No key there? That's how you break into a car!

Reading time 7 Min.

Did you leave your vehicle key in the car and the vehicle locked itself for whatever reason? Or does grandpa finally hand over the old barn find but doesn't have the keys anymore? Having a professional open the car to get back inside can be expensive. Five minutes of work by a professional can cost 100 euros and more, although it's actually not particularly difficult to break into a car, whether with manual or automatic lock or through the trunk. Below are a few "free methods" that serve as alternative ways to smash the window to get the key again.

Solution No.1: break the automatic or electric lock

Use a tool that doesn't damage the car but manages to wedge a crack in the door to get a long stick at the lock button and operate it. This sounds crude at first, but it's basically exactly what the locksmith would do first, only if you do it yourself it won't cost you 100 euros in 5 minutes. The only thing you need for this is the stick and a suitable wedge.

the possibilities are:

• The thinner the wedges, the better. spatula or doorstop are good. It's best to only open the door far enough to get the wand in, the locksmith would use a balloon for this and then pump air in to create the necessary gap.
• Unscrewed car antennas or straightened wire hangers are good as rods. To improve the thrust, the shackle (if long enough) can be doubled up for better access to the locking button. You will probably need pliers or a vise to straighten the hanger. If you don't have a hanger handy, you can use any other tool that is narrow and long enough to get through the window gap and press the closing button.
• If you are not in a hurry, you can order such a balloon online for little money.
• You have to wedge the door open. Try clamping a doorstop or other wedge-shaped tool in the gap between the car and the top of the door (between the door frame and the roof rail). You should use the heel of your hand to firmly tap the wedge into the door/car area (possibly with a rubber mallet).
• To protect the car paint from damage, you can cover the wedge with a cloth or felt surface before you begin.
• If there is a gap, a rod can be inserted. The wedge has created a gap between the door and the car, so you can insert the stick into the gap to get the lock button.
• Push the button and open the car. It may take you a few tries, but use the wand to push the button as hard as you can. If the button doesn't work, try to pull the door opener. This may require you to reshape the staff accordingly. Is it a vehicle with start button, then try to press it. The ignition should normally turn on. Then try to press the door opener button again.
• If you did it, you opened your car victoriously.
• Now open the door and get your key.

Solution No.2: pick manual lock

Catch the lock (the door latch pin) with a coat hanger. If you want to break into a car with a manual lock, the difference here is that you have to manually pull up the locking pin to get into the car. Here you have to follow the same instructions as in point 1. So you have to squeeze a wedge between the door and the car, and then use a stick to carefully pull up the button through the created space and open the car.

•  Just pressing a button is easier, but capturing a pin is more complicated. This requires a curved loop to slide over the locking button to snare the head, then pull it up to unlock the car. This may take a few tries.
• You can have one too Slim jim (Auto Locksmith Tool) or make one yourself. Slim Jim is actually a lockout tool used by the police to help open doors that have a manual lock. Here, too, one tries to create a wedge between the door rubber and the window in order to get to the locking pin. Then you can pull it up with a hook from the inside. If you have the ability to use a Sim Jim, this is sure to be a faster solution.
• Make your own Slim Jim by straightening a hanger and leaving only the end bent as a hook and original. You may need to double the hanger to strengthen it, but you may need pliers or a vise to straighten it.

This solution is not intended for cars with automatic windows and locks. In these, many cables are installed in the doors, which can break when trying to break into the car

• Better take the passenger door. There are usually fewer cables installed on this side, making it easier to break open.
• The tool is introduced. Find the black door rubber. It is located on the lower edge of the side window. You will find the locking mechanism at the same level as the lock, usually towards the back of the door.
• To create a gap between the window and the outer part of the car door, use your fingers to gently pry the rubber strip of the window. You can then put the straightened hanger first, with the curved side in the gap between the window and the rubber strip.
• Now guide the hanger down. The coat hanger should slide a few centimeters into the gap without much resistance, so that you can feel for the pin.
• If you have the car's manual handy, you can get an idea of ​​where the locking pin is and how to get to it. However, if you poke around blindly, you run the risk of damaging the wires and cables in the door. So before you insert the Slim Jim, you should know where the locking pin is located. Videos online can help.
• find the pin Try moving the hanger in the gap until you can feel the pin. To release the door lock, this pin must drawn will. You can find it next to the inside door handle, about 5 cm below the window.
• Carefully, then pull the pin towards the back of the car. When you find the pin, hook it in and carefully pull it up. If you are successful, you will feel the pin move and the door will open audibly. Then carefully pull out the coat hanger and open the door to get your key.

Solution #3: through the trunk

Find the emergency cord. If you are lucky and the trunk is unlocked, open it, look around and try to find the emergency cord. You can often find them hidden in the trunk lid or on the roof of the trunk. She opens the trunk towards the car.
You have to pull the string. When you find the string, pull on it. By pulling, the rear seats open and, depending on the model, they fall forward. In some sedans this is a common feature. Climb in. If the seats have come loose, it is possible to slide them forward. You can then climb through this gap to open the rear doors yourself from the inside. Is a "load-through" installed. Then try to open it and then use a long object to get towards the door pin.

Advices

• Be careful not to destroy the paint when you pry it open.
• Consider calling a locksmith before breaking into your car yourself.

Caution

• Auto theft is a criminal offense. This guide is only intended to be used on cars that you own.

You need

• Wire hangers or a rod
• sharp-edged tweezers
• doorstop or wedge
• optionally a cloth or felt for paint protection
• maybe a rubber mallet

The following note is essential: For safety reasons, tuningblog recommends all repair, inspection and maintenance work exclusively to be carried out in a specialist workshop! Although our information is summarized to the best of our knowledge and belief, we cannot assume any liability for the content. All information is therefore "without guarantee".

Of course, that wasn't the end of it!

In this tuningblog category there are guides and instructions for common defects/repairs on the vehicle and for installing accessories/tuning parts. Our articles explain in a simple way common defects and the corresponding repairs, as well as explaining how the first signs of a defect become noticeable. In most cases, we also have initial clues to the repair instructions in our repair instructions approximate The costs of the pending repair are listed. The goal of our subcategory “Auto Repair Guide“ is to create a head start in knowledge for the next visit to the workshop with initial tips. This may save you from tedious troubleshooting and small things can perhaps be done directly on your own. The same applies, of course, to the installation of accessories/tuning parts. Here, too, we would like to help with the implementation with instructions and tips. There are many other posts on this as well. Below is an excerpt of the last and HERE there are all previous instructions:

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