How Much Does It Cost to Unlock Your Car?

Have you been locked out of your vehicle before?

If you have, then hiring a professional locksmith is crucial.

Between the inconvenience and expenditure, it can turn into a major headache.

On average, and depending on the level of work and services you need the cost to unlock your car is between $50 to $250.

These prices cover the service call cost.

Here are some of the things to expect when calling an automobile locksmith.

Take note that several factors will determine your final cost.

For example, your car key broke and you don’t have a spare key.

If the automobile locksmith makes a key for you, prices start at $170.

This price includes the service fee and the base cost of the lockout call.

Different Sorts of Car Lockouts

There are several types of car lockouts that need the help of a locksmith.

Apart from broken and lost keys, being locked out of a luxury automobile is an entirely different case.

Costs vary but will be higher because the locksmith will use different tools and methods.

And, most luxury cars enhanced security features make the work challenging for an auto locksmith to crack.

What If Your Keys Are Locked in Your Trunk?

Locking your keys in your trunk is pretty standard.

One of the most common scenarios is loading groceries in the boot.

Sounds familiar?

Some trunks are more challenging to access than most.

This type of service will affect the cost, but not that much.

Your auto locksmith will determine if your trunk has a deadlock or not.

While a deadlock offers protection to the car owner, it can be challenging for an auto locksmith to access the door.

This type of job is challenging, and it can be done but will take time to accomplish the job.

The locksmith may use a key analyzer to check the electrical resistance values of your vehicle.

To create a new key they need to use a mechanical key cutter.

What if Your Car Keys Break?

If your key is broken inside your car’s keyhole, do not attempt to unlock the door.

This attempt could cause damage to the lock and will increase the cost of repair.

With a spare key, the locksmith can resolve this issue.

But, without it, the locksmith has to replace the key.

Car key breaks because of overuse or excessive force.

Even if the locksmith can unlock your car, you can not drive without a key.

Making duplicate or replacement keys has its parameters and prices.

To summarize, you must consider the cost of unlocking the car and extracting the key.

Keys Lost

If you lose your car key, the lock needs to be rekeyed.

The minimum locksmith price to rekey your car is $40 to $100 with an additional $5 to $25 for every lock cylinder.

Your locksmith can also replace your key even without the original key.

The locksmith needs all the detailed information about your car prior to remaking the key.

If you lose your car key outside their normal working hours, the service charge is between $150 to $250.

Transponder Key Issues

If you were locked out unexpectedly, your vehicle has a transponder key.

The transponder key works by communicating between integrating chips.

This integrating chip is for verification and extra security.

But, there are several issues with transponder keys.

If your battery is out, it is easy to fix.

But, if the keys were not programmed, you need to call an automobile locksmith.

Keys that are not programmed happen with additional copies.

A locksmith can still unlock the door if you are locked out because of the transponder.

But the transponder key has to be appropriately programmed to open your car door.

This service will incur an extra cost.

How Much Is the Price of Unlocking a Car?

To summarize, car locksmith services cost between $50 and $250, depending on the issue.

A car locksmith could remove broken keys, rekey your lock, unlock a car, or deal with keyless entry lockouts.

First, let us look at the base cost, and then the factors that make the price change.

The base cost to unlock your automobile is $15.

Car lockouts start at $35 and will increase depending on the job’s complexity.

So, the service call and car lockout is $50.

You need to add the price for making the key if your car key breaks and you have no spare.

But, you do not have to get a new key, so you may disregard this additional cost.

Therefore, a broken key and the cost to unlock your automobile starts at $170.

This price includes the auto lockout call and the service fee.

You might have to include the cost to extract a broken key which starts at $65.

Therefore, for a car lockout scenario, the price starts at $115.

Luxury Automotives

The automobile locksmith cost to unlock your car varies.

The reason is that luxury automobiles are different from other vehicles.

This difference usually requires different tools and different methods.

Luxury automotive locks have high-level security features that automobile locksmiths might find challenging to unlock.

If you came close to the latest Tesla car models, you would understand why they were called the most secure car.

Its security features are equivalent to the extra work and manufacturing costs.

If you are locked out of a luxury car, get a professional auto locksmith to do the job.

Not all automobile locksmiths can help you with luxury automobile lockout.

The Bottom Line

I hope you found the answer to your questions if you have read this far.

Always remember that there is no universal cost to unlock a car door.

This will help you look for professional auto locksmith services to suit your needs.

The scenario resulting in a car lockout determines the cost.

Other ways to access your car might cost more in terms of money and security.