Locked keys. No panic. We advise what to do in this case

Probably some of you have found yourself in a situation where the car keys are accidentally locked. As a user of an old car myself, I have experienced this recently. Then there is unnecessary stress and hundreds of different, often black thoughts that run through your head and sometimes even panic. Locking the keys does not always have to break the glass. We advise you what to do if the car keys are locked.

First, it's worth having a spare key

First of all, it is worth carrying (and most of all!) Spare car keys. Then it will save us from unnecessary stress and wasted time. Usually, however, we leave the spare keys at home. Half the trouble, if we lock the keys while being near the house - then we can ask one of the household members to give them to us (that's what I did recently). Worse, when such a situation happens to us somewhere far from home - then what?

Companies specializing in emergency door openers

You can then use a company specialized in emergency door opening. They are found in most large cities in Poland. Such a service usually costs about PLN 150-200. Some companies, however, "learn the lock" on our car, damaging the paintwork at the same time. In addition, they make the price of the service dependent on the time they spend opening the car. Sometimes the cost may even be nearly PLN 500. However, it is not worth digging around in the lock yourself, because if its mechanism is damaged, the cost of emergency opening the door will increase. As a consolation, such companies usually operate 7 days a week, around the clock.

The so-called hanger method - simple but requires patience

Sometimes you can also try to open the handle by inserting a suitably bent wire through an open glass, if we have left it. However, this requires a lot of patience and does not guarantee success. We will then need a simple ruler-shaped tool (which acts as a spatula), and eventually a pocket knife, and a piece of wire, a hanger, or a shoelace. Put a spatula (or a wedge) between the door seal and the glass in such a way as to be able to gently force it to open a small gap. However, you should not struggle too much with the glass itself, because we can scratch the glass or destroy the gasket. The glass should open half a centimeter. The condition, however, is that it should not be electrically controlled, because then this method will not work (so it will work in hardly any car). When you manage to open the glass, take the wire and make a loop at its end, then insert it through the slot in the window and hook it on the handle, trying to open the door. Alternatively, you can also try to open the window a little more by pulling the wire on the handle.

Special kits for emergency opening of the car

You can also purchase special emergency unlocking kits online. The simplest ones cost only a few dozen zlotys, and the more advanced ones even over 200 zlotys. However, using them requires practice, so it can be difficult to use them correctly the first time. It is also not worth carrying the set in the car, because if you lock the keys, you will not have access to it.

Modern cars can also cause surprises

Theoretically speaking, in the case of modern cars with remote controls instead of keys and firing with a button, situations like the one described above should not occur. Electronics, however, can be unreliable and it sometimes happens that the door locks itself after some time, when we leave the car fired. Therefore, there is always a message, both visually and acoustically, to take the key with you. There are many websites devoted to the subject of emergency keyless entry of cars on the Internet. There you can find advice and specialized tools that will help us get to the car without the need of a key.

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Privileges of the assistance policy

We should also remember that in the case of having an assistance policy, we are entitled to improve the car at the scene of the accident - all you need to do is contact the hotline employee and we will receive help. If, however, this does not help, the policy also covers the towing of the car to the parking lot or the indicated address or to the car repair shop.

The last resort is breaking the glass

When all methods fail, the last resort is to break the glass with something sharp or hard, e.g. a stone. However, you should be careful not to cut yourself with glass fragments. In addition, breaking the glass is associated with the scattered glass next to the car and in the cabin, which needs to be thoroughly cleaned, as well as the expense of the need to replace the glass (at least several hundred zlotys). You also have to be careful not to damage the upholstery with the shards of glass. You should be careful with small triangular panes, because paradoxically, they can be more expensive and problematic when replacing due to their less availability. You should also not break the window on the driver's side, because then all the glass will fall onto the driver's seat.

Locking the keys in the car - summary

To sum up, first of all, it is worth keeping an eye on the keys and making sure you have them with you at least twice before we lock the car. Secondly, when the unpleasant situation of locking the keys occurs, you should stay cool and remember that breaking the glass is the last resort. It is definitely better to use the services of a specialized company. It is also not worth completely trusting electronics in modern cars. So let's remember the golden rule that prudent is always insured.

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