What To Do When You Have Been Locked Out Of Your Car

There are several options for gaining entry into a locked vehicle; however, the best option is to hire a professional locksmith.

You approach your car while digging in your purse or pocket only to discover that your keys are missing. Well, not missing exactly because you can see them through the window, taunting you as they dangle freely from the ignition inside your locked vehicle. It has happened to most people at one time or another, and the key is to know what to do when you have been locked out of your car.

The initial reaction is to try to break into the vehicle to retrieve the keys. In days past, calling the police department would bring an officer to your location with a device called a Slim-Jim which would be inserted into the car door and used to trip the locking mechanism. However, this method is ineffective on most modern vehicles because of built in security features. In the vast majority of cases, law enforcement officials no longer offer these services anyway due to liability issues.

Before resorting to breaking and entering, take a deep breath and consider all your options. First, do you have a spare key? If so, is there someone you can call to bring it to you? Are you close to home? Could you retrieve the spare key yourself by walking home or taking public transportation? If these are viable options, take advantage of them.

Many people have roadside service plans through AAA, their insurance company or as part of the warranty package from the car dealership. Entry into your locked vehicle may be a part of these services, but the degree to which they can be helpful greatly depends on the age, make and model of the vehicle. Often, the best result you can hope for is to have your vehicle towed to a dealership to wait for an expensive new key from the manufacturer.

The best course of action is to call a locksmith who is specially trained to access modern vehicles without damaging the locking systems. These professionals often provided replacement key cutting services as a way to gain entrance to your vehicle and can do so in much less time and at less cost than a dealership. Locksmiths are also trained to reset security systems that automatically engage when an unoccupied, locked vehicle is accessed from the outside.

To find a car lock service in La Mesa, or for more information on what to do when you have been locked out of your car, visit this website.