How to Unlock a Car with a Coat Hanger – Complete Process

Sometimes we forget our keys in the car and lock the door without knowing, I know it is a frustrating thing, but it happens with most of us.

There are specific ways to open your car without your keys, and fortunately, one of them is using a coat hanger. This article will tell you about the two methods that can help you open your car with a coat hanger.

For a manual car, people would simply put the hanger in the door frame to disengage the lock pin. If your car is an automatic car and your window is cracked up, you can twist the hanger through your window and press the unlock button.

But unfortunately, both these methods could damage your car and may not work on more modern vehicles.

So today, we will discuss two new methods for you, which might help you unlock your vehicle and get your out of the bad situation.

How to Unlock a Car with a Coat Hanger

Method 1: Unlocking Car Door Locks

·        Straighten out the hanger:

The first thing you have to do is to stretch out the wire until it is capable of reaching the unlock button or post.

Untwist the hooked portion, and then straighten it entirely, but leave the curved portion as it is so that you can hold the hanger with an excellent grip. In the end, the hanger should look like a straight line with a curved hook on the end.

Make sure to wear gloves before untwisting the hanger to avoid hurting your hand, use pliers because it will make the twisting quite easier for you.

·        Bend the hook into “V” shape:

Bend the hook of your coat hanger into a shape that can grip the door lock post. A small “V” shape would be perfect to have an excellent grip, plus it can also fit through the small gap of the door, which can easily do the job.

A pair of pliers would do the job here; it can help you fold the end of the straightened hanger into the V shape.

Most door locks have a small channel that will make it easier to grip when you are using a coat hanger to unlock the door.

You can also change the hanger shape in a few other shapes or checkmarks until you have the perfect shape that will grip the most.

·  Pry the window out slightly if it is closed:

Now you need to open the window, if the window is already open then you don’t need to pry it out but if it is shut, then you need to slide a narrow wooden piece or anything into the gap between window and the door and then pry the window out away from the vehicle, but be careful while doing it.

If you apply too much pressure on the window, then it must break. Use a wider prying surface like paint scrapper; it is a better choice than a narrow screwdriver.

Once the window is opened, place a small folded piece of cloth or maybe a rubber to hold the window open.

·   Slide the hanger into the gap:

Hold the end of the coat hanger, which is opposite to the ‘V’ shape you made with pliers. Slide the hanger into the gap you made between the window and the door frame.

Now, if your lock post is close to the rear side of the door, then try to approach it from the front side.

It is very important that you reach the lock post in a direction that will allow you to easily apply pressure to the lock as you pull it up. But make sure not to put additional pressure on the windows as its pried open or you may also break it.

·   Catch the post and pull up and toward the back of your car:

Move the hanger around the post until you catch it, and then apply pressure on it by pulling the hanger back towards the rear of the car.

Now, if the lock is too close to the rear side of the window, then apply the pressure forward as you pull it up.

Continue to apply the pressure as you pull the post up to unlock the door. If the post pops up, the door will be unlocked, and you can easily open it. In case it doesn’t open, then you need to catch the post multiple times.

· Press the unlock button if you can reach it:

Pass the bent coat hanger through the window crack and try to hit the unlock button with the tip of the wire. But be patient. This may take a while to reach the button and successfully click it.

In case you find it difficult to hit the unlock button with the tip of the wire, then try attaching a small rubber to the end.

Wrap a small rubber band around the tip, for friction, or stick an eraser on end; this will increase your grip on the button surface, and your would-be unlocked easily, and you will be able to open the door without keys.

Method 2: Pushing or Pulling Slide Locks

·  Strengthen out the hanger and bend it again as necessary:

First, you need to straighten the hanger to reach the lock slider for push or pulls locks, then bend it again in the right shape to reach the lock.

The bending of the hanger depends on your vehicle. You need to get the proper bends in the coat hanger but try not to bend the hanger too far, as the bends would reduce its ability to press or pull the slider.

Read Also: How Oil Slows Down Rusting of Iron

· Bend the hook into a short hook or ledge to push or pull the slide:

For pulling the slider to unlock your vehicle, you should bend the end of the hanger into a hook that can catch the post.

If you are willing to push it, then you have to bend it in such a manner that you can easily put force necessary on the slider to push it over.

To make a small and strong hook, use a pair of pliers. If you are passing the sliding hanger into the gap of the door frame instead of a window gap, then it has to extremely thin.

·        Slide the hanger between the door and door frame:

If you are unable to pry the window away from the door frame, then you need to slide the hanger through the very narrow gap between the door itself and the frame.

The door and the door frame are separated by a thin layer of weatherproofing that you may damage in the process. Press the hanger though the weatherproof layer and then into the car.

Some cars do not allow the hanger to pass through the weatherproof layer because of the angle, so you need to find a way to pry the window away from the door. Do not tear the weatherproofing, or else the door may leak, and you will have to replace it.

·        Have a friend guide you from the passenger side:

Once the tip of the hanger reaches inside of the car, you won’t be able to see the slide for door lock clearly from your position. This is the time when you need a friend on the passenger side to guide you by looking through the window.

You can still unlock the door without any help, but having someone would make it easier, but you have to be patient throughout the process until you press the slide.

·        Press or pull on the slide to unlock the door:

Once you have reached the slider of the lock, push or pull it as necessary to unlock the door of the car.

As said earlier, you have to be very patient throughout, it might take a number of tries to reach it, and you may also need to make changes in the bends of coat hanger to pass through the right angle.

Continue to try to reach the slider and able to snag or press the slide of the lock. Make sure that you don’t do any further damage to the weatherproofing of your car as you move the hanger around. Otherwise, you will have to replace it.

Now your car is unlocked, and the door is ready to open.

Final Thoughts

Although these two methods might work on your car, yet we recommend hiring a professional for the job. Only use these methods in case there is any urgency or any professional help isn’t available nearby. Also, while doing any of the above-mentioned methods, take care of your safety.