How to Open Locked Car Door – Locking your keys inside of your car is frustrating, to say the least, especially if you’re in a hurry to get somewhere. You can always call AAA roadside assistance or a locksmith, but you’ll probably have to fork over some money, as well as wait for them to get to you. You might even get towed.
Luckily, there are a few DIY methods to unlock your car door when desperate, and I’m not talking about hoaxes such as using a cell phone or tennis ball. To pop your locks open when you don’t have your keys, try your shoelace, your car’s antenna, or even your windshield wiper.
These lockout tricks may sound unbelievable, but they most definitely work, though it all depends on your make and model vehicle. Newer cars and trucks will be harder to get into with automatic locks and security systems—but not impossible. You can at least try one of these lock-picking tips out before calling an expensive professional to do it for you.
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Car Door Method #1: Use Your Shoestring
The first time I saw this, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It sounds too good to be true, but the car-opening tool you’re most likely to have on you at any given time is a shoestring. Unfortunately, this method only works on locking mechanisms that unlock by pulling up.
You’ll need to tie a small loop in the middle of the shoelace that, when placed around the locking mechanism, can be tightened. Work the string into the interior of the car through space where the door meets the car’s exterior, hook it around the lock, tighten the loop, and pull the string up. It may take more than once if you are not a pro like this guy, but it should work nonetheless.
Car Door Method #2: Use a Coat Hanger
The coat hanger method is one method I’m pretty familiar with—I remember watching my dad use a coat hanger to unlock his car a few years back. I will say that it took him a pretty long time, but he eventually got it, saving him a call to the local locksmith and probably a hundred bucks or so.
You’ll need a wire hanger so you can untwist it and make a hook that goes inside the weather stripping in the window. From here, you have to jiggle it around until you find the locking mechanism. It may take some time, but it’s worth the trouble when you’re desperate. If you have your phone handy, you can try googling your car’s door locking mechanism to figure out where to aim the hanger.
This method works with horizontal locks as well, since you’re working on the locking mechanism inside the door, not aiming too pull up or push down the button inside the car.
If you prefer plastic clothes hangers over metal, then you might want to try some other options…
Car Door Method #3: Use a Rod & Screwdriver
All you need is a Phillips head screwdriver, a steel rod, and 30 seconds. Any long and sturdy pole-type instrument will do, so depending on how much junk you have lying around, you may be able to find a good substitute. Use the screwdriver to pry open the door slightly, then stick the rod in and push the unlock button.
WARNING: Using any metal object to pry the door open can cause damage to your exterior and interior, so be cautious using this method.
If you don’t have the proper tools, it’s still a lot cheaper to buy them if you’re lucky enough to be stuck near a hardware store, rather than waiting around for a tow truck.
Car Door Method #4: Use a Slim Jim
No, not the beef jerky kind of Slim Jim. You’ve probably seen the car version of a slim jim used in hundreds of movies by thieves and for impromptu car break-ins, but it’s not just a Hollywood thing—it really works.
Again, this particular method requires an older style lock. You insert the slim jim into the interior of the car door the same way you would use the wire from a coat hanger, working the locking mechanism inside the door.
Car Door Method #5: Use an Inflatable Wedge
Using an inflatable wedge like Donnie Smith does help you avoid damaging the paint on your car and uses air to force the door open versus a metal object like the screwdriver method shown above. The wedge will create enough space to insert an access tool, a stick or rod, or some kind of coat hanger contraption, and all you need is patience and a steady hand to push or pull the unlock button.
Car Door Method #6: Use a Strip of Plastic
Aside from the inflatable wedge, Donnie also recommends using a plain old piece of plastic to get the job done. It’s pretty much just a long plastic strap which is bent in half and slid through the crack of the door. A set of plastic wedges would also work.
This method works for the pull-up type locks, or any unlocking mechanism inside the car that you can trigger with a stick, rod, or access tool.
For a lot of these methods, you could potentially make due with things around your house or already in your toolbox. You should also call around and ask friends and family if they happen to have any of these tools themselves.
If you have a habit of locking yourself out of the car, you could also invest in a complete lockout tool kit or a long reach tool kit. Or buy a set of wedges or an inflatable wedge, and long reach tool. What tools and methods work for you depend on what type of locks your car has, so make sure to check that against the methods above before buying anything. Also — make sure not to keep it in your trunk!
If you don’t want to get locked out again, you could also invest in some magnetic key holders. Put a spare car key in there and hide it under your bumper.
Car Door Method #7: The Hail Mary (AKA Tennis Ball)
In one of the coolest (and most debated) methods for unlocking a car door, a simple tennis ball could do the trick.
As you can see, there are plenty of arguments on both sides of the debate around this method. If you want to find out whether or not it works, the best way to do so is to try it out. Let us know in the comments if you have any luck.
Car Door Method #8: Just Call AAA
If all else fails, there’s nothing wrong with getting a little help. AAA is probably the most well-known car assistance provider in the nation. If you have the service already, you can call and have someone come and help you within half an hour. Even if you don’t have the service, you can call in, become a member, and have someone at your car that same day.
Car Door Method #9: Use Police/Security Assistance
I recently locked my keys in my truck when I was visiting my old university. I called the public safety department, and an officer came and opened my door using a car opener toolkit. It was as easy as that. Thankfully, I was dealing with an organization I knew, and they weren’t busy at the time.
Calling the police is another possibility, but not one I would try unless you have no other options. While plenty of officers have the tools to help you, it’s never a high priority, and you could be wasting their valuable time by calling in. However, if you feel like you’re in danger staying where you are, they may be more willing to help.
Conclusion
One obvious way to get into the locked car is to have a spare key handy. Those little magnetic boxes that stick to the metal surface of the vehicle body or frame work great, but be sure to place your box in an obscure and hard-to-reach area where it can’t jiggle loose and fall out. Be imaginative! Struggling a little to reach that extra key is better than giving the car away easily. And don’t hide your extra house key with it. You don’t want to give everything away, do you?