Photo : Steve Wiesner ( (Unsplash )

There comes a time in every car owner’s life when they lock their keys in their vehicle, or lose them completely. Sure, you can pay to have a professional break into your car for you...or you can just learn how to do it yourself to save both time and money.




Note: This should go without saying, but do not use this knowledge to break into someone else’s vehicle. That is illegal and not particularly nice. Use this to unlock your car when you lock your keys inside.

According to YouTuber assertivecrystalgg45, all you need is a door stop or wooden wedge and a long metal rod. To break in, simply insert the wedge into the top part of the driver’s side door until it makes a small opening. Then stick the long metal rod into that opening and use it to push the unlock button on the car. This works much better with electronic locks but can be done with manual locks as well. If you have a manual lock, you may also be able to use a crimped plastic strap to lift it into the unlocked position. The best method for your particular situations depends on what type of kind of locks you have, so take 10 seconds to confirm the type before going out and procuring your materials.

Personally, I was able to break into my car using a small putty knife instead of a wedge. A wedge would’ve been more effective, but a putty knife is what I happened to have lying around. (Presumably a wedge will work better since it can create a wider opening). Either way, you should be able to get the rod through the door, making it far easier to navigate the long way to your tiny unlock button. If you have any sticky tack (or something sticky) to put at the end of the rod, this also may make it easier for you to push difficult and/or small buttons.


All in all, this looks to be a very effective method for breaking into your own car so long as you have these tools handy. And despite how it may look, it’s pretty easy to do this without damaging your vehicle. If you can manage to only lock your keys in the car when you’re home (or near a hardware store), you’ll be in good shape!

This story was originally published on 10/11/11 and was updated on 6/5/19.