Getting locked outside your car can be very irritating, it messes up your routine and disorder you, but there are effective ways to get back in which are fast and safe. Start by checking if any of the other doors or the trunk are unlocked. If you have a spare key back at home ask a family member or a close friend to bring it to you.
Under no circumstances do not try to apply any DIY methods you catch up over the internet especially if you don’t know what you’re doing, techniques like using coat hangers or screwdrivers can damage your car badly, instead of wasting precious time and call a professional locksmith who has the proper knowledge and tools to safely unlock your car.
When something is at risk of being damaged:
- If the lock is damaged and wasn’t functioning properly form before.
- If someone without the proper training attempted DIY unlocking techniques.
Methods locksmiths use to unlock your car safely
Lock Picking Tools
For traditional car door locks like the one in trucks and RV, locksmiths use specialized tools to gently manipulate the lock mechanism and unlock the door without causing any damage.
Slim Jim
A slim jim is a thin and long metal bar which by insert it it between the window and the door frame to lift the lock mechanism manually, but do notice that this method works only for older vehicles with upright locks.
Air bags & long reach out tool
The most common method used to unlock most modern cars is using couple of small air bags to carefully create a small gap between the door and its frame, then when there is enough space inserting the long reach out tool and press the unlock button inside, some vehicles require to pull the interior door handle and some luxury models even require sophisticated combination of the two to open the car.
How Much Does It Cost to Unlock a Car?
The cost to unlock a car can differ widely based on where your car located, the time you need the service and who you call for help, for example if you have a roadside assistance it might be free or if your car insurance cover a locksmith service you might be refunded.
An automotive locksmith usually charges between $50 and $150, but it can get more expensive if you need an emergency help out of working hours. Luxury cars like Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and even certain Lexus models has special lock mechanisms and will cost more to unlock than the average car.
