Locked Out in a Holiday Parking Lot: Why It Happens and How to Get Back In

From now through New Year’s, store parking lots are crowded and noisy, and many people are carrying more than they can hold. That is when keys get locked inside a car. Here is why it happens, what to check before you call, what not to try, and what happens when our technician arrives.

• Full hands, a weak key fob battery and simple distraction cause many holiday lockouts
• Check every door, the trunk and the hidden key inside your fob before you call
• If a child or pet is locked inside, call 911 first, then call us

Why Holiday Lockouts Happen

Most lockouts are not carelessness. They happen to busy people doing several things at once. You open the trunk, set the keys down to free a hand, load the bags and close the lid. Or you set the keys on the seat while you fold a stroller, press the lock button on the door out of habit, and close it.

Key fobs can play a part too. A fob runs on a small coin-shaped battery. As that battery gets weak, the fob only works from closer to the car, and the buttons stop working every time. Most newer cars are designed to keep you from locking a fob inside, but under some conditions it can still happen. If your fob has needed a second press lately, or your dashboard has shown a low key battery message, replace that small battery before the shopping season gets busy.

What to Check Before You Call

• Walk around and try every door, including the rear doors and the trunk or liftgate. One may not have locked.
• If the fob is in your hand but does not work, look for the hidden key. Many fobs have a small button or slide that releases a metal key blade. On many cars that blade opens the driver’s door. On some, the keyhole sits behind a small cap on the door handle. Your owner’s manual shows where.
• Think about the spare key. Is there a second key at home that someone could bring?

If the fob does nothing and the dome light will not come on, the car’s own battery may be dead. In that case the power locks may not respond to the fob at all. Use the key blade to get in, and call us for a jump start once you are inside.

If none of that works, call. Tell dispatch where you are parked, the make, model and color of the car, and where the keys are, if you know. Keys on the driver’s seat and keys in a closed trunk are different jobs, and the technician should come ready for yours.

Why Not to Try a Coat Hanger or Slim Jim

Inside a modern car door you will find wiring for the windows, locks and mirrors, the rods and cables that connect the handle to the latch, and on many vehicles, side airbag parts. A coat hanger or slim jim pushed into that space without being able to see can bend a rod, pull a wire loose or damage airbag parts. Prying at the top of the door can tear the rubber seal or scratch the paint. That repair can cost far more than a lockout call.

If a Child or Pet Is Inside

Call 911 first. Then call us. Even on a mild November afternoon, the inside of a closed car warms up quickly in the sun, and emergency responders are trained to act fast when someone is trapped. Once 911 is on the way, stay by the car, keep the child or pet in sight, and talk to them calmly through the glass.

What Our Technician Does

When the technician arrives, the first step is confirming the car is yours. Expect to show your ID, and once the door is open, the registration in the car helps confirm it. Then the technician uses professional entry tools. This is usually an inflatable air wedge, a flat bag that opens a small gap at the top of the door, and a long-reach tool that presses the unlock button or lifts the handle from inside. These tools are made to get you in without damaging the door, the glass or the paint.

If your keys are in the trunk, opening the cabin usually comes first, because many cars have a trunk release inside the car or rear seats that fold down. To be clear about what we do: we open locked vehicles so you can reach your keys. We do not cut new keys or program key fobs. If your key is lost rather than locked inside, dispatch will tell you that up front.

Help Any Hour

Dugger’s Road Rescue dispatches 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year across the Phoenix metro, Tucson, Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. Se habla español.

A lockout in a crowded lot is stressful, but it is usually simple to fix. Check the doors, check the fob and think about the spare key. Do not force the door. If the keys are still locked inside, one call sends a trained technician to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you unlock my car without damaging it?

Our technicians use professional entry tools such as inflatable air wedges and long-reach tools. These are made to open the door without damaging the door, the glass or the paint.

What if my keys are locked in the trunk?

Tell dispatch when you call. On many cars, once the technician opens a door, the trunk release inside the car or the fold-down rear seats give you a way to reach the keys.

Do you make car keys or program key fobs?

No. Dugger’s opens locked vehicles so you can get to your keys. If a key is lost or broken, a locksmith or dealer will need to make a new one.

Dugger’s Road Rescue
Phoenix metro and Tucson: (602) 274-1506.
Albuquerque and Rio Rancho: (505) 823-9696.
Toll-free: 1-877-823-9696.
24/7/365. Se habla español.