This issue occurs regularly and, in particular, when you are in a hurry. You close your door and notice that the keys are just in the seat staring back through the window. What – then? You are likely to consider each and every possibility that will assist in solving this issue. This is usually at this point where people turn to the DIY lockout kits.

As much they promise to be a ready and cheap solution that will help you into your vehicle, they may turn out to be your nightmare of all times because they can cause massive damage to your car. This blog, explores the risks of DIY lockout kits for vehicle.

Understanding DIY Lockout Tools

Lockout kits, slim jims, and other similar names are tools that can be brought from stores or purchased online. They typically come with metal rods, wedges, and even inflatable bags that can help pry open your door or unlock it from the inside.

These tools are advertised as a do-it-yourself way of getting back into your vehicle without having to call for assistance. Some kits even advertize their “Services” work for “any car model.” While this is appealing at first glance, the slogan is far from the truth. Modern-day vehicles include sensitive airbags, tight seals, and complicated electronics, which can easily be ruined if the right way is not taken.

How DIY Lockout Kits Can Harm Your Vehicle

With how modern-day cars are made, the door locks and frames are much more intricate than a lot of people may think. Underestimating the precision and care needed can be very costly, sometimes up to thousands of dollars. Below are some of the most common ways that do-it-yourself lockout kits can inflict damage on a person’s vehicle.

How Lockout Kits Can Damage Your Car’s Exterior

Scratched paint is one of the most noticeable forms of damage to any car. Whether its wedges or metal rods, trying to slip anything between glass and the weatherstripping can lead to chipping paint or scraping the car’s door frame. Any nick or scratch over time will result in rust, which can make it look unappealing and old.

If you want to minimize your car’s cosmetic damage and body shop repairs for scratched paint, you’ll want to avoid body shop repairs. This is especially true for deeper scratches that reach the primer layer, as costs can stack very quickly.

The Consequences of Damaging Window Seals

The soft rubber that borders your window is not only for Aesthetics. It serves to keep water, dust, and even sound from entering your vehicle. Forcing a rod or wedge between the glass and your car door could cut or stretch this type of weather stripping. 

Once the weather seals are damaged, they become unable to maintain a tight fit around the window. This can result in leaks, annoying wind sound at highway speeds, and mold inside your door panels. While replacing weather stripping is possible, it’s not always done in a jiffy and can be very expensive depending on your vehicle.

How DIY Tools Can Damage Your Car’s Lock System

Another serious risk to consider is how damaging a metal rod could impact the actual locking mechanism. A lot of modern vehicles have electronic lock actuators and sensor-based systems that are very delicate and prone to damage. Even a small shift in these systems due to a metal rod can lead to locks that are unable to engage or disengage properly.

Alternatively, you may assume that you’ve successfully unlocked the car. In that case, there’s a possibility that the car locking mechanism will have sustained irreversible damage. This will inevitably lead to additional ongoing safety concerns, costly repairs, or a completely new replacement of the locking assembly.

The Risk of Accidental Airbag Deployment

Are you aware that in the majority of modern cars, side airbags are integrated into the door panels? They are meant to go off in real-time during an impact. Sadly, due to a misplaced rod or a tool, these airbags can accidentally be set off. Such an occurrence can lead to thousands of dollars in reinstallation and repair costs.

Not only is the financial burden shocking, it poses a safety threat if the airbags are inoperative. In some instances, invasive modifications can lead to a loss of car insurance or warranty coverage.

Car Warranty Revocation

Even with a clear attempt at avoiding damage, using any sort of unlocking device will lead to portions of your car’s insurance policy and warranty being voided. Most manufacturers state that damage incurred by undetermined means will fall under the owner’s responsibility.

This implies that if you scratch a door panel or damage your locks, repairs will need to be done completely out of pocket without any form of reimbursement.

The Benefits of Hiring Professionals for Lockout Services

The concern here is why people choose to buy a DIY kit even though its hazards are very pronounced. Most of the time, it’s because of cost and convenience. During such scenarios, the risks don’t matter. Yet, professional lockout services offer a greater value if looked at from a longer view. 

Roadside Assistance and, for that matter, even trained locksmiths have the skills necessary to unlock doors without damaging shrines, locks, airbags, and car electronics. They have specialized tools that are designed to work with your car’s make and model. A number of them also ensure any damage that might occur, which is something impossible with a DIY plan.

Here are a few reasons to trust a pro instead:

Expertise: They work with virtually every model, including the newer vehicles that tend to have complex security systems.

Proper Tools: Contrary to the DIY kits, tools held by professionals have a specific design for safe entry.

Insurance Protection: Unlike others, licensed locksmiths carry liability insurance that protects you if something happens while unlocking your vehicle.

Peace of Mind: You know that the car is in capable hands and there will not be further extra expenses or damages.

Considering the small fee incurred for a professional service in comparison to the potential vehicle repair cost, the choice becomes clearer.  

Conclusion  

Being locked in your car may be stressful and frustrating, particularly when you are in hurry. DIY lockout kits might be an attractive option as far as they are cheap and available, but one should not overlook the hazards of using them. These kits can seriously damage your car with paint and seals and cause a major and expensive damage/harm to your car, including installation of airbags or have your warrant canceled.

Rather than attempting things by yourself, it is better to call an expert to take care of business. Skilled locksmiths know how, will bring special equipment, and ensure themselves with insurance cover to break into any car without damaging it. Always remember, when unsure, contact us at Burnham Towing safeguard your vehicle and your finances.

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