Locked out of your car: do you need a lockout service, a locksmith, or a tow?
If your keys are inside the car, you need a lockout service: a roadside technician opens the door without damaging it and you drive away. If the key is lost, broken, or will not start the car, opening the door does not fix anything. You need a new key made by a locksmith or the dealer, or a tow to the dealer.
Which one do you need?
- Keys visible on the seat, in the ignition, or in the trunk: lockout service. This is a roadside call, not a tow.
- Keys lost and no spare: you need a key made. If the dealer has to program it, the car usually has to go to the dealer, which means a tow.
- Spare key at home: a lockout service gets you in, or someone brings the spare. Either way, no tow needed.
- Key fob dead and the car will not start: often a fob battery, not a lockout. If the car still will not start, that is a jump start or a tow.
- Child or pet locked inside, especially on a hot day: call 911 first. Do not wait for a roadside truck.
What Towrunner does
Lockout service is part of our roadside assistance, along with jump starts, flat tire changes, fuel delivery, and winch-outs. If the lockout turns out to be a lost key, we can tow the car to the dealer or your home. Call (951) 277-6778 and tell dispatch where the keys are, so we send the right help the first time.
Before you call
Have the year, make, and model ready, your exact location or nearest cross street, and be ready to show ID that matches the registration once the door is open. Any honest lockout provider will ask for that.
Common questions
Is a lockout service the same as a locksmith?
No. A lockout service opens a locked car so you can get to the keys inside. A locksmith can also make and program a new key when the original is lost. If your keys are inside the car, a lockout service is all you need.
Do I need a tow if I lost my car keys?
Often, yes. If no one can make a key on site, the car has to go to the dealer or a locksmith shop to have one made and programmed, and a tow is how it gets there.
Will a lockout damage my car?
A proper lockout uses tools made for opening car doors without breaking the glass or the lock. Tell dispatch what you drive so the technician comes prepared for your vehicle.
Does Towrunner do car lockouts in Riverside?
Yes. Lockout service is part of our roadside assistance across Riverside and the Inland Empire cities we serve. Call (951) 277-6778.
Locked out right now?
A dispatcher answers and quotes it on the phone before a truck rolls.
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