What to Do When You Lose Your Keys

You had a long day at work, and can't wait to get back home. You reach into your pocket or your purse, only to discover your keys are missing. You check the office, and they're not there. What do you do? How do you get back into your car? Here are the steps you should take when you lose your keys:

1. Call the police station.

Call your local police station to see if someone turned in the keys. You should also retrace your actions and call the lost and found of any business you've been to. Also, call any family and friends with whom you may have given a spare set.

2. Check your car.

Check your car through the windows to see if you locked your keys in your car. If so, an auto locksmith can unlock your car and get them for you. If you don't want to pay a locksmith, you can unlock the car yourself if you have access to a wire hanger. Here are the steps to unlock your car with a hanger:

• Straighten the hanger and insert it between the window and weather stripping. It's okay if you need to peel the weather stripping back a few inches.
• Angle the hanger down towards the lock on the door handle by inserting the hanger next to the back edge of the window.
• Grope the hanger a few inches in front of the lock. Press the hanger against the door and slide it back until you feel the lock.
• Slide the hanger against the lock until it disengages.

3. Call the dealership.

If your keys are no where to be found, you're going to need to call the dealership. The dealership can give you a set of replacement keys. Unfortunately, depending on the keys, key replacement can run you a couple hundred dollars. This is because the electronic key system for your car needs to be reprogrammed. However, if your car is an older model, you may be able to get a basic key for only a few dollars.

4. Call a locksmith.

If the dealership is closed, or you bought your car in another town, call a locksmith like ASAP Mobile Locksmiths. A locksmith can give you a new set of keys. A locksmith may even offer you a discount or a better price on key replacements than a dealer. Even if a dealership is open, call a few locksmiths to get a quote on car key replacements.

When you lose your keys, these are the steps you can go through to get back in your car or home.