Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice

Keys are locked in car

Keys are locked in car — how to open door

You’ve got a keys are locked in car situation and you don’t want to spend the money for an auto locksmith. Years ago just about anybody with a slim-jim tool could enter a vehicle if they had keys locked in car. The locking mechanisms in those vehicles were linkages that could be lifted and forced to unlock. Not anymore. Car makers switched over cheaper and more theft resistant break-away cable operated mechanisms. If you use a slim-jim on a cable mechanism, not only will it not open the door, but you’ll break the mechanism. The repairs will cost far more that the cost of a locksmith. So what do you do when you’ve got a keys locked in car situation? If you don’t want to call a locksmith, you must get your hands on the proper tools.

Professional Door opening tools

STECK manufacturing makes a complete lockout kit – the BigEasy.steck big easy car lock kit I’m not posting this to help you steal cars, because once you get inside, you still have to defeat the anti-theft mechanisms that are standard on all late model vehicles. If you know how to defeat the anti-theft mechanisms, you already know how to break into the door. So don’t write to me and whine about why I posted this.

The BigEasy lock out kit consists of several parts.

First, there’s the nylon non-marring wedge. steck door wedgeYou insert the wedge at the very top corner of the door – it’s weakest point. Push the non-marring wedge in past the weather stripping.

Then insert the Easy wedge and pump it up to hold the corner open.steck inflatable door wedge

Next, insert the BigEasy lock knob lifter and the plastic protector to lift the unlock button or remove keys from the ignition. Purchase the Big Easy loop to grab a door handle.
steck door lock loopsteck door unlock rod

Lock out tools from the home center

If you can get a ride to the nearest home center, you can find similar wedge tools to help you get into your locked car. But a long steel rod that’s thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to be bendable

Attach a zip tie to the end to pull up a lock button or pull the door handle.

Use the shims or axe wedge to open the door frame enough to get the inflatable pump-up shimming tool between the door and the pillar.

Then

Winbag® 8-1/2″ Shimming Tool Model Number: WB2040CS Menards ® SKU: 4334202 $20.98

Nelson 7-1/2″ Composite Shims – 12 Pack Model Number: Composite_Shim_4334210 Menards ® SKU: 4334210 $2.19
Baker Pro Tools Replacement 3″ Axe Wedge Model Number: 11WP Menards ® SKU: 2481423 $1.69

1/8" steel rod

1/8″ steel rod

Buy a length of 1/8″ steel rod. Bend a loop into it to grab the door handle or lock

©, 2015 Rick Muscoplat

Posted on by Rick Muscoplat



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