wire as a key.
Please note that the cross-section (thickness) of the latter should not be very large, but the wire should not be soft. The length of your “assistant” is at least 60 cm
Make a hook at one end, at least 7 cm long and at an angle of 45 degrees. Next begins the most “difficult” stage. You need to carefully move the side window seal and push our structure into the car interior. In the area of the door handle, try to feel the door pull. Having found it, we pull the wire up, thus raising the pusher we need. That's it - the door opened. However, this method is suitable for domestic cars, which cannot be said about imported brands. In most cases, parts of imported cars fit very tightly.
How to use a rope to make a knot, a loop and open a car lock?
A piece of ordinary rope is something that is always at hand, and if not, then finding such equipment is as easy as shelling pears. This method is very similar to the method for which we used laces. By the way, instead of a rope, you can also use regular fishing line.
- One way or another, using fishing line, laces or rope, first you need to provide yourself with access to the car interior. This can be done in completely different ways. However, the simplest, and most importantly safest way for the car, its interior and painting is to bend the corner of the door
- Decide which door you will be using
- Take wooden or plastic utensils that are suitable in size and thickness. Kitchen spatulas, wooden pegs
- Apply electrical tape or at least a piece of cloth to those areas of the car that could potentially be damaged (painting).
- We insert the selected item into the hole between the counter and the door itself. We do this in the upper right corner
- Carefully bend the door and fix it in this position with another object
- We tie a loop on a rope or fishing line. It's better to do it a little further from the end of the rope
- We insert a rope into the resulting gap and carefully place the loop on the door lock button
- We sharply pull the rope up and get an open door
Door opening unit
If all actions are carried out slowly and carefully, your car will remain absolutely safe and sound. If for some reason you ignore the advice regarding electrical tape and fabric backing, you may end up with damaged paint on your car. We also do not recommend that you bend the edge of the door too much, since if you overdo it, you can significantly damage it.
Emergency blocking: where to call?
Today it is not difficult to find a company on the Internet that will open, at the request of any owner, not only a car, but also a safe, an apartment door and much more. The cost of such services usually does not exceed several hundred dollars, and the arrival time of a specialist is within half an hour.
This is why many motorists choose this route, because opening the car yourself can lead to very expensive repairs.
However, you should keep in mind all the pitfalls of such a solution:
- Many car owners fear that their car may be stolen by the same specialists, but in a different situation.
- Before starting work, the specialist will require documents confirming ownership of the car.
- The presence of the police in the procedure is mandatory. The owner himself or an arriving “burglar” can call them.
- The lock is usually opened within a few minutes using a device that scans the vehicle's alarm code. However, complications can often arise during an opening and repairs may be required, which the burglars themselves will immediately suggest. Obviously, this is an endless field for deception, so you need to be extremely careful.
What to do if the running car is locked from the inside: preventive measures
It's one thing to lock the keys in a non-working car, it's a completely different matter when the car is started and locked from the inside. In this situation, there will be much more panic than in the first option. Of course, in such cases you need to act quickly and decisively. At the same time, to open the car, you can try the methods described above.
However, it is much easier to avoid such a situation than to solve its consequences, and few people will probably argue with this. So, in order not to stand next to a running machine and not think about what to do to get into it, remember a few simple but very effective tips:
- Always carry a spare set of keys with you. Make it a rule to carry it in your clothes, and not in your purse, in your wallet, if you carry it in a bag, etc. That is, the keys must be with you, because when leaving the car, all things, except for the clothes you are wearing, remain inside. If you don't have a spare set, be sure to invest the money and make one.
- You can also get a copy of a car key, however, without the immobilizer chip. Why without a chip? This is primarily done for your own safety. Even if you lose such a key or if it is stolen, they will be able to get into your car, but it is unlikely to start it.
- Separate the key itself from the alarm key fob. This method may not seem very convenient, however, it really works.
- If it is too humid outside or frosty, turn off the automatic closing function of the central locking in the car. It is recommended to do this because electronics tend to be capricious and such behavior will not benefit you.
- If you have already started the car, it works, but you need to get out of it, make it a habit to close it only until the first click.
- Periodically check whether your system, which is responsible for opening and closing vehicle doors, is working properly.
- Try not to leave the car unless absolutely necessary when it is already running.
Finding a lost set of keys
If you cannot see the key sticking out in the ignition switch or lying on the seat of the chair through the glass, it means it is outside. You should:
- thoroughly search the pockets and lining of clothing, bags, etc.;
- call home and check if you left the key there;
- try to remember the last time the key was with you and return along the route you took to get to your car;
- search the areas adjacent to the parking lot 2-3 meters away from your route.
If that doesn't work, you have a second set of keys that can be delivered to you while you look after the car. In addition, later you can safely order a duplicate of your lost key using a spare set or chip card.
But what if there is no spare kit? There are several ways here.
What to do if the car is locked and the keys are inside?
Unfortunately, today such situations are not uncommon. Therefore, even for those who believe that this will definitely not happen to them, it would be useful to know how to act in such a situation.
- First you need to calm down, because there are no hopeless situations
- Evaluate what happened. If you are in a hurry, then the actions will be one, if you have enough time - others
- Remember if you have a spare set of keys. If you have it, even if you don’t have it with you, great. Call one of your family or friends and ask them to bring it. This outcome of the situation will be the most positive for you.
- If you don't have spare keys, you'll have to do things differently.
Open the door if the keys are inside
- If you have the time and finances, you can use the services of specialists who will do their job efficiently and open your car. However, there is no need to talk about the speed of the procedure. Firstly, you need to wait for this service, and secondly, wait until all the procedures are completed. Well, a significant disadvantage is the cost of such assistance. There is no need to hide, this pleasure is very expensive
- If you don't have this option, remember all the tips and techniques we covered earlier today.
- Choose the simplest and most accessible one for you and, having gathered your strength, get to work
- Be patient, because everything we do for the first time, as a rule, does not work out very well or does not work out at all. However, if you make every effort, the result will not be long in coming
The perfect solution
Availability of a spare key. This is the most reliable and painless way to open doors for your car.
All the options given are just practical advice. There are a lot of ways to solve the problem; all you have to do is choose the one that suits you and your car. The situation with a closed door without a key is extremely unpleasant. Therefore, always try to remove the keys from the ignition.
- Author: Alexey Vinokurov
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Who can you call for help when the car with the keys is locked?
If you are one of those people who cannot or do not want to act on their own for some reason, it will be useful for you to know the following information.
- Of course, you can call someone with a spare set of keys. This is the simplest, cheapest, fastest way.
- You can also use a tow truck. In this way, you can either deliver the vehicle to your home, garage and then open it yourself, or take it to a car service center, where you can seek help from specialists who will open your car. In any case, you must understand that such services will not cost you cheap. You will be forced to pay for the services of a tow truck and the services of a technician at the service center, and you will also lose your time.
- There is also a roadside assistance service. Unfortunately, not all motorists know about this service, but at the same time, it can help you open locked car doors, provide advice in the event of an accident, and even organize tow truck services.
Assistants
- Many people confuse the work of this service with CASCO insurance - be careful, there is nothing in common between them.
- Of course, you may not have applied for such assistance, and you do not have the coveted card that provides you with roadside service. However, you can’t be sure of this, especially if you are the owner of a new car. Often, such a service is arranged by those who directly service your car.
- Who can issue such a card as a gift to you? Insurers often issue this card in addition to insurance. Due to our ignorance and the cunning of insurers, sometimes we are the owners of such cards. An official dealer also often provides such a service as a roadside assistance program. If the car is taken on credit, then such a service can be provided by the bank itself that issued the loan for the car.
- If you still don’t own such a card, don’t despair. Contact this service, explain the situation, and they will provide you with the service at their rate. Depending on various factors, the cost of the service can vary from 500 to 1300 rubles.
- If you know an auto mechanic who understands this issue, and you are confident in his competence, feel free to call him. This way you will save time, nerves and, perhaps, even money, since people who work for themselves can often afford to give a small discount to their friends.
A car is really not a luxury, but a means of transportation that requires careful attention and, of course, proper operation. When purchasing a car, immediately evaluate your abilities. If you know that you have such a habit of forgetting something all the time, it is better to immediately make it a rule to put a set of spare keys in some inner pocket of the clothes you are wearing or in your wallet if you carry it in clothes, and not in the bag. This way you will save yourself from such unpleasant situations, unnecessary nerves and unexpected cash expenses.
Autopsy Specialists
Sometimes a second key exists. But there’s no way to get to it right now. A person may find himself in another city with his car, and therefore he will not go home to pick up a duplicate, leaving the car in an unknown place.
Therefore, you should always look for an alternative. You can contact specialists who will help you open the door when they slam shut if the keys themselves are left in the car. They often encounter similar situations and know how to safely open a vehicle.
There are a huge number of advertisements with similar offers from masters. The so-called security guards are able to open any car in 10-20 minutes. But there are some nuances here.
- Waiting time. It depends on the locality where the emergency occurred, and on the number of lockpickers working there. Quite often, even in large cities you have to wait several hours. If you are ready to expect such a time, then look for the most suitable specialist.
- Price. The price for the service depends largely on the make of the car, class and cost of the vehicle. But you are unlikely to pay less than 5 thousand rubles. In some situations, the price reaches 10-15 thousand rubles. Decide for yourself whether this is a fair price for the service. But sometimes it’s really easier to just break the glass and then replace it at your own expense.
- Methods used. Various experts offer their own methods of opening a car. Some work extremely carefully, trying to cause minimal damage to the car. This way you don’t have to overpay for repair and restoration work. And there are also supposedly masters who will come, with your permission, break the glass or break the lock, take their 5-10 thousand rubles, and the owner will then have to repair the car.
- Fraudsters. Among the security guards there are also not particularly conscientious specialists. Practice shows that many masters offering such services are, in fact, criminals. They have previously been involved in car theft, or continue to do so to this day. It is possible that the person has taken the right path and now does not engage in such activities. Therefore, it is better to contact specialized companies that are officially registered and can provide guarantees on the quality of the work performed. But it’s still not worth calling private dubious advertisements. The risk is too great.
Working with qualified specialists is truly beneficial and, in many ways, right. They will be able to do their work efficiently and accurately. You will also receive access to the vehicle and possible additional consultation. If you yourself don’t know how to open the door in your car when it slams and the keys are left inside, try looking for a good company.
It is better to refuse the services of dubious masters. There is always a risk of encountering scammers.