Tip #15: Locked out? Never break a window, unless a person or pet inside is in danger
If your keys are locked in the car, do not break a window or push a coat hanger down the door. The glass, wiring and airbag sensors cost far more than a lockout. If a child or pet is locked inside, call 911 immediately.
Tip #15 in one line
If your keys are locked in the car, do not break a window or push a coat hanger down the door. The glass, wiring and airbag sensors cost far more than a lockout. If a child or pet is locked inside, call 911 immediately.
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Call nowThe emergency exception
If a child, a vulnerable adult or a pet is locked inside, especially on a hot or cold day, call 911 first, then call us. Police and fire can act fast and can break a window if they judge it necessary. Whoever arrives first gets them out. The car is not the priority. Tell the dispatcher about it right away too, so the call is treated as urgent.
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Call nowWhy breaking glass is the expensive option
Side windows are made of tempered glass that shatters into small pieces across the seats, the door channels and the carpet. Replacing it means a glass shop visit, and until then the car cannot be locked or kept dry.
Coat hangers and homemade tools are worse. Modern doors hold wiring, shielded lock rods, window regulators and side-impact airbag sensors. Fishing around inside the door can tear a harness or misalign the lock, and the repair bill dwarfs the call you were trying to avoid.
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Call nowWhat to try first
Check every door and the rear hatch. One is sometimes unlocked. If someone at home has a spare key, getting it to you may be the cheapest fix. Some vehicles can be unlocked through the manufacturer's app or connected service if you have it set up.
Know what to have ready when the technician arrives: your driver's license and the registration, or another way to show the car is yours. If the registration is locked inside the car, tell the dispatcher; it can usually be checked once the door is open. Proof of ownership protects you, since it is the same check that keeps a stranger from having your car opened.
If the engine is running with the keys inside, do not leave the car unattended while you wait.
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Call nowWhat a lockout tech does
A car lockout technician opens the door with an inflatable wedge and a long-reach tool, without touching the glass, wiring or weatherstrip, and checks your ID and registration after entry. It is one flat price, quoted when you call (908) 444-0129.
We open doors; we do not cut or program keys. If the keys are lost rather than locked in, the dispatcher will tell you so before a truck rolls. The car lockout guide covers what to have ready.
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Call nowMore on lockouts & keys
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Locked out of your car in New Jersey: what to do
- Tip #21: A dead key fob battery rarely means you are stranded
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which does your car need?
- What happens to your car after a police-ordered tow in New Jersey
- Dead car battery in a New Jersey winter: why it happens and what to do
- Flat tire on a New Jersey highway: what to do
- EV towing in New Jersey: what electric car owners need to know
- All posts
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