The «key» issue. What should I do if I have lost my car keys? | Blog Spoko

Any driver surely knows that awkward feeling of the forthcoming disaster when you reach the car and can not find the keys in the pocket of a jacket. It would be great to eventually locate them in a different pocket. But what if they are gone for good?

What should you do and whom should you call if your car is in front of you, but the keys seem to be lost?

Breathe in, breathe out – then act

We might sound like Captain Obvious here but try to calm down. Take a couple of deep breaths, sit down and have a sip of water. First of all, this is the way to get a clear picture of an issue with proper next steps. And secondly, getting a nervous breakdown is far worse than losing a set of keys.

Evaluate the risks

Losing your keys on a sunny June morning before leaving for the countryside – is just a small misunderstanding. While the same situation in January, with minus 20 and a kid sleeping inside the locked car looks much more like a disaster.

Before smashing the car window, calling for the police, emergency tow truck, or the British Queen on a helicopter – try to assess the risk category of your case and act accordingly.

Change of plans

If you were heading to the office – give them a call and explain yourself. If the family expects you to get home for dinner – let them know, you would probably be late. Solving such a complex problem might take some time. So, if you were initially planning to drive your mom to the doctor’s office, call her a taxi and then think over your next steps.

Search, ask, and look

Anyone who has ever lost and happily found the keys (in such obvious spots as near the house entrance, deep down the purse or at supermarket’s cash register) would give you the same piece of advice – “look harder”.

Try to recall the sequence of events since you’ve last seen the lost item. Where have you been? Whom were you with? These people could also help you with the search.

Backup option

Almost any modern vehicle is sold with more than one set of keys so that you won’t have to deal with the stress of losing the unique one. Try to recall where is your second key? Can somebody bring it right away?

Please keep one important thought in mind. One can never underestimate the risk of the keys being stolen, not lost. That is why it is extremely important to stay close to the car and keeping an eye on it, while someone gets the spare set of keys for you.

“Break into” and drive

On some occasions, the spare key might be found inside the locked car. If you have time and patience to wait for the emergency locksmith – he will fix the problem.

If there is no time to wait and you need an urgent solution (like when a passenger locked inside the car is in danger) – just Google «how can I open the car lock by myself». Warning – please perform this actions at your own risk since you might hurt yourself or damage the car.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that before “breaking into” your car the locksmith would definitely ask for the proof of ownership (registration).

Make a copy

If both – the first and the second keys are lost for good, and you are ready to explode, just check the first advice on the list and take a couple of deep breaths. In the end, everything is going to be alright, and if it is not alright – it just not the end yet.

If you can not find the key – make a copy. Modern car keys are not just metal chunks, but also have a sophisticated electronic “soul”, that helps to protect vehicles from being stolen. That is why we strongly recommend ordering a full copy of the key with all electronic settings being fixed in the background. This could be done via the car company’s office (expensive, but safe) or a specialized firm (cheaper, but riskier).

Keeping the car somewhere safe

While the new key is being made, take care of a safe place where your car could wait for the happy reunion. You might consider towing it to the secure parking lot or a garage.

Even if you are a 100% mister-know-it-all and you never get in trouble, just in case try to think right now, where is your backup key and whom would you call if you lose the original one. Forewarned is forearmed.