There is no one who never forgets to leave his car locked from the inside or put the keys in the car. Waiting for a locksmith takes time, and the cost of unlocking your car is usually not cheap either. For a wide variety of different types of cars, you might be able to get back into your car in a few minutes using simple tools like clothes hanger wire or long shoelaces!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Log In From Under The Window
Step 1. Straighten the hanger wire
This method is especially suitable for vehicles with manual locks - which are keys that you pull to open or press to lock. This lock is usually located at the top of the door panel, just inside the window. This method requires a tool that is thin but strong enough to fit between the gap between the window base and the glass. You can use hanger wire, but you need to straighten it first.
A door opener or "slim jim" can also be used in this case if you easily forget to leave your keys in your car and want to keep them in case this happens again
Step 2. Make a bend at one end of the wire
While most hanger wires should be straightened, you will still need to bend one end into a hook. This hook is what you will use to catch the door lock lever arm in your car.
Hook length should be between 3 to 5 cm
Step 3. Insert the wire between the window and the door seal
To reach the car lock lever on the door, you must insert the end of the latch into the gap between the window and the door rubber film that covers and protects the window in the car door.
You may need to thread the wire a few inches down, and you will feel the end of the hook slipping through the window
Step 4. Flip the hook so that it points into the car
The lock lever mechanism aligns with the car door, so you need to turn the latch 90 degrees to make sure it's perpendicular to the lock lever and can catch it.
Step 5. Move the hook to catch the lock lever
This part is not something you can calculate with certainty and it really depends on the type of car you have. You will need to move the latch around the door to catch the lock lever.
- The actual lock lever position may be slightly behind the car's keyhole, so thread the wire a few inches behind the manual lock position and don't insert it right next to it.
- You'll see the car lock lever move and wiggle when you touch the lock lever, so keep trying to catch it until it moves.
Step 6. Lift the lock lever up
Once you feel the latch has caught the lock lever and you see it moving, then you just have to move and lift it to open the car door.
Since the lock lever is stronger than the wire, this will cause your wire hook to deform. Pull the wire out, shape the hook again and insert it in the same place. You may need to try it a few times, but as long as you can see your manual lock moving, you're in the right place
Step 7. Call a locksmith
If you can't get the wire through the window gap, you can still try another method, or you can contact a locksmith. With their professional equipment, a locksmith can open your car door in just a few minutes.
Method 2 of 3: Using a Knotted Rope
Step 1. Look for long laces or shoelaces
This method can also be used for vehicles with a manual key that is located right next to the window and which you have to lift to open it. Start by looking for long thin laces or long shoelaces.
If you're using shoelaces, then you'll likely have to take them off a pair of boots, as they should be at least 1 m long, depending on your car door
Step 2. Make a live knot in the middle of the rope
To do this, you'll be inserting the rope into the vehicle and tightening the knot over the lock lever and then pulling it, so you'll need to make a live knot first before inserting the rope into your vehicle.
- If you don't know how to make a knot, you can take a look at How to make a knot to learn.
- You will need to leave about 5 to 8 cm for the live knot to make it easier for the loop to fit into the lock before you tighten it.
Step 3. Thread the rope through the door gap
Insert from the very top corner of the door and pull to open the gap between the door and the rubber band, and thread the knotted part of the rope into the gap between the door and the frame.
Step 4. Lower the rope into the vehicle
You may find that moving it around like a saw will make it easier for the rope to descend into the vehicle. Swing the rope toward the handle of the car and swing the other end toward the side of the window, then swing it back behind you and lower the rope even lower.
- You may need to use a wedge to secure the corner of the door while you press the string between the door gap and the frame.
- Make sure you only pull on one end of the rope. If you pull both of them, you will tighten them prematurely.
Step 5. Place the live knot over the manual lock
Once you've managed to get the rope down deep enough, you'll need to place it just above the lock with the knot pointing in the right direction. Since the door will hold the string in the car deeper than the lock, you can twist the rope while it's over the lock and swing the knot over it.
Step 6. Tighten the live knot on the lock lever
Once you have successfully inserted the knot into the manual lock lever, you can tighten the knot. Pull both ends to tighten the knot, but be sure to pull it slowly so the knot doesn't slip out of the lock as you tighten.
Step 7. Open the door
Once you've tightened the knot in the lock, all you have to do is pull the string and unlock the car. This is very easy to do especially for vehicles with manual keys with a concave shape. If your lock has a smoother shape, you may need to pull it at a certain angle instead of pulling it straight to prevent the knot from slipping out of the lock.
Step 8. Call a locksmith
If you can't get the rope through the door gap and there's no other way you can use it for your vehicle, then it's a good idea to contact a locksmith.
Method 3 of 3: Entering Through the Door Gap
Step 1. Straighten the hanger wire
Since in this way a long wire will be inserted into the vehicle, it will be more suitable for vehicles with a power lock or the lock opens automatically when you pull the door handle on the inside. You need a long, strong tool that won't bend under the slightest pressure to reach the lock and press the door unlock button or pull the door handle. The most likely household item you can use is a coat hanger wire after straightening it. You can also use an umbrella frame or long wire from the basket.
You can also purchase specialized equipment for doing this online, which includes inflatable pouches, pegs, and rigid tools. If you easily forget to leave your keys in your car, then maybe you need to have this tool ready as a precaution
Step 2. Cut the twisted sections at both ends of the wire
Use wire shears to cut the twisted sections at both ends of the wire that hold them together. This section is very difficult to straighten completely and difficult to fit into the door gap.
Cut as close to the ends of the twisted sections as possible to get the straight wire as long as you can
Step 3. Shape the hanger wire
Make a small hook at the end of the wire if you are going to open the car door handle. Make a small circle if you are going to open a vertical lock or press a button to open a door.
Make sure the latch is large enough to catch the door handle, and the loop is slightly smaller than the button so it will hold when you pull it
Step 4. Pry the car door gap
You'll need something to plug the gap in your car door so you can insert the wire. You can use an inflatable wedge, which is a pocket that can be expanded to safely create a small opening in your door or window.
- If you don't have a pocket like this, you can use any rubber material. You can also use two or three doorstops if you insert them one by one as a doorstop. Use rubber so you don't scratch your car's paint.
- Be sure to pry under the rubber layer and only pry until it is enough to insert the wire.
- Leave the object you put in the door gap until you complete the next step.
Step 5. Lower the wedge even further
Once you have the wedge behind the door you will need to pry even more to open the gap even more. Even if you're using an inflatable pump, it's a good idea to provide a plastic or rubber-covered wooden or rubber plug or two. You'll need to push the wedge deeper into the door gap so that the wire can be threaded through it.
Step 6. Insert the wire through the gap
If you are trying to open the door handle, you should thread the wire horizontally through the side of the door. If you're trying to open a vertical lock, it's a good idea to thread the wire down vertically from the top of the door.
- If this is difficult to do on the driver's door, you can try opening it from the passenger side as most modern vehicles with power locks also have a controller on the passenger side.
- Be careful not to scratch your car's paint when doing this.
Step 7. Use the hook to catch the door handle
If you are opening the door handle, guide the wire to the door handle and catch it with the hook you made by bending the wire. These hooks usually need to be pointed down and slightly into the car to get the best angle.
Step 8. Use the circle to press the door button
If you're going to press a button or pull a vertical lock, run the wire from the top of the window at the button and do what needs to be done. For the button, press the button down with the wire until the door opens. For a vertical lock, press the loop you made on the end of the wire into the lock lever and pull it up until the car door opens.
You need to make the circle size just slightly wide enough to fit into the vertical lock so you can pull it back
Step 9. Open the car door you just unlocked and continue your journey
Step 10. Call a locksmith
If your vehicle's door is difficult to pry open to get the wires in and move it, you should contact a locksmith. They have professional equipment that will help open your car quickly.
Tips
- Be sure to use rubber pads so you don't leave streaks on your car's paint.
- Do this in a well-lit and safe place so you don't appear to be trying to steal your own car.
- Call a locksmith if you are afraid of damaging your car.
- Consider purchasing a key-hiding device, which is a small box with a strong magnet attached to the bottom of your vehicle's frame. This device can help you keep your spare key in a hidden place when you forget to put your key or get locked out of the car.
Warning
- If your vehicle has an alarm, it will be sure to go off when you do one of the methods above to get into the car. Warn your neighbors ahead of time what you're about to do, so no one will call the police. You may also need to enlist the help of a neighbor to accompany you as a witness to the ownership of the vehicle if someone calls the police.
- Do not use this method to get into a vehicle that is not yours. Because it is an act that violates the law and will get criminal charges.
