Category: car locksmith

Getting locked out of your car can be a very stressful experience, but it is always important to stay calm as improper methods of opening your vehicle may harm it. There is a vast array of tools that a Car Locksmith use to open a car that have the keys locked inside the car, broken in a lock, or simply lost. The Slim Jim is perhaps the most commonly thought of tool for opening a locked vehicle but is only effective on cars with upright style locks. The Slim Jim method varies depending on the make and model of the car but is predicated around the idea of slipping the tool between the weatherstrip and moving it until the upright lock is moved. Once the tool has found the locking device, the Slim Jim must hook the lock and be slid up to unlock the car. This process requires a lot of finesse as this part of the door has many wires and electronic mechanisms that can be disrupted, harming the car if done unprofessionally.

A more common practice in car lockouts is the use of wedges. Wedges vary in size and shape to accomplish success with a vast number of different makes and models. Though some wedges may seem more refined than others they are used because of their proven track records and will not harm the vehicle. The wedge serves as a way to create an opening in the door so another tool may be used to unlock the car from the inside. Once the wedge is in place a Lasso Tool may be used for an upright door lock. This tool grasps the lock with a small lasso so that the lock can be pulled upwards to unlock the car door. A rod may be used for push or slide buttons if the car does not have upright locks.

More specialized tools act in a similar fashion to the Slim Jim, in terms of a wedge free entry. The Japanese Tool (named for its use predominantly on Japanese manufactured cars) is dropped down between the weather strip and the windowpane and comes up on the other side of the glass to manipulate thumb style locks. The Auto Buster (perfect for GM cars) enters the car just like the Japanese tool, but due to its shape can more adeptly press sidelocks or use side sliding locks.