Your keys are locked in the car: with newer cars, often only a professional can help
If your vehicle is not that old, it will be difficult to open it yourself with tools without causing damage. Often, the only solution is to call in a professional.
- Professional auto clubs or repair shops can open cars without damaging anything.
- However, this can be expensive, especially if you are not a club member.
- Locksmiths could be a cheaper alternative here. Some advertise that they can open doors for as little as 12 euros. It is advisable to search the internet for nearby and inexpensive offers.
Opening a car door: A wire can help
Everyone is familiar with scenes from movies and television in which dubious-looking characters insert a wire hook between the window and the seal.
This trick should only be used on older cars, if at all. On newer models, it could damage not only the seal or the window, but also the electronics in the form of wiring in the door.
- Get a wire hanger, e.g., a clothes hanger or a cleaning hanger.
- Bend the hanger out of shape. Only the hook should remain bent.
- Push the hook down between the seal and the window. Be extremely careful not to damage anything or cause scratches.
- Continue to guide the hanger along the window until you find the mechanism for opening it. This requires a delicate touch, as it can be a fiddly business until you finally find it.
- Once you have found it, pull the bracket up briefly to activate the mechanism. This will allow you to open the door manually.
Air instead of keys: How to get into your car
Professionals often do something similar: This trick also works with newer cars. To do this, you need an inflatable device, such as a blood pressure cuff, and a long, narrow tool.
- Open the door wide enough for the cuff to fit inside. It is advisable to use a lever for this. If you cannot do it with brute force, you should use a plastic tool to help you.
- Open the door about 2 cm by inflating the cuff.
- Use a long, narrow tool, preferably a metal hook as in the first method. Insert the tool and activate the mechanism inside the car to open the door.
- If the key is within reach, you can then fish it out and free it from its isolated position.
- Be careful with this method too! If you open the door too wide, damage can occur – for example, bent hinges.
Tennis ball to rescue the locked-in key
A tennis ball with a hole cut in it can be used to open a locked car, provided that the mechanism works with negative pressure.
- Drill or cut a small hole in a standard tennis ball. A hole measuring five to ten millimeters should be sufficient.
- Once you have made a hole with the right diameter in your tennis ball, you can place the ball with the hole on the lock.
- Now press the air out of the ball with a strong push. This creates air pressure in the car lock, allowing the button to pop open and the door to be opened.
