5 Tips To Stop You From Locking Yourself Out Of Your Car
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We’ve all been there – getting out of the car, shutting the door, and then realising that our keys are still in the ignition or on the car seat inside. Sometimes, cars can be too clever for their own good, automatically locking themselves and holding their own keys hostage until you can call a car locksmith to free them. Locking yourself out of your car is a hassle that no one wants to go through, so here are 5 tips that will hopefully help you from doing it again.
- Develop a routine
Our brains have a lot to think about on a daily basis, and taking the car keys out of the car is one of them. The key to remembering to do this even when your brain is frazzled or concentrating elsewhere is to make it a habit so that you do it subconsciously. Develop a routine in which you exit the car, find your keys, and then shut the door. This may seem simple but on the days when your mind is elsewhere the routine of tapping down your pocket or looking at your hand could save you.
- Have a duplicate key
Locking yourself out of the car can be frustrating, but having a duplicate key that you can use to gain access makes the whole process that little less enraging. Most new cars come with two keys, but some second-hand vehicles may only come with one. Have a second key cut, and leave it in the house somewhere safe for you to get if you ever need it. If your car keys and house keys are on the same chain and locking yourself out of your car also means locking yourself out of your house, then consider leaving it with a trusted neighbour or friend whom you can call to drop it around for you.
- Only cut spare keys from the original
Like Chinese whispers, when a key is cut it can change shape, ever so slightly, each time until eventually the duplication no longer works. To make sure that your backup key works, always have it cut from the original key, and if you need more duplicate keys, be sure to have these cut from the original too.
- Don’t ignore sticky locks
If your car key sometimes sticks in the lock and is hard to turn, then it’s only a matter of time before you push too hard and the key breaks in the lock. This is the same concept for a car key fob that is running out of battery and no longer works the first time. Don’t wait until it’s too late to replace your key fob battery and don’t wait until the key snaps in the lock to fix your locks.
- Turn off the auto-lock feature
If your car has an auto-lock feature and you keep being caught out, then consider turning it off until you have put measures in place to stop yourself from leaving the keys in the car. The way to turn off the auto-lock feature can vary from model to model, but a quick Google search is usually enough to bring up a relevant result.
So there you have it – five tips to stop you from locking yourself out of your car – don’t get caught out again!