You’ve never been in this situation before, but you have a feeling it’s going to happen at some point. You lock your keys inside your car and panic sets in as you realize you have no idea what to do now. Luckily, there are several options out there that can help you with this type of problem. Let’s take a look at what they are.
This is great because it means there will be no damage to your car and you won’t have to pay anything upfront. You’ll be asked some questions about what happened before getting sent to anyone, so being upfront is key.
When you lose your keys to a car, life can become more complicated than necessary.
There are many situations that can lead to this unfortunate circumstance such as:
- Mishandling of the keys and then dropping them into the thick grass or dark hole on some construction site while doing errands in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
- And, as the car’s owner, having no control over this situation and not knowing who has those keys.
- Being at a public event such as a music festival (e.g. South by Southwest) and losing/misplacing them during the chaos of this activity.
Regardless of how you lose your car keys – if they are gone, you need to have a plan in place to get them back. You should not panic and also slow down your thinking process of what you need to do next.
The first important thing you should do is pick up the phone and call for help.
You can call your insurance provider to see if they have a contractor who can come out and open the car door – so that you don’t have to pay for it yourself. You’ll likely be asked some questions about how, why, and when it happened. So it is important that you be honest and upfront about your situation.
If the car is not safe to drive because of this situation, then call for a tow truck so they can take it to a designated location, where you can work on getting the doors open yourself or with help from someone else.
Doing it on your own can save you a lot of time and money – but if not, then the tow truck option is worth it.
The second important thing to do is make sure you get hold of the correct set of keys.
And, if possible, go back to where you lost them and look around again to try and find them. This may be difficult depending on how much time has passed since they were lost or misplaced. And it can also be disheartening when you realize that the keys are nowhere to be found.
But keep trying as they may have gotten stuck in the grass, fallen on the ground, or were taken by a Good Samaritan who wants to return them back to you.
Just hang tight and don’t give up hope of finding those keys!
If there was a spare set of matching keys at home, then call a locksmith to help you get back into the car while you are waiting for the tow truck.
If not, then try calling up some of your friends/family members who might have a spare set of keys that can open your car door.
And if they don’t either, then it’s time to consider getting new vehicle keys cut and programmed.
There are some locksmiths who can cut and program replacement keys to your car without the need for the old ones. This type of service is great because you’ll be able to drive away and not worry about whether or not you’ve lost this important set of keys forever.
And if they did get lost, then at least you don’t have to worry about what might happen if a stranger picks them up and starts driving away in your car.
You’ll also be able to relax and not feel as worried about those keys getting into the wrong hands. And this will allow you to focus on other things such as finding those lost keys!
Also, contact the car dealership or mechanic who worked on your car and ask them about how to obtain replacements keys.
They should be able to help you with this process as long as you can answer some questions about when and where this happened.
And depending on the circumstances, they will likely charge a small fee for getting those keys programmed.
But it’s better than not having a car key to drive away in.
After you make these calls, start organizing other important details as follows:
- the tow truck/locksmith appointment time,
- your insurance company’s contractor name and number,
- vehicle registration documents or license plate number,
- the address where your car will be towed to, etc.
You should also write down what, when, how, wherein a small notebook so you have it with you in case the tow truck service or locksmith needs this information.
After your calls are made and some of these important details are taken care of, then relax.
You’ve done what you can to handle this issue right now. It’s up to everyone else to help you get back into that car.
And when the right people come through, you’ll be able to drive away from this situation feeling relieved and much more secure in your vehicle knowing that it still has its original set of keys and there is no car key duplication needed.
If these lost keys do go missing forever though, then make sure you order a new set as soon as possible.
You don’t want to risk anything happening to those keys or even losing them again because you now have the ability to drive away from wherever you are without having to worry about those lost keys getting into the wrong hands. And one last thing, try and not lose your car keys ever again.
This is a great start if you have your vehicle’s make and model in mind so the locksmith can find one that fits perfectly to avoid any further damage.
Have you ever lost your car keys?
This might be a fun experience if you’re a parent and find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being locked out of your vehicle when your kids are inside, but it’s certainly not fun if this happens to you while you’re by yourself.
In both situations, panic can set in quite quickly. But, if you’ve lost your car keys and are looking for some help that won’t break the bank, there are several options available to you that can get you back into your vehicle with minimal damage on your part.
Let’s start out by taking a look at the different types of locks on cars today:
- Standard lock, which is usually found on older vehicles
The typical lock in most cars is called a ‘standard’ keyless entry system. This type of locking system uses an actuator and a set of wafers in the car door to unlock or lock it.
The kind of car door lock you have will be something you’ll need to consider when purchasing your new car. I recommend getting the highest level of security available so nobody can break in easily.
- Remote central locking system, which can be found in newer models of cars and allows access to vehicle doors without needing a physical key to open them. All you need is the remote control that comes with your car to gain entry.
- Central locking with key card access is another option that allows you to unlock your car using the key card as the one hotels use for their guests.
And a new type of security device on cars today is called a smart-key system, which will light up and flash an LED light on your car when it senses there’s a problem with your locks.
Also, the Smart-key system has some other features like:
- Remaining locked while you drive.
- Remotely locking the car even when it’s miles away from you.
- Ignition immobilizer that keeps your car safe if someone tries to start it without the key.
You really need to familiarize yourself with these different car locks to know which would be most effective for you.
Isn’t it nice to know these types of locks exist? If you’re in need of assistance along these lines, Austin Car Key Pros can help you out!
If you have lost or misplaced your car keys, you may be wondering what options are available to assist with this situation.
The first step of course is to contact the company that manufactured the vehicle. This way, they can send you a duplicate set of keys or direct you to where you might be able to find them – for example – on the floor of your car under a seat or in a cup holder.
If you have a spare set of keys at home, then call up some friends or family members who may be able to open your car door for you.
There are some locksmiths who can cut and program replacement keys without the need for the old ones. This type of service is great because you’ll be able to drive away and not worry about whether or not you’ve lost this important set of keys forever. If this doesn’t work, don’t worry!
And if they did get lost, then at least you don’t have to worry about what might happen if a stranger picks them up and starts driving away in your car.
You’ll also be able to relax and not feel as worried about those keys getting into the wrong hands. And this will allow you to focus on other things such as finding those lost keys!
As you can see, there are many options available to help regain access to your car without any extensive damage or cost.
Now, if these options do not work and you have already searched for your car keys, it’s time to get a reputable locksmith to come out and replace the lock/unlock your door o get into your car.
This is where Austin Car Key Pros enters the scene! We offer several services to help you get through this tough time.
Our auto locksmith services include:
- Replace a lock/unlock your car via remote control
- Break into or drill out a lock on your standard or high-security door for the sake of gaining entry to your vehicle without causing further damage to the door itself.
- Cut a key to fit your car if you’ve lost it
- Repair or replace an ignition switch, which is the part of your car that controls whether the engine turns on or off.
We can even reprogram a chip in your remote control so it matches your vehicle’s requirements. This way, you’ll be back on the road without having to do any extensive repairs. We’ve been in the business for over a decade and have worked with several insurance companies as well as auto dealerships, which brings a certain level of comfort that we know what we’re doing.
And, most importantly, you won’t be charged an arm and a leg just to get into your car because that’s not our style.
Upfront pricing, no hidden costs, and great customer service are what you can expect from Austin Car Key Pros.
When it comes to these types of situations, the last thing you want is to be taken advantage of or spend a fortune on something that should be affordable. We can show you proof of insurance and licenses, both required by the State of Texas, to further put your mind at ease when it comes to this aspect of getting your car back on the road.
Our team is highly trained to handle any situation that arises with your car lockout or other related issues. The owner of our business is a licensed locksmith that has been working in the field for over 15 years after working his way up at several different companies. He knows each one of our employees personally and can vouch for their experience as well.
The next time you find yourself in this situation, don’t hesitate to give us a call! We’re always available when you need our help!
We’ve been around for over a decade and understand how frustrating it can be when you just want to get to your car.
You can simply give us a call at (512) 489-0996 or visit our website at austincarkeys.com to get started on restoring access to your vehicle!