Locksmiths open car doors without a key by picking the door lock, or by pressing the unlock button with an air wedge and a long reach tool.
An auto locksmith opens the car door in five stages. Five tools cover most cars, led by the lock pick and decoder. The lock type and the deadlock decide the method. Deadlocks disconnect the interior handles, so lock picking replaces the wedge. Opening a car door takes 5 to 25 minutes. Slim jims damage modern doors. Photo ID and the V5C logbook prove ownership, and ADC Locksmith Liverpool carries out non-destructive entry in Liverpool on that basis.
Keyless cars, alarms, damage, the cost of a vehicle lockout visit and a car where the keys are stuck inside raise the further questions about locksmith entry.
The list below gives four key takeaways on how locksmiths open car doors.
- A lock pick and decoder opens the door lock and reads the key cuts in one visit.
- An air wedge and a long reach tool work only on cars without an active deadlock.
- Entry by an auto locksmith takes 5 to 25 minutes and leaves no damage.
- A locksmith asks for photo ID and proof of ownership at every car.
How do locksmiths open car doors?
Locksmiths open car doors without the key and without damage, through the door lock or through a small gap at the door frame. The list below gives the five stages of the entry.
- The locksmith confirms the make, the model, the year and the place of the keys.
- The locksmith checks photo ID and asks for proof of ownership.
- A torch at the door lock and the dashboard shows the lock type and any deadlock.
- A pick and decoder turns the door lock, or a long reach tool presses the unlock button.
- The door opens, and the locksmith tests the lock, the seal and the handle.
Which tools do locksmiths use on cars?
Locksmiths use five tools on cars, led by the lock pick and decoder. The list below gives the five tools and the job of each.
- A lock pick and decoder slides into the keyway, sets each wafer and reads the key cuts.
- An air wedge is a flat bag that inflates and opens a gap of a few millimetres at the door frame.
- A long reach tool passes through the gap and presses the unlock button or pulls the interior handle.
- A plastic wedge and a paint guard protect the frame, the seal and the paint.
- A key cutting machine and a programmer make a new key from the decoded door lock.
Which method suits which car lock?
Each method suits one type of car lock and one type of lockout. The table below gives four methods with the cars and the time for each.
| Method | Suits | Time at the car |
|---|---|---|
| Lock pick and decoder | Most cars with a door lock, deadlocked cars included | 5 to 25 minutes |
| Air wedge and long reach tool | Cars without a deadlock, keys in view | 5 to 10 minutes |
| New key from the decoded lock | Lost keys with no spare | Longer, with cutting and programming |
| Lock drilling or glass removal | Failed locks only, as a last resort | Agreed with the owner first |
Lock picking covers the widest group of cars, because the door lock works without power and releases a deadlock.
Why do deadlocks change the method?
Deadlocks change the method because a deadlock disconnects the interior handles and the unlock button.
The remote sets the deadlock on many cars sold in the UK, on some models with a second press. A long reach tool then moves a handle that opens nothing. The locksmith picks the door lock instead, and the turn of the lock releases the deadlock.
How long does opening a car door take?
Opening a car door takes 5 to 25 minutes with an auto locksmith at the car.
High security locks with laser cut keys take longer, and a worn lock adds time. ADC Locksmith Liverpool carries out non-destructive entry in Liverpool at the roadside, with the arrival time given on the call.
Why do locksmiths avoid slim jims?
Locksmiths avoid slim jims because modern car doors hide airbag sensors, wiring and shielded lock rods.
A slim jim is a flat metal strip that hooks the lock rod inside the door. Cable latches and rod shields leave the strip nothing to hook. The strip scratches the glass, tears the seal and pulls wiring loose. Coat hangers cause the same damage.
What proof does a locksmith ask for?
A locksmith asks for photo ID and proof of ownership, such as the V5C logbook from the DVLA or the insurance certificate.
Documents inside the locked car count once the door opens. A locksmith refuses the entry when the name and the car do not match.
What else do drivers ask about locksmith entry?
Keyless cars, alarms, damage, cost and keys stuck inside raise further questions about how locksmiths open car doors. The nine questions below answer each case.
Frequently asked questions
What do locksmiths use to unlock a car?
Locksmiths use a lock pick and decoder, an air wedge and a long reach tool to unlock a car.
How do car door locks work?
Car door locks work through a row of sprung wafers that the correct key lines up.
A car door lock holds eight to ten wafers. The lined up wafers free the barrel, and the turning barrel moves the latch.
Does locksmith entry damage the car door?
No, locksmith entry leaves the car door, the paint, the seal and the lock undamaged.
The pick touches only the wafers, and the air wedge spreads the load across the frame.
Does the alarm sound during locksmith entry?
Yes, the alarm sounds on many cars when the door opens without the remote.
The alarm stops when the key fob from inside the car presses unlock or the ignition switches on.
Do locksmiths open keyless cars?
Yes, locksmiths open keyless cars through the mechanical door lock under the handle cap.
Most keyless cars keep one door lock for the emergency blade, and the pick works in that lock.
Does a locksmith make a key after entry?
Yes, a locksmith makes a key after entry from the cuts the decoder reads in the door lock.
The new key then requires programming to the immobiliser at the car.
What does a vehicle lockout visit cost?
A vehicle lockout visit costs from £85 with ADC Locksmith Liverpool, with no call out fee and no VAT.
The vehicle lockout price covers entry to a car, a van or a boot, and the call confirms the figure before travel.
What if the keys are stuck inside?
Every door, the boot, a spare key and the manufacturer app come first when the keys are stuck inside.
A car where the keys are stuck inside opens through the same lock picking once the checks fail.
Who opens a car door without a key?
An auto locksmith opens a car door without a key, at the roadside and without damage.
The auto locksmith picks the door lock, opens the car door and cuts a new key where no key remains.
Based in Liverpool and still stuck?
ADC Locksmith Liverpool repairs, programmes and replaces car keys at the roadside across Liverpool and Merseyside, usually on the same day. Craig Evans holds SERMI approval and a 5.0 rating from more than 340 Google reviews. A call to 07731 544220 brings a fixed price before Craig travels.
Call 07731 544220