Losing your car key is one of the most common and most frustrating experiences that can happen to a person. It’s a situation that could easily take the wind out of your sails, especially if you’re already running late for work or have plans to meet up with friends for dinner and drinks. Luckily, there are some things you can do to help alleviate the stress of losing your keys and make it easier to find them in the future.
The first thing you should do when you lose your car key is retrace your steps and look around the area where you think you lost them. This is the best way to increase your chances of finding them, since it’s likely that you simply misplaced them while you were distracted. Checking the ground, bushes and curbs can also be helpful. If you still can’t find your keys, try checking in places that aren’t usually where you keep them like in the washing machine (one man found his car keys in his washcloth!), or even in the freezer – Mike from Salt Lake City lost his car keys in his pizza tray and forgot about them in the fridge.
If you’ve checked all of the above and still can’t find your car keys, the next step is to call a locksmith. You should have your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ready to give to the locksmith, which can be found on your insurance cards or the car’s registration documents.
Depending on your car’s type, you may need to have the door lock cylinder examined by a professional in order to find your missing key. If this is the case, you will need to provide the VIN and a key code to be able to access your car again.
In general, getting your car keys replaced is a fairly simple and inexpensive process. However, it depends on the type of car and the manufacturer. In some cases, you will need to contact the dealership in order to have a new key cut and to reprogram it to the car’s immobilizer system.
You can also seek out auto locksmiths or roadside assistance for help, but the most budget-friendly option is to get in touch with your car insurance provider. Many car insurers will offer a service that helps you replace your car keys in a timely manner, but it may come at an additional cost to you.
The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter how careful you are, losing your car keys can happen to anyone. The best way to avoid this is to make it a habit of always putting your keys in the same place when you’re done with them. While this isn’t a foolproof method, it will definitely help you avoid this scenario in the future. Also, consider getting a keychain with a built-in GPS tracker that will send an alert to your phone when it is near your car. lost car key