Car Lockout Causes and How to Best Handle Them

Here is a scenario that most of us can really relate to. You have worked a long day and you are tired. Maybe it’s because you just started working second shift and you are not used to finishing work at 1 am. Needless to say you can’t wait to get in your car and go home. The only thing is when you approach your car you can’t find your car keys anywhere. You shine your phone light into the car and sure enough your keys are sitting right there on your seat and your car doors are locked.

Welcome to the wonderful world of auto lockouts. It certainly can be a humbling and frustrating event in your life. This is especially true when you are tired and just want to get home after a long day.

Frequent Causes of Auto Lockouts

We just mentioned one scenario in which a person was locked out of their vehicle because they left their keys on the seat. Nothing to be ashamed of here and we have all done it and will probably do it again.

Here are some other common causes of auto lockout situations:

Lost keys

This is by far the number one reason that auto locksmiths get called to come handle a vehicle lockout. Lost keys are not that difficult to replace and duplicate these days so don’t fret over this too much.

Broken Key in Lock/Broken Lock

Obviously if you break your key off in your car door lock it won’t matter if you have a spare set of keys or not. You will most likely need a professional locksmith to help you out of that jam.

Broken car door locks are also something that will have to be fixed by a professional locksmith service. 

Frozen Door Lock 

Illinois gets some pretty tough winter weather to say the least. Sometimes in a thaw/freeze situation your vehicle locks will get so much ice in them they won’t work at all. If this happens you will have to either try to thaw those door locks yourself or call a locksmith to come to you with some lock deicer. Resist the urge here to use a flamethrower or some other drastic means of heat to thaw out your auto’s locks. It may just cause more damage and expense.

Malfunctioning keyless entry pads

You never have to worry about losing your car keys if you have keyless entry pads on your doors. These are great until they stop working. This is the type of lockout fix that will require a mechanic from your car makes dealership to help or better yet call a reliable local locksmith service.

Transponder failure

One of the best things that were ever invented as far as vehicle theft protection is concerned is the transponder key. They nicely immobilize your car until the chip inside them reactivates your car’s ability to be used again. 

The problem is these chips inevitably fail sometimes. When this happens, you will need a spare transponder key to get going again or you will need the services of a professional locksmith. Transponder key fixes are usually something you can’t fix yourself.

Dos and Don’ts of Car Auto Lockout Situations

Here is some time tested and helpful advice of what to do and not to do when you find yourself in an auto lockout situation:

Do always keep safety in the forefront if you find yourself locked out of your vehicle. This means shelter from inclement weather while you are waiting for a locksmith to arrive and if it’s late at night wait for your locksmith to arrive in the nearest place with lights and people.

Don’t panic. This will only make the situation worse and even more frustrating. Someone will be able to bring you a spare set of keys or a skilled locksmith will usually be able to get you on your way in a short amount of time.

Do keep a spare key in your wallet or purse. Don’t hide it on your vehicle and give a car thief a golden ticket to your automobile. It’s never a bad idea to keep a spare set of car keys not only at your house but at your place of work too.

Don’t keep your keys loose. Put them in a designated pouch or container each time after you are done using them. This will condition you to always put your keys in that pouch or container so you never forget them.

Do not try and remedy the situation yourself if you don’t really know what you are doing. Using slim jams and other door opening devices is not usually the best solution. They can end up costing you much more money in damage than what you would have spent hiring a locksmith to remedy your auto lockout situation.

Don’t break your window glass. This may be a quick fix if you left your keys on the seat but it will end up causing you more problems than you will solve. Car windows are generally more expensive to replace than the cost of a locksmith service call. Not to mention car windows are not a readily stocked vehicle part in most cases either.

Do yourself a favor and call a professional locksmith to get you out of this car lockout jam. They have the tools and knowhow to solve almost any car lockout crisis.