Lost Keys to Car No Spare? Here's What to Do
Losing i need a spare key for my car can be a frightening experience. There are a variety of options to consider before calling roadside assistance or a locksmith.
Follow your steps. This will help you locate your keys and provide you the opportunity to start from scratch before you move on to more drastic steps.
1. Retract your Steps
You can be stressed out by the loss of your keys. You might not even realize they've been lost until you have to get inside your home or start your vehicle. It can be a hassle to get into your car if you don't own an extra.
It's important to stay calm and then take a second look. This will allow you to find your keys quicker and avoid having to call a dealer or a locksmith to get a new key. Your lost keys will usually be close to you or in proximity to something you have been carrying. Before you begin looking for your lost keys it's a good idea to search through your purses, pockets and bags.
Another excellent method to locate your keys that are lost is to ask your family and friends members if they saw them. You can obtain useful information from them and they will guide you in the right direction. This is especially beneficial when you live in a house with your roommates or family.
If you've rummaged through your purses, wallets and bags but can't find your keys, it may be time to take a look inside your car. It could be that your keys are inside the vehicle and you just need to find the right place to find them. This is a straightforward step that could help you avoid a lot of headaches.
If your keys aren't inside the car, it's time to call an expert. It will cost some money, however it is worth it to not have to be concerned about being locked out. In the future, you should think about getting an extra key made so that you can get rid of this issue completely. You could even attach a colorful keychain on your keys to make them easier to spot. This will ensure that you'll always know where they are and will be able to locate them quickly. This is a small, but very worthwhile investment!
2. Empty Your Pockets
Lost keys to your car without a spare can be a very frustrating experience. It happens more often than you might think and always happens at the worst time such as when you're late for work. The best thing to do in this scenario is to stay calm and follow the steps below.
The first step is to retrace your steps. This will help you determine the location and the time when you lost your keys. After that, go through your bag and pockets thoroughly. Also, check your jackets and other outerwear you may have worn. You could also ask the staff in any restaurant or store you visited to see if your keys were there.
In the pockets of your clothes can be a very easy thing to forget. This is particularly true if you have an extensive pocket inside a coat or jacket. In addition to coats and jackets it's a good idea to check any bags you have with you. Bags, messenger bags and back packs can all hide lost keys. Also, you should check the interior of your vehicle to determine whether they're there.
It is a good idea to empty out all of the pockets in any bag you have with you and also to empty your purse or messenger bag. This will allow you to determine whether your keys are lodged in the lining of your bag. It's also an excellent idea to make use of flashlights to illuminate the dark areas of your purse or bag.
You can also stroll around the house shouting as loudly as you can "car keys!" This might sound a little silly, but studies have shown that shouting the name of the item you're looking for will increase your chances of finding it.
Contact a locksmith if you are still having trouble finding your keys. They can assist you in getting an additional car key or even install a new lock for your door if needed.
3. Check under the car
It's common for things to be lost in the shuffle of daily chores from grocery shopping to dinner with the family to an afternoon spent at the playground. It could be a credit card, your favorite pair sunglasses, or even something more important like the car key. If you don't have an extra, it can be a huge troublesome and major hassle.
Take a deep breath and start searching for your keys. Begin by looking in the most obvious locations first. Did you put them on your coffee table while you walked out the door? You may have put them on the counter in your kitchen as you headed to the refrigerator, but then closed the door and then forgot about them.
If you've cleared all of your purses and pockets (and in the event that it wasn't locked, have someone help you search the car well), went back through your day to determine where they may have gone missing, and then wiped out every surface that you're likely to have passed by as you left the home, it may be time to check under the car. You don't know if the key fob fell into the gap between the seat cushion and mat on the floor or was accidentally thrown from your bag when you were reaching into your bag to take something out.
Of course, the best way to avoid having a situation like this in the future is to establish a routine of putting your keys in the same place when you come home from work. It may take a few months for the habit to become ingrained, but the more you maintain it and the more easy it will be to locate your keys the next time you'll need to. If you'd like to be prepared in the event of an emergency, you could also add GEICO's Emergency Roadside Service to your policy. This will help you save money on towing costs or replacing keys that have been lost.
4. Look back over your day
Sometimes you just get so distracted by the day-today shuffle of kids' activities, running errands having dinner with friends and attempting to complete all of your work tasks that you overlook something crucial. For many, losing your car keys is one of those events that can cause a disruption to all of your plans.
Take a deep breath before you begin calling everyone you know and asking them where your keys are. Be careful not to get overwhelmed. Once you've regained control over your emotions, the first thing you need to do is go back to where you started. When was the last moment you saw your car keys? This will help you find out where your keys could have gone.
Then, empty any pockets or bags you may have used to store them. You should also look for places that you wouldn't normally consider, like the pockets of your jacket, shoes or coat. Examine the location where you keep your keys at home. They may have been placed on a table or somewhere away from view when you came inside.
If you lose your car keys, it's not fun. If you follow these tips, you'll be able find them quickly and without calling an locksmith. You can avoid this issue in the future by establishing the designated place for your keys inside. It might take a time to get used this but after a while it will become a routine and you won't have to be concerned about them being lost.