Unlocking a Car Door Without a Key

We’ve all been there. That horrible, slow motion moment when your hand grasps your car door and begins to swing it shut, all while your brain is screaming at your arm “STOP! THE KEYS ARE INSI—” *click*. When you find yourself in this situation, don’t be too alarmed! There are a couple of methods that you can use to gain access to your car without having to call in a locksmith, ranging from the bizarre (ever heard of the tennis ball technique?) to the highly professional utilization of an inflatable wedge.

Right off the bat, let’s start with that tennis ball technique! Apparently, you can drill a small hole through a tennis ball, place that hole over the keyhole in your car, and squeeze, forcing the air out of the ball, into the keyhole, and opening the door. This technique has been met with a great deal of controversy, as it worked for some people and failed others, prompting the Mythbusters themselves to give it a whirl!

Next, we’ll move on to a more common technique using a metal coathanger. This technique is especially popular due to the ready availability of coat hangers, whether they’re bought from a nearby store or pulled from your own coat closet. Watch the video for more information.

Finally, the most heavy duty technique that won’t cause damage to your car requires a bit of forethought, as you’ll need to purchase an inflatable wedge. With this method, you slide a plastic wedge in between your door and the frame of the car to create space for the inflatable wedge, then slide in the deflated wedge and begin to inflate it, slowly creating a gap between the frame and door and allowing you to slip a coat hanger or similar tool through the door to open it up.

After giving all of these options a try and still not having any luck don’t forget to call your local Phoenix locksmith!