Car Lockout: Tips to Handle This Frustrating Scenario
A car lockout is a frustrating scenario that never seems to occur in a convenient place or time. Until you are able to gain access to your car keys, you probably feel stranded and helpless. Despite the advent of smart keys and electronic key fobs, car lockouts still happen. Read on to learn more about how to handle this aggravation, and how you can help prevent a future car lockout.
Keep Calm and Think
You may feel panic and fear the instant you realize your keys are trapped your locked car. These emotions can cloud your judgment and make it hard to think clearly. Instead, stay calm and first check the passenger doors to see if one remains unlocked.
Don't forget to check the rear doors as well. You may be fortunate enough to easily enter your vehicle through another door. Don't have a back door or trunk? Some passenger car trunks allow you to access the interior of your car by a simple seat removal.
Sometimes you can access your locked car if the engine is still running and the window is open enough. Use a long object to try to press an accessible window button to gain entry. You may even be able to unlock certain car locks with a shoelace with the right skill and patience.
Turn to Your Phone
Newer vehicles possess software that lets you manipulate your vehicle with your phone. You can lock and unlock doors and even start the engine remotely. Other vehicles offer services like OnStar that can respond to your needs and unlock your car via your phone. Apple phone users have at their fingertips another way to unlock their vehicle. The Apple feature "Car Keys" acts like a digital version of your electric key fob you simply store in your Waller app.
Call for Help
You can always call for help if you are unable to gain access to your locked car on your own. Contact a trusted roadside assistance program or auto wrecker that offers car lockout services. These experts use a range of specialty wedge, long-reach, or electronic tools to unlock a car door.
Prevent a Lockout
You can take several steps to make sure you don’t lock yourself out of your car in the future. One of the best ways to regain access to your locked vehicle is to keep a spare key on hand. You can keep one in your purse, bag, or backpack that always accompanies you on your drives.
Another way to access a spare key in case of a lockout is to keep one at work in a safe place. Doing so helps you during the workweek, but what if a lockout happens on the weekend? Try to leave a spare key with a friend, family member, or other trusted individual who won't mind a quick trip to your locked car to help you out.
Be more proactive about your ability to enter your car and make sure you regularly replace that tiny battery inside the electronic key fob. Lockouts can happen even if the key is in your hand but rendered useless because it lacks power.
You can also learn more about how any existing software in your car may help you unlock your car via a phone. Or, take the time now to add an app to your phone that unlocks your car.
Make AA Wrecker Service your reliable expert if you lock yourself out of your car. We unlock cars and trucks, and we also offer a range of towing services.
Contact us today to learn more about our services.
