What to Do If You Get Locked Out of Your Car

A lockout is stressful, but most are resolved quickly with the right help. Here's how to handle it safely.

Check for a child or pet inside first

If a child or pet is locked inside the vehicle, especially in hot or very cold weather, treat it as an emergency. Call 911 before anything else. This is the one situation where waiting for a lockout technician is not the right call.

Check the obvious options

Before calling for help, check every door and the trunk, since one may be unlocked. If you have a spare key at home or with someone nearby, that's usually the fastest fix. Many newer vehicles also support unlocking through a manufacturer's phone app if you've set one up.

Avoid DIY tools that can cause damage

Coat hangers, wedges, and shop-made lockout tools can scratch paint, crack window seals, or damage the lock mechanism, and modern vehicles with side airbags near the door frame make improvised tools riskier than they used to be. If the simple checks above don't work, it's usually safer and cheaper in the long run to call for professional help.

What a lockout service does

A technician uses tools designed not to damage the door, window, or lock, and can typically get most vehicles open in a few minutes once on scene. Have your vehicle's year, make, and model ready, along with your exact location, when you call.

When it's more than a lockout

If your key is broken off in the lock, the fob battery is dead with no backup entry, or the vehicle needs to be moved afterward, let the dispatcher know. Markaa Towing can also arrange towing if the vehicle can't be driven once it's opened.