Lost Keys to Car No Spare? Here's What to Do
The loss of your car key could be a scary experience. There are a variety of things you can do prior to calling roadside assistance or locksmith.
Retrace your steps. This will assist you in finding your keys and give you an area to begin before you take any more drastic steps.
1. Retract Your Steps
It's easy to be stressed when you lose your keys. It's possible that you don't realize you've lost them until you have to enter your home or start your car. It's a pain to get into your car if you don't own an extra.
It is important to remain at peace and then go back to where you started. This will allow you to locate your keys faster and save you from needing to contact an expert locksmith or dealer to get a new key. Your lost keys will usually be within reach or close to something you've been carrying. Before you start looking for your lost keys it's a good idea to search through your pockets, purses and bags.
Asking your family and friends if they have seen your keys is another excellent way to find them. You can get helpful information from them and they can help you find the right direction. This is particularly helpful when you have roommates or family members.
If you've searched through your purses, wallets, and bags and can't find your keys, it might be time to take a look inside your vehicle. Sometimes, the keys are inside the vehicle and you have to check the right place to find them. This is a simple step that will save you from a number of headaches.
If your keys aren't inside the car, it's definitely time to contact a professional. It will cost some money, however it is worth it to not be concerned about being locked out. In the future, you should consider having a spare key made to avoid this issue completely. You could even put a brightly colored keychain on your keys to make them easier to locate. This will ensure that you always know where they are, and can find them quickly. This is a small investment that will pay dividends in the long in the long run!
2. Empty your pockets
Losing keys to your car with without a spare can be a very frustrating experience. It happens more often than you imagine, and it always happens at the worst possible time such as when you're late to work. The best thing to do in this situation is to stay calm and follow the steps below.
The first step is to trace your steps. This will help you determine the exact location and time you lost your keys. Then, thoroughly look through your bags and pockets. You should also look in the coats and jackets you may have worn. It's also recommended to ask the staff at any restaurant or stores that you visited if they've seen your keys.
It is easy to forget your keys in your clothing's pockets. This is especially true if you've got a deep pocket in a coat or jacket. Also, you should examine the bags you carry. Messenger bags, purses and backpacks are all hiding places for lost keys. Check the interior of your car to determine whether you have keys.
Clean out all pockets of the bags you carry around with your. Also, empty your purse or messenger bag completely. This will let you determine whether your keys are lodged in the lining of the bag. You can also use a flashlight in the darkest areas of your bag or wallet.
You can also stroll around your home shouting as loudly as possible "car keys!" This may sound silly, but research has revealed that shouting the name of what you're searching for can boost your chances of finding it.
If you're unable to locate your keys, contact locksmith. They'll be able to help you obtain an alternative key for your car, and could even install a brand new lock for your door, if needed.
3. Check Under the Car
If you're caught in a frenzy of errands - from school drop off and pick up, grocery run and dinner with your kids, or even an afternoon in the park, it's not uncommon for things to slip through the cracks. Sometimes it's a debit card, or your most loved pair of sunglasses, but other times it's more important items like your car keys. If you don't own a spare, then it can be a huge troublesome and major hassle.
Before you panic you, take a deep breath and begin searching for your lost car keys. Start by looking in the most obvious places first. Did you leave them on the coffee table as you walked out the door? Or perhaps you put them on the counter in the kitchen to grab something from the fridge, but then closed the door and didn't think about them.
If you've cleared all of your pockets and purses (and if it was unlocked ask someone to help you search the car well) and then looked back over your day to determine the places they might have gone missing, and sifted through every surface that you're likely to remember passing by as you left the home, it may be time to take a look under the car. You never know when the key fob slipped down into a crevice between your seat cushion and floor mat, or if you accidentally knocked it out of your bag when reaching for something.
Of course, the best method to avoid a situation similar to this is to establish a routine of putting your keys in the same location after you return from work. It could take up to a month for the habit to become established, but the longer you maintain it the easier it will be to locate your keys the next time you'll need to. If you're looking to be prepared in case of an emergency, you could also include GEICO's Emergency Roadside Service to your policy. This will save you money on towing or replacing lost keys.
4. Walk Back Through Your Day
You can forget important things when you're so busy with your day-to-day tasks. This includes running errands and meeting friends for dinner. Losing your car keys can be a major disruption to your plans.
Take a deep breath before you begin calling anyone you know and asking them where your keys are. Do not panic. Once you've regained control of your emotions, the first thing you should do is go back to where you started. When was the last moment you looked at your car keys? This will help you figure out where your keys could have been.
Make sure you empty your pockets and bags that you may have put them in. Also, you should check places you would not normally think of, like the pockets of your jacket, shoes or the coat. Examine the location where you keep your keys at home. You may have placed them on a table or in the house.
Read A lot more of keys to your car is not enjoyable, but if adhere to these guidelines, you should be able to find them quickly and easily, without needing to call a locksmith or your family for help. The best method to avoid this kind of issue in the future is by creating a designated spot to keep your keys when you enter your home. It might take a time to get used this however, after a few weeks it will become a routine and you won't have to be concerned about them being lost.