Locking yourself out of your car with no spare key in site can quickly turn into a nightmare if you don’t know how to pick a car lock.
Fortunately, most car locks are easy to open, although you are going to need the right tools for the job. There are a number of different methods you can use to pick a car lock, although which one of them you are going to use depends on the type of lock your car has.
So, in this article, we are going to show you how to pick a car lock using different types of tools.
The first thing you will have to do once you find yourself locked out of your car is to determine which type of lock you’re trying to pick.
Car locks are not universal and they vary from one car model to another, which can make picking a lock somewhat difficult. Here are some of the most common types of car locks.
This type of lock can be found on most recent car models, regardless of the manufacturer. They are often used on models that have keyless entry fob and lock cylinders. Picking this type of lock is far from easy, and you might need some practice before you can pull this off.
Pin tumbler locks are not so common these days, because the auto industry shifted to wafer locks decades ago. However, you can still find these locks on classic cars and you can open them using a tension wrench and a pick rake.
Only a handful of car manufacturers still use disk detainer locks. The key profile is different than on most vehicles which makes it easy to determine if your car has this type of a lock. Picking disk detainer locks isn’t difficult although it requires some skill.
This is by far the most popular type of car lock that can be found on a broad range of vehicles. The lock consists of two wafers and internal mechanisms that either elevate or depress the wafers. This type of car lock can be picked with a metal rod, a coat hanger or even a shoestring.
Which tools you are going to use to pick a car lock depends on the car model you have. In addition to the options we featured in this article, you can also get a car pick set that features all the tools you’re going to need to pick a car lock.
This is by far the easiest way of picking a car lock, but you need a set of bump keys to actually unlock your car using this method. Basically, all you need to do is insert a bump key into the lock and try different types of movements until you manage to open the lock.
The most common type of automotive bump key is called a double wafer, and it will work on most vehicles produced before 2005. However, you must make sure that the bump key you want to use matches the lock on your car.
It is hard to say if this method will work, as it depends on the bump keys you have, but with a little bit of luck, you should be able to open your car.
Arm yourself with patience if you opt to pick your car lock with a coat hanger because the chances are that your first several tries are not going to be successful.
Before you start you should untangle a wire coat hanger and then make a hook at one of the ends. Proceed to insert the part of the wire where you made a hook between the car window and the door.
Use the wire to reach the locking mechanism, but keep in mind that you will probably hit other parts that are located in the car’s door. Be very careful, because you can easily destroy the electronics that are located in the door.
You probably already know this method of picking a car lock from the movies since it was used in so many car heist flicks.
A slim jim is just a 1.5 to 2 feet long flat sheet of metal that works the same way a hook made out of a wire coat hanger does. So, all you have to do is to insert a slim jim between the window and the weather stripping and try to reach the locking mechanism.
Pull the sheet of metal up, once you can feel the lock moving and the car’s door will unlock.
This method of picking a car lock is rather simple, although you can damage your car easily if you are not careful.
All you need is a screwdriver and a metal rod that has a small hook at the end. Place the screwdriver between the door and the body of your car and try to create as much separation between them as possible.
Use the metal rod to reach and press the unlock button inside your car, and that is it. It won’t take more than one minute to unlock your car using this method, although this way of unlocking a car may not be as effective on all types of car locks.
Although opening a car with a shoestring sounds a bit unorthodox, it is far from impossible. However, you can only use a shoestring to unlock a car that has an upright locking mechanism.
What’s more, you need to know how to tie a slip knot. So, if you still want to try out this method, you should tie a slip knot in the middle of the shoestring, but don’t tighten it.
Proceed to slide the bent shoestring into your car from the upper corner of the door, while holding both ends of the shoestring. Place the slip knot around the lock, tighten it and pull the shoestring up. Don’t get discouraged if you need more than one try to pull this one off.
If you don’t want to risk damaging your car while picking the lock, then this is the best method for you. The only downside is that in most situations when you are locked out of your car, you won’t have access to an inflatable wedge.
Picking a car lock with a wedge is very simple since you just have to place an inflatable wedge between the door and the car’s body and inflate it until it makes a gap through which you can slide a metal rod or any other object that is long enough to reach the unlock button.
Use the object to push the unlock button to unlock your car. Be persistent since it may take more than one try to actually succeed.
A foldable piece of plastic is the only thing you need to unlock a car. Similarly to the shoestring method, you need to fold a thin sheet of plastic and slide it into your car.
Once the bent end of the plastic strip is inside your car, you should try to reach the lock. Wrap the plastic strip around the lock and pull it up.
Whether or not you will be able to use this method of picking a car lock depends on your car’s locking mechanism.
Picking a car lock is really easy if you know how. However, contacting a locksmith may be a good idea if you never picked a lock before.
No, different manufacturers and car models use different types of locks, which is the reason why you should find out which type of car lock your car has before you try to pick the lock.
In most cases, it won’t take more than one minute to pick a car lock, but this may depend on your skillset and the tools you’re using to unlock a car.
Picking a car lock isn’t going to damage the lock if everything is done properly. However, you can end up damaging the electronics located in the car’s door if you use a slim jim to pick a car lock.
Sometimes picking your car’s lock is the quickest and cheapest way to get into your car, because calling a locksmith can be pricey and time-consuming.
Each of the methods of picking a car lock we covered in this article can be effective if you are patient and persistent enough. However, which one of them you are going to use depends on the situation you’re in, and the tools you have access to at the moment.
Hopefully, this article has provided you with all the information you are going to need to pick a car lock and get into your car quickly. Click here to find out about more things you shouldn’t do in your car.
