6 Steps to Take to Avoid a Lockout as 4 Million Americans Get Locked Out of Their Cars Annually

Dec 13, 2023

June 3, 2023 by Dmytro Spilka Leave a Comment

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Getting locked out of your car can not only be a nuisance, but it could also endanger yourself and those around you. With this in mind, prevention is always better than cure, and there are many ways to help ensure that you never have to worry about getting stuck outside of your car.

If you’ve ever experienced a lockout, don't worry, you’re not alone. According to AAA, around 4 million Americans lock their keys in their car annually, with many experiencing frustration and concern about the implications of losing access to their vehicles.

With this in mind, let's take a deeper look at six steps you can take in order to ensure that you’ll never have to worry about the danger of locking yourself out of your car again:

In some vehicles, your key fob is the only option for locking and unlocking the car. It's for this reason that you should always check your battery to make sure that it doesn't die on you at a difficult moment, like when out and about or before an essential journey.

Keep on the lookout for a weakening signal from your key fob. Is it taking longer to unlock your car? Do you have to click the button more than once for it to work? These could all be signs of your batteries approaching the end of their life. To avoid disruption, consider replacing them at the first sign of wear.

The single best way to avoid a lockout scenario is to ensure that you have a spare key ready and available. In most cars, spare keys are provided as standard, so it's always worth checking that you have one already available before having a new one made.

Depending on the type of key you have, this process can be a little costly. For keys without a fob, it's possible to get a new one made at any key cutter relatively cheap. However, creating spare Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips or fobs can be costly, and may involve visiting specialist locksmiths or your dealership.

You’ll also need to keep your spare keys in a safe place that's easy to access should they be needed. With this in mind, consider designating a special location in the house to store them, or even carry them with you on longer journeys in order to cover your bases if you end up stranded far from home.

Most auto locksmiths offer a car lockout service which helps to provide quick assistance to drivers locked out of their vehicles.

For motorists without a roadside assistance subscription, auto locksmiths can be the best solution in helping you to regain access to your car at a relatively low cost. Other options, such as a roadside callout or getting an emergency replacement fob from your dealership could run up high costs, so it's always worth taking the time to save the number of a locksmith that may be on hand to help.

One of the best modern ways of preventing a lockout is to check whether your car has a companion app that can remotely lock and unlock your vehicle.

Especially prevalent for modern cars, it's possible to connect your motor to a mobile application that allows your smartphone to lock and unlock your car without the need for any keys whatsoever.

Companion apps like myChevrolet, Mercedes me, NissanConnect, Hyundai Blue Link, Toyota App, and mySubaru can all run this service, and it can make for an excellent added level of safety from the threat of getting locked out from your vehicle. So, checking for companion apps is certainly an option for preventing lockout situations.

If you find that you’re often locking yourself out of your car, it might be worth buying a lanyard to keep your keys on you at all times.

With a lanyard, as soon as your keys leave the ignition, they can go right around your neck to stop you from leaving the car without your most important accessory.

Alternatively, a carabiner could also be a great asset to have for remembering your keys. These can keep your keys tied to your belt loop or purse strap so you’ll always know where they are at any given time.

Again, if your car's locks are temperamental, and you regularly find yourself locked out because of a faulty locking system, it may be worth investing in an inflatable pump wedge to keep with you on your journeys.

An inflatable wedge kit can be a great way of gaining entry into your car without causing damage to your bodywork or paint, which is prone to happen when using metal tools. The wedge creates a space between the door and jamb, which offers easy access to insert the right tools or rods to disengage the lock.

As always, prevention is better than cure, and by taking these six steps, you’ll gain peace of mind that should a lockout occur, you’ll be well-placed to regain access to your car with minimal complications.

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Photo provided by the author

Filed Under: Do It Yourself Tagged With: car lockout, key fob, lockout, locksmith