Vehicle Lockouts · Open 24 Hours
Key Fob and Smart Key Lockout Service in NYC and Nassau County
Push-to-start cars fail in their own particular way. The fob battery dies, the car stops recognising it, and the manual override that would solve the problem is sitting inside the cabin you cannot open. We get you into the car so the override can do its job.
Almost Every Push-to-Start Car Has a Manual Override
Manufacturers know fob batteries die, so nearly every keyless vehicle has two mechanical fallbacks built in, and most owners have never used either.
The first is a physical key blade hidden inside the fob itself. There is usually a small catch or slide on the fob body that releases it. That blade fits a keyhole on the driver door handle, which on many cars is concealed behind a small plastic cap you pop off with the blade itself. It is deliberately hidden for looks, which is why people are convinced their car does not have one.
The second is a backup start position. Most keyless cars will start with a completely dead fob if you hold the fob against a specific spot — often the start button itself, or a marked place on the steering column or in the centre console — because the car can read the transponder chip at very short range without any battery at all. Your owner's manual names the exact spot for your model.
The catch is obvious: none of this helps when the fob is inside the locked car. That is where we come in.
The Situations We Actually Get Called For
Fob locked inside a car that will not open is the main one. The car is secure, the fob is on the seat, and the concealed keyhole needs the blade that is attached to it. We open the door; you take it from there.
Fob dead while you are standing outside is the second. Here the blade in your hand will open the door, but people often do not know the blade exists or cannot find the concealed keyhole. Sometimes a phone call sorts this out without anyone coming at all, and if that is your situation we will happily talk you through it.
Cold weather makes both far more common. Fob batteries lose capacity as temperature drops, so a battery that was marginal in October fails in January — which is why these calls cluster in the winter on cars that have sat unused for a week.
What This Costs
The same $125 flat rate for a standard car, because the work of opening the door is the same regardless of what kind of key you have.
Larger and commercial vehicles are quoted on the call.
What We Do Not Do With Key Fobs
We do not program fobs, pair new keys to a vehicle, or replace fob electronics. That is automotive locksmith and dealer work, and it needs equipment we do not carry and should not pretend to.
We also do not sell fob batteries. Replacing one is a genuinely simple job you can do yourself with a coin and a common battery from any pharmacy, and telling you that is more useful than selling you something.
What we do is get you into the cabin. Once you are in, the override in the manual takes over.
Where We Handle Key Fob and Smart Key Lockout Calls
Across all five New York City boroughs and Nassau County, 24 hours a day. Each area has its own page covering how lockouts actually work there: Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, The Bronx, Staten Island and Nassau County. If you are not sure which page applies, the service areas index lists everywhere we cover.
Key Fob and Smart Key Lockout — Questions We Get Asked
Where is the hidden keyhole on my car door?
On most keyless cars it is on the driver door handle, behind a small plastic cap that pops off — often with the key blade itself used as the lever. On some models the cap is on the underside or the rear edge of the handle rather than the face. Your owner's manual shows the exact location for your model.
My fob is dead but I am holding it. Do I need you?
Possibly not, and we would rather tell you that. Pull the emergency blade out of the fob, find the concealed keyhole on the driver door handle, and you are in. Then hold the dead fob against the start button to start the engine. Call us if you cannot find either.
Can you start my car if the fob battery is dead?
We can get you into the cabin, and from there the car's own backup start position does the work — it reads the transponder chip at short range with no battery needed. We do not program or replace fobs.
Will opening the door damage the keyless system?
No. Opening the door mechanically has nothing to do with the electronics. The car may sound its alarm until the fob is back inside range, and that is the extent of it.
Not the Situation You Have? Here Is What Else We Open
Car Lockout Service
Keys shut inside the cabin. We open the door with proper lockout tools, with no broken glass and no damage to the lock or the paint.
Trunk Lockout Service
Keys sitting in the trunk, or a trunk lid that will not release. We get it open and the keys back in your hand.
Keys Locked in a Running Car
Engine running, doors locked, keys inside. Fuel is burning and the car is sitting unattended, so this one moves to the front of the line.
Van and Truck Lockout Service
Sprinters, box trucks, pickups and cargo vans. Heavier doors and thicker frames need different tools than a sedan, and we carry them.
Commercial Fleet Lockout Service
Delivery vans, contractor trucks and company cars. One number for the whole fleet so a locked cab does not cost you the route.
Need Key Fob and Smart Key Lockout? Call Now
Open 24 hours across the five boroughs and Nassau County. $125 flat on a standard car, larger vehicles quoted on the call, damage-free every time.
(718) 600-1581LOCKED OUT OF YOUR CAR? WE OPEN IT. 24 HOURS.