lost key what to do Spare Car Key? Here’s What to Do
It wasn’t long ago that losing your car keys was not an problem. You could contact your local locksmith and they would create keys for you to replace.
Nowadays, it’s more complicated. It’s dependent on the kind of key you have and whether you’ve lost your spare. Here are a few tips to help you find your car keys.
Retract your steps
We all get things lost. Maybe you’re running a quick run and forget to put your keys on the hook in the entryway, or perhaps you’re just returning home after a long day at the office and throw them on the couch. It can be frustrating to lose your spare key.
Take a deep breath and don’t be afraid. Keep in mind that your keys won’t be lost forever. You are still able to find them with an exhaustive search! It’s important to have an emergency plan by calling a professional car locksmith in case of emergency.
Once you’ve cooled down and regained control of your emotions, you can begin the search for your keys. One of the best ways to retrace your steps is by simply recalling the last time you were able to see them. It’s a lot simpler than you think, especially if you can shut your eyes and visualize the spot where you last observed them.
Start by thinking about the places they could be. This includes your car, your home and other places that you may have visited throughout the day. You could even ask your friends or family members to join in the hunt and give you more eyes to see with!
When you’re looking inside your car, make sure to check the door handle of the driver’s side and the center console for any evidence of a spare key. Also, be sure to look through any bags or pockets you may have carried with you throughout the day. Check all the compartments in your car. It’s common for keys to become “lost” inside.
Check Your Hideouts
Car keys are difficult to locate, no matter how careful or diligent you are. They’re among the most commonly misplaced items, and they could quickly become an issue in a moment of naivete. There are a few steps you could do prior to calling a locksmith if you’ve misplaced your spare car keys.
It’s worth checking the place you typically keep your keys prior to looking for them. Check the key bowl or holder on your table. You can also ask someone nearby for help, such as an employee or a fellow customer. They may have spotted them in the midst of your shopping trip, or found them when cleaning up.
It’s a good idea to store spare keys in your car. If your car has a hood that can be open from the outside, it’s important to ensure that the spare key is placed in a secure spot that isn’t smashed when the hood is closed. Magnetic boxes and mini-vaults can be attached to your vehicle and keep your keys secure and easily accessible.
You can also put an extra car key in the tailpipe of your vehicle, but this is not very discreet and could be difficult to locate. You may also find that the tailpipe is covered with mud, snow or ice making it difficult to locate the key.
Another place where people sometimes hide their keys is behind the tires. This is a good way to hide your keys, but you should be aware that the tires of your car will be visible no matter what you wear.
You can leave your spare key with an individual from your family or a trusted friend, particularly if you are you are traveling and don’t want it to get lost. However, if you have a proximity key, you should be careful about leaving it with strangers because certain thieves may utilize signal relays and amplifier technology to steal the signal from your key fob to unlock the car even when the key is miles away.
Take a look inside Your Car
It’s impossible to predict the exact location where you could lose something such as a key fob, and this is no different. Therefore, it’s best to look everywhere. It’s important to go back to the location where you last used it, retrace your steps, and then contact the owners or employees at the places you may have replacing lost keys it.
It’s important to check your car for the keys in case you think you may have put them in there. Check the glove compartment which is a popular spot to keep keys for a spare car. Also check the area beneath the front seats, and the mysterious black hole inside the car that can swallow small objects like key fobs.
You should also make sure that you check any purses or backpacks you have with you that might contain a missing car key. This requires you to carefully search through all compartments and pockets in your backpack or purse and looking for zippered areas, and even removing items like makeup or sunglasses from your bag to look underneath.
Contact a locksmith if you’ve tried everything and are still unable to locate your car keys. They’ll be able to assist you replace your lost car keys and get you back on the road in a short time.
A spare car key can be a great way to avoid this stressful situation, but you should also consider adding a Bluetooth key tracker to your keys so that they’re easier to keep in check. These tiny devices attach to your keys and emit an unique signature, which allows you to connect them to an app on your smartphone and be aware of where they are at any time.
You can also reach out to your dealer and ask them to design a new key for you. As they already have the security information for your car they’ll be able to do this quickly. If you have a smart vehicle, however, it may be more challenging as they’ll need to pair the new key with your vehicle, which can take a bit longer. It is essential to have a spare car key.
Contact a locksmith
In the unlikely event that you cannot find your car keys, it’s essential to call locksmiths as quickly as you can. This will not only assist you to get back into your car but make sure that no one else has access to it. If you don’t report the theft of your car keys immediately this could lead to other problems in the future, such as an individual trying to impersonate you.
Most modern cars require an electronic key fob to unlock and operate the vehicle. If you lose your key fob, it is important to have a spare avoid having to to have the car transported to the dealer, and then paying for a new set of keys.
A locksmith can create a new key for you car without knowing the exact details of the security system. They can also disable the previous key to prevent it from being able to be used again. If you’re unsure the type of key your car requires the locksmith can typically identify it from the information on your title or registration.
To prevent your spare keys from getting lost, it is best to keep them in a safe place separate from your keychain. This will make it less likely that you will accidentally drop the keys, or that they’ll slip out of your pocket.
Another method to avoid loss of your spare car key is to write down your vehicle identification number (VIN) and keep it in your wallet at all at all times. It is a unique number that helps identify your vehicle, and it can be found on the driver’s dashboard, door jamb, or the frame of your car.
A locksmith in your neighborhood can assist you in getting back on the right track, whether you need to replace your spare car key or reduce the risk of it being lost. It’s also less costly than going through the dealership, and you might be able to get the spare key created on-site.
