Losing your car keys is a very annoying and infuriating ordeal one person will experience. If you locked your keys inside your car, there are remedies that you can do in that situation. It only depends if you have a spare or if you know methods to gain entry in a locked car. If you are in this particular situation, we made an article detailing every method you can use, “How to Get Keys Out of Locked Car with Automatic Locks”.
However, if you’re in a situation where you definitely lost your main and spare key, you’re in for a rollercoaster of varying degrees.
First Things First
Don’t panic. Nothing good happens if a person panics. People who act out of panic will usually do more harm than good. Just stay calm and keep a clear head. Maintaining your composure will help tremendously with the first thing you will do, thinking about where you last left your car key. Have a moment and traceback in your memory the specific area where you left it. If you do remember where, check the area. Try to broaden the area where you think the car key is if you can’t immediately find it. Double-checking won’t hurt either.
If you can’t find it, try looking inside your car. You might be a victim of locking your car key inside your vehicle. Don’t worry, this situation happens many times to car owners around the world and some methods can help you gain an entry inside. However, if it isn’t inside the main body of the car, it might be inside the boot. This is a very different and more difficult situation to solve. It is more time consuming and expensive than locking your car key inside the main body of your car. If you want to know more about what to do if you locked your keys inside the boot, check the article, “What To Do if I Locked My Car Keys in the Boot of My Car?”.
Replacement Key
When you’ve done your due diligence, checking the last place you think you left your key and inside the car, and still can’t find your key. Your key is officially lost. Replacing it is your only option now. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to replace a modern key. With the amount of technology inside a modern key, it becomes more expensive and more complicated to replace a lost key. It’s not like the olden days where it’s much easier, cheaper, and less complicated to replace a traditional key. We made two articles that speak about what happens when a person replaces a modern key and its factors on the price. Check out the articles, “Replacing Remote Car Keys” and “How Much is a Replacement Car Key in the UK?”.
Before replacing your key, you must understand the nature of your key. What type is it? Modern keys nowadays are more complicated. Due to technology and its advancements, some keys that are used for certain cars can be programmed to be used for other cars. Some keys may be, to an extent, universal. Knowing which key you lost will be a lot of help to the locksmith or car dealer you intend to talk to. We have an article specifying the various types of modern car keys and their costs, “Replacement Key Cost”.
Locksmith vs. Car Dealer
These two are the two main options where you can get your replacement key. Generally, for older cars going to a locksmith is a good solution. A locksmith can easily make a replacement key. If you worry about programming the key, don’t. Older car keys don’t have the same amount (or sometimes none) of technology as their modern counterparts. Also, it is much cheaper to go to a locksmith than a car dealer.
For modern keys, going to a car dealer is your best bet. As stated above, modern keys are much more complicated than traditional keys. With the amount of technology, a modern key has, most locksmiths may not know how to handle them. A car dealer is equipped to replace and program the key and reprogram the computer of your vehicle.
Once being in a locksmith or car dealer, immediately order a spare key as well. It’s very valuable to always have a spare, whether on hand or kept in a safe place. It may add to the expenses of replacing a key but this is an investment that will help you in the long run. If you don’t want to pay too much for a spare, try purchasing aftermarket keys. They are cheaper than genuine keys, their quality varies but are still up to par with original keys.
Conclusion
It’s always a smart thing when a person has a preventive measure against this type of situation. Always have a spare or maybe even a third key. Lost it? Immediately replace it, don’t wait. Is it a bit too expensive? Try aftermarket keys. There are ways to work around car keys and their price. If your key is lock inside your car, we mentioned above about the articles we made. Check them out. Lastly, please take care of your keys. You would not want to experience the headache of losing and replacing car keys.
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