What to Do If Your Car Keys Are Lost or Locked in Your Car

Bet you have had that lost car keys feeling at some point – no matter where you look, you just can’t find those keys!  In many cases, they turn up and you can go on with your day but there are situations where the keys simply can’t be found.  Or they turn up, but they are locked inside the car.  So what can you do in these situations?

Car Keys Lost or Locked Telford

Check for a spare

It can be easy to forget that most cars will have more than one key and that means another way to get into the car.  Track down the spare or if it is in another location, ring someone who can get into your house and grab it for you.  You might owe them some petrol money or a bunch of flowers, but it can be cheaper than calling an emergency locksmith if you know you have a spare.

Check for a companion app

If the car is a relatively recent model, there may be a companion app that you can download to your smartphone and this lets you connect with the car and unlock it without the keys.  Vauxhall has a system and BMW’s Remote Services can do this.  You will need some information to show you are the car owner and they may ask for things like where the car is and how much fuel there is in it.  But once verified, they can remotely open the car for you.

Call an emergency locksmith

If you don’t have a spare and there is no companion app, then you will need to call an automotive locksmith out.  You may have some cover under recovery policies such as the AA or the RAC, but these are often limited and will mean you have to pay the costs involved – they simply call someone for you.  That’s why it is often better to call someone yourself and make certain they don’t have a call out charge.

What happens next?

When an emergency locksmith arrives, he will take a look at the situation.  If the keys are just locked in the car, it may be that the car can be opened, and the keys retrieved.  However, if the keys are lost and you don’t have a spare, then a lock change may be the best option.

Similarly, these steps will be taken if you call them for burglar repairs or vandalism to the car’s locks.  Just like with home and garage door security, if someone has tried to get into your vehicle, it is best to have the locks checked and possibly changed to make sure the car is secure afterwards.

Should I break into the car?

It isn’t a good idea to try to break into the car, even though it is your own.  Not only could you end up in a conversation with the nearest police officer and set off the car’s alarm but you also could cause a lot of damage that an expert wouldn’t.  And you would be responsible for these costs yourself.  So it is always better to get an expert.

locksmiths in Telford

"Best Locksmith Ever [...] I honestly couldn't have found a better locksmith! Reasonable prices, fast and reliable! I would highly recommend Tom to everyone! Will definitely be using him again! 5*****"

Melissa

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget