In short:
- A child or pet shut in a hot car is a medical emergency. Call for help immediately (ER24 on 084 124, SAPS on 10111, or 112 from a cellphone) and don't wait for a locksmith.
- Check that it really is a lockout. A flat battery in a remote or smart key can look like one, and many smart keys hold a small mechanical key for exactly this.
- Look at your car insurance before you book anyone: some policies include a locksmith for keys locked in the car.
- Keys locked inside, a key broken off and a key that's lost altogether are three different jobs. Tell us which one you have, with the make, model and year, and we'll confirm whether we can help.
- Have your ID and something that shows the car is yours. No coat hangers, no forcing windows.
If someone is inside the car
A baby, a toddler, a person who can't open the door or a dog shut inside is an emergency, not a locksmith job. Phone ER24 on 084 124, SAPS on 10111, or 112 from your cellphone, and tell them a person or animal is trapped in a vehicle.
ER24 points out that South African summer days often go above 30°C and that a parked car's interior can heat up by more than 10°C in just ten minutes. A window left open a crack, shade or air conditioning that was on before the engine stopped don't make it safe, and a child's body temperature climbs faster than an adult's. While help comes, stay right by the car, talk to the child so they don't panic, and shade the windows with whatever you have.
If nobody is inside, the situation is annoying but not urgent, and you have time to go through the checks below.
Is it a lockout, or has the remote just died?
Before assuming the keys are on the wrong side of the glass, rule out the other common reason a car won't open: a flat battery in the key or in the car.
- The key is in your hand but the buttons do nothing. Remote and smart key batteries don't last forever; Toyota, for example, gives an average battery life of one to two years for its keys.
- Look for a hidden key. Most smart keys contain a small mechanical emergency key, released by a button or catch on the fob. The matching keyhole on the driver's door is often hidden behind a small cover on the handle. How to find and use yours is in your owner's manual. Follow that, not a guess.
- The car's own battery may be flat. Toyota notes that a fully discharged 12V battery can stop smart entry from working. Once you're in, you may need a jump-start or roadside help rather than a locksmith.
- Check every door and the boot, calmly and without yanking the handles.
- The spare. If the second key is in a drawer at home, could a family member or colleague drop it off?
Three different jobs: locked in, broken or lost
"I can't get into my car" covers several situations, and they're not the same job. Knowing which you have makes the phone call quicker.
| Situation | What's usually involved | What to tell us |
|---|---|---|
| Keys locked inside the car or the boot | Getting into the car without damaging it, then you use your own key | Make, model and year; where the keys are; where the car is parked |
| Key snapped in the door lock or ignition | Removing the broken piece and, if needed, a replacement key | Where it broke; whether you have both pieces; make, model and year |
| Key broken but in one piece: cracked fob, worn blade, loose buttons | Depends on the key: sometimes a repair, sometimes a replacement | A photo of the key; make, model and year |
| Key lost or stolen, no spare | A replacement key that works with the car, which on many modern cars means programming it to the car | Make, model and year; key type; whether the car might be at risk |
We do car lockouts, broken car keys and replacement keys for many common makes. Car keys vary a lot between makes, models and years, and modern keys are often linked to the car's electronics. So the honest answer to "can you do my car?" is: tell us the make, model and year and we'll confirm before anyone comes out.
If a key is stolen with your bag, think about your house keys too. Our guide on whether to rekey or replace locks after losing keys covers that side.
Check your insurance or roadside cover first
Car insurance in South Africa often comes with a roadside or emergency assistance benefit, and some include a locksmith for a lockout. Budget Insurance, for example, describes an add-on Breakdown Assist that unlocks your car if you lock your keys inside, covering a service provider's call-out fee plus one hour's labour. Benefits like this differ a lot between insurers and policies. Some cover only their own appointed provider, some limit how often you can claim, and lost or replacement keys are often treated differently from keys locked inside.
- Find the assistance number on your policy schedule, insurer's app or the sticker on your windscreen.
- Ask whether a lockout is covered, whether you must use their provider, and what isn't included, such as parts or keys.
- If you're not covered, or you'd rather book your own locksmith, that's your choice.
Proof that the car is yours
Opening a car for someone who can't show it's theirs would make it very easy to steal one, so expect the technician to ask before starting. Any combination of these will normally do:
| Document | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Your ID book or card, or driving licence | Shows who you are, so it can be matched to the car's papers |
| Registration certificate | The registering authority issues it when the vehicle is registered. On a financed car the title holder named is the finance house, not you, so bring your finance paperwork too |
| Licence disc | Sits on the windscreen and can be checked from outside the car |
| Message or letter from the owner | For a company vehicle, a rental arranged by your employer, or a relative's car |
Wallet and papers inside with the keys? Mention it on the phone. Proof can be checked as soon as the door is open, and before the car leaves.
What not to try
- No coat hangers, wire or wedges. A modern door is full of wiring, cables and airbag sensors, and the rubber seals tear easily. A scratched panel or a door that whistles at speed costs more than a locksmith.
- Smashing a window is for emergency services when a life is at stake, not for a lockout. You'd then have an open car until the glass is replaced.
- Don't keep pressing a dying remote or forcing the mechanical key in the wrong way round. Toyota's guidance is simply to turn the key over if it doesn't go in.
- Don't dig at a broken key with a pin or a screwdriver. You're likely to push the piece deeper.
- Don't walk off and leave the car with a door or window open while you look for help.
What to tell us when you call
- What the car is: make, model and year.
- The type of key: plain key, flip key with buttons, or a smart key or card for a push-button start.
- Which job it is: locked inside, broken, or lost.
- Where the keys are, if you can see them.
- Where the car is: street address, or the shopping centre, level and bay, and any parking or security procedure.
- Whether you have ID and proof of ownership on you, or they're inside.
We're a Roodepoort mobile locksmith, working 24/7 wherever the car happens to be. There's a R250 call-out fee, then a quote on site before anything is done to the car. We try non-destructive entry first, and you can pay by EFT, cash or card. For how that quote is put together, see what a mobile locksmith costs in Roodepoort.
Questions
Can you replace a key for any car?
We do replacement keys for many common makes, but not every make, model and year is the same. Tell us all three and the type of key, and we'll confirm whether we can help before anyone comes out.
Could you do a second key for me at the same time?
We don't offer spare-key copying. If you've lost your only key, a replacement key is a different job: ask about it when you phone, with the make, model and year.
The keys are in the boot, not the cabin. Does that change things?
It can be, depending on the car. Tell us when you call so we can confirm what's involved.
Need a locksmith to look at it?
If this hasn't solved the problem, our car keys & lockouts service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Roodepoort, so we come to your door.
Sources and further reading
- ER24: Protecting children from hot car dangers — Interior can rise by more than 10°C in ten minutes; cracked windows, shade or air conditioning aren't reliable protection; children heat faster; ER24 on 084 124, SAPS on 10111
- Eyewitness News: 10111, 112 or 107? What number should you call in an emergency? — 112 can be called from a cellphone in an emergency; 10111 reaches SAPS
- Toyota UK Magazine: What to do if your Toyota won't unlock — Key battery life averages one to two years; hidden mechanical key and concealed door keyhole; flat 12V battery can stop smart entry; check the owner's manual
- Budget Insurance: Roadside assistance — Breakdown Assist add-on unlocks the car if keys are locked inside; covers a provider's call-out fee plus one hour's labour
- South African Government: Register a motor vehicle — Registration certificate issued on registration; financing institution is the title holder of a financed vehicle; licence disc issued once licensed