Car Lockout Service: preparing for the visit

The trunk is full of groceries, the cart is back in its corral, and the keys are sitting in the cup holder in plain view. Every door handle lifts and stops. The car locked itself the moment the last door closed, and it is a warm afternoon.

Worth answering before the call

Is the car showing any signs of life, such as interior lights or a horn? If the keys are lost, do you want a replacement key made in the same visit? Does the car use a keyless fob or push-button start?

How long does a car lockout take once the locksmith arrives?

Confirming identification and looking the car over take a few minutes, and the opening itself is often the shortest part. A wedge-and-reach entry or a picked door cylinder on a common car is a matter of minutes; a frozen lock, a dead car battery or a car with hidden cylinders takes longer. Cutting and programming a replacement key is a separate stage that adds time, and you are given a sense of it before it starts.

Will opening the car damage the paint, the door or the seal?

A professional opening leaves nothing behind. Door-edge guards sit between tools and paint, the air wedge is inflated in small steps so the frame flexes evenly and returns to shape, and the reach tool is padded. Where the car has a door cylinder, a matched pick-and-decoder turns it exactly as a key would. Any mark already present is pointed out before work begins, and the door, glass and seal are checked over at the end.