Emergency Vehicle Unlocking For Drivers Locked Out of a Car in Devon, Dorset and Somerset
DB Car Keys sends Dean, a mobile auto locksmith from Honiton, to drivers locked out of a car anywhere in Devon, Dorset and Somerset, 24 hours a day, and arrival can be 15 to 60 minutes in Exeter, Taunton and Bridport.
Emergency vehicle unlocking costs £60 to £150, takes under 10 minutes at the car on most jobs and uses non-destructive entry, so the locks, the door seals and the paintwork stay undamaged.
- Keys locked inside the car come out through a door opened in under 10 minutes on most cars.
- Keys locked in the boot are recovered by non-destructive entry, with no force on the boot lid.
- Lost keys with no spare end with the car opened and a new key cut on the same visit.
- Cars, vans and SUVs of every make and model are opened at the roadside, at home or at work.
Locked out now? Call the locksmith
Emergency unlocking costs £60 to £150. Dean confirms the price and an arrival estimate on the call, and sets off.
102 Google reviews rate DB Car Keys 5 stars. Dean is fully insured and DBS checked, with over 15 years of experience. Every unlock carries a no damage guarantee and no call out fee.
Emergency Vehicle Unlocking Cost and Price Factors
Emergency vehicle unlocking costs £60 to £150 with DB Car Keys. The cost of a car lockout covers the journey, the non-destructive entry and a test of the lock, and the table gives the four charges on a lockout call and the one cost that is extra.
| Charge | Price | What the charge covers |
|---|---|---|
| Standard daytime unlock | £60 to £120 | Keys locked inside the car or the boot, opened in under 10 minutes at the car on most jobs. |
| Out of hours unlock | Up to £150 | The same entry work on an out of hours call. |
| Call out fee | £0 | The journey to the car, anywhere in Devon, Dorset and Somerset. |
| Mileage charge | £0 | No charge by the mile on any lockout call. |
| New key, not included | £150 to £400 or more | The unlock price covers entry only. A new key for a car with every key lost is a separate job, quoted on the same call. |
Two factors set the price inside the £60 to £150 range.
The price is confirmed on the phone before Dean sets off, and any change to it is agreed before more work is done. Workmanship carries a 30 day guarantee, and payment is taken on completion by cash, by bank transfer or by card where card payment is available.
First Steps When Locked Out of a Car
A driver locked out of a car checks every door and the boot first, then calls a spare key holder or an auto locksmith. Forced entry with a coat hanger or a screwdriver damages the door seals, the paint, the lock barrel and the electronics, and the repair runs to hundreds of pounds. One call to DB Car Keys on 07830249408 brings a car locksmith with specialist tools to gain entry with no damage.
A locked out driver takes five steps before the locksmith arrives.
- Move to a safe place. Stand away from the traffic, and behind the barrier on a motorway or a dual carriageway.
- Check every door and the boot. One door often stays unlocked, and a keyless car opens with the hidden key blade inside the key fob.
- Ring the spare key holder. Spare car keys kept at home or with a relative end a lockout at no cost when one reaches the car inside an hour.
- Call 07830249408 with four details. Give the exact location, the vehicle make and model, the registration and where the keys are.
- Leave the door and the window alone. A coat hanger tears the weather seal and catches the wiring for the side airbag inside a modern car door.
Non-destructive entry is the opening of a locked vehicle with no damage to the lock, the door or the glass. DB Car Keys opens a locked car with air wedges, long reach tools and lock picks, the same class of tools that roadside assistance teams carry.
📍 Real call out, St Davids Station, Exeter
"One of our most common Exeter call outs is a commuter who locked the keys inside the car in the station car park. Running late for a train, the driver put the keys on the seat, reached back in for a bag, and the door closed. We can reach St Davids from Honiton in around 25 minutes. The door was opened with no damage, the keys came out, and the whole job took under 10 minutes at the car. The customer caught the train."
📍 Real call out, West Bay, Dorset
"Holiday lockouts along the Dorset coast are a large part of our summer work. A family at West Bay had locked the keys in the boot after a beach day. The boot release was electronic and worked only with the key, and there was no spare. The call came at 6pm on a Bank Holiday Saturday, we reached West Bay in under 35 minutes, and the car was open without a scratch. The family made the evening reservation."
📍 Real call out, Taunton town centre, Somerset
"A van driver in Taunton locked the Ford Transit keys inside the cab during a delivery run, with more deliveries to make. The rear doors were open for unloading and the wind caught the cab door while the keys were still in the ignition. We attended within 40 minutes. The cab was opened with no damage and the delivery route was back on schedule."
⏱ Eight situations that call for emergency vehicle unlocking
Emergency Car Lockout Situations and Entry Methods
An emergency car lockout is any situation where the driver stands outside a locked vehicle without a working key. Each of the eight situations below gives the cause, the entry method and the next step for the driver.
Keys locked inside the car
What happenedThe keys sit on a seat, in a bag or in a coat, and every door is locked.
How the car is openedAn air wedge opens a small gap at the top of the door, and a long reach tool presses the unlock button or lifts the inside handle. A deadlocked car is picked at the door lock, because deadlocks disable the inside handles.
Next stepCheck every door and the boot, then call with the make and model.
Keys left in the ignition
What happenedThe door closed or the car locked itself with the key still in the ignition, and the engine is sometimes still running.
How the car is openedThe driver door is opened by non-destructive entry and the key comes out of the ignition untouched.
Next stepSay on the call that the engine is running.
Keys locked in the boot
What happenedThe keys went into the boot with the shopping or the beach bags, and many boots have no outside lock and release only from the cabin or the key fob.
How the car is openedThe car is opened by non-destructive entry and the keys are recovered from the boot, so the boot lid and the boot lock are never forced.
Next stepSay that the keys are in the boot, because the entry tool differs from a keys on the seat lockout.
Child or pet locked inside
What happenedA child or a pet is in the locked car, and the inside of a car heats up within minutes on a warm day.
How the car is openedThe door furthest from the child or the pet is opened first, and the call is treated as a priority.
Next stepCall 999 first when the child or the pet shows distress, because the police hold the power to break a window. Then call the locksmith.
Lost keys with no spare
What happenedLost car keys with no spare make opening the door only the first half of the job.
How the car is openedThe car is opened with no key present, a new key is cut, and car key programming pairs the new key to the car on the same visit.
Next stepHave the registration and photo ID ready, because a new key needs proof of ownership.
Frozen or jammed door lock
What happenedIce in the lock or a seized lock barrel stops the key turning, and force snaps the key blade inside the lock.
How the car is openedAnother door is opened by non-destructive entry, and broken key extraction removes a snapped key from the lock without a new lock barrel.
Next stepTry the other doors, use de-icer on a frozen lock and keep hot water away from the glass.
Key fob that stopped working
What happenedA flat key fob battery or a flat car battery stops the remote and the central locking, and a keyless car no longer senses the key.
How the car is openedMost key fobs hold a hidden emergency key blade for the lock under the cap on the driver door handle. A lock that does not turn is picked by the locksmith.
Next stepTry the key blade first. The alarm on some cars sounds until the car recognises the key. Key fob repairs fix a flat battery, a worn button or a lost pairing once the car is open.
Hire car lockout on holiday
What happenedThe keys of a hire car are locked inside at a beach car park, a holiday park or a hotel.
How the car is openedA hire car is opened by the same non-destructive entry as a private car, with no mark left for the return inspection.
Next stepTell the hire company, have photo ID ready and ask on the call which proof a hire car needs.
Car Lock Systems and Non-Destructive Entry
A car lock system is the set of locks, sensors and electronics that secures the doors of a vehicle. The lock system decides the entry method on a lockout, and the table gives six lock systems on modern vehicles with the method for each.
| Lock system | Effect in a lockout | Entry method |
|---|---|---|
| Central locking | Locks every door from one button, the key or the key fob. | Air wedge and long reach tool on the unlock button or the inside handle. |
| Deadlocks, also called double locking | Disable the inside handles and the unlock button once the car is locked from outside. | Lock picks at the door lock, with no gap opened in the door. |
| Automatic relock | Locks the car again a short time after an unlock when no door is opened. | The same entry as central locking, or lock picks on a deadlocked car. |
| Keyless entry with a proximity key or smart key | Unlocks by sensing the key near the car, and stops sensing a key with a flat battery. | Hidden key blade first, then lock picks at the door lock. |
| Van slam locks and van deadlocks | Lock a van door the moment it shuts, with the keys often still in the cab or the load area. | Lock picks at the fitted lock, which takes longer than a standard car door. |
| Alarm and immobiliser | The alarm sounds when a door opens without the key, and the immobiliser stops the engine without the right key. | The alarm stops once the car recognises the key. Entry leaves the immobiliser untouched. |
Every entry method on the table is non-destructive, so the lock, the door frame, the weather seals and the glass stay as they were before the lockout. No lock is drilled and no window is broken to regain access to a locked car.
Name the lock system or the situation on the call, and Dean confirms the entry method and the price.
How Emergency Vehicle Entry Works
Emergency vehicle entry works in four steps, and most jobs take under 10 minutes at the car.
Call 07830249408
Give the location, the vehicle make, model and registration, and where the keys are. Dean gives the price and an arrival estimate and sets off.
The Locksmith Arrives
Dean checks proof of ownership and the lock system, then picks the entry tool for that door, from air wedges, long reach tools and lock picks.
Non-Destructive Entry
An air wedge opens a small gap at the top of the door frame, and a long reach tool presses the unlock button or lifts the inside handle.
Drive Away
The keys come out, the lock and the door seal are tested, and the car is ready to drive.
Specialist Auto Locksmith Compared With Breakdown Cover
Breakdown cover helps with a lockout, and a specialist auto locksmith differs on six points.
Faster Response With No Queue
Breakdown services put mechanical failures and flat tyres ahead of lockouts, and the wait reaches 2 to 4 hours at peak times. DB Car Keys sets off for a lockout straight after the call and can be in Exeter in 15 to 45 minutes. A main dealer or a garage wants the car recovered to the workshop, and a mobile vehicle locksmith opens it where it stands, with no towing.
Specialist Tools and Zero Damage
The van carries entry tools for each door type, window profile and locking mechanism. The lock cylinder, the door seal, the paint and the interior stay protected on every call out.
Rural and Coastal Cover in Three Counties
Cover runs across rural Devon, the Somerset Levels, Dartmoor and the Jurassic Coast as well as the town centres. A farm track near Bridport and a lane on the Levels get the same service as a city car park.
Day or Night, Every Night
Lockouts happen at 2am at a Devon service station, at midnight outside a Somerset pub and at 6am before an early shift. The locksmith answers every call on 07830249408, with no call centre.
Clear Pricing With No Hidden Fees
The price is quoted on the phone before travel, and any change to it is agreed before more work is done. A standard daytime unlock costs £60 to £120, with no call out fee and no mileage charge.
Spare Key Cut on the Same Visit
Spare car keys are cut and programmed at the car straight after the unlock, with no second appointment. A second key at home ends the next lockout in minutes.
Vehicle Unlocking Service for Cars and Vans
The vehicle unlocking service covers cars, vans, SUVs and commercial vehicles of every make and model on UK roads, with entry tools matched to the door type and the locking mechanism of each vehicle.
Every passenger car is covered, including hatchbacks, saloons, estates, coupes and SUVs of every age and size.
Van and commercial lockouts are the most time critical jobs, because a locked out tradesperson loses income every minute. Commercial call outs get priority.
Recent Emergency Car Unlocking Callouts
Six recent lockout jobs across Devon, Dorset and Somerset, each with the arrival time.
Ford Focus, keys locked inside, non-destructive entry
VW Golf, keys in the boot, electronic release out of reach
Ford Transit, keys locked in the cab during a delivery run
BMW 3 Series, keys inside, late night lockout
Vauxhall Vivaro, van locked with the tools inside at a job site
Toyota RAV4, holiday hire car lockout with a family waiting
The list is updated regularly. Call 07830249408 for an arrival time at any location.
Dean, DB Car Keys
Mobile Auto Locksmith, Honiton, Devon
Dean is the vehicle locksmith who answers the phone and opens the car. Dean is fully insured and DBS checked, and has opened locked cars and vans across Devon, Dorset and Somerset for over 15 years.
Dean on Emergency Vehicle Unlocking Calls
Three points on emergency vehicle unlocking calls in the first person, as Dean and DB Car Keys state them.
On the price
"We quote upfront before we start. What we quote on the phone is what you pay. No call out fee."
On a child or a pet in the car
"We treat child and pet lockouts as priority calls and dispatch immediately. Clearly tell us a child or pet is inside when you call."
On a locked van
"Van and commercial lockouts are the most time critical jobs we attend. A locked out tradesperson loses money every minute. We prioritise commercial call outs."
What DB Car Keys Customers Say
Verified Google reviews from locked out drivers and car key customers across Devon, Dorset and Somerset.
Car Makes Covered for Emergency Unlocking
Non-destructive entry tools cover every vehicle make on UK roads.
Call 07830249408 and the make is confirmed on the phone.
Emergency Unlocking Areas in Three Counties
Emergency unlocking runs 24/7 across all three counties, in towns, on rural lanes, on the coast and at the roadside.
EX, PL and TQ postcodes, with an arrival estimate of 15 to 45 minutes in Exeter and up to 105 minutes in Bideford.
DT postcodes, covering the Jurassic Coast, the holiday towns and rural West Dorset.
TA and BA postcodes, covering the A303 corridor, the Somerset Levels and the Glastonbury area.
Call 07830249408 for an arrival time in EX, PL, TQ, DT, TA and BA postcodes.
Emergency Vehicle Unlocking FAQs
Nineteen common questions about emergency vehicle unlocking, with the answers.