What should you do first when you're locked out of your car in Covina?
A car lockout is simple to describe and miserable to live through. The keys, the fob, or the whole bundle of keys and phone is on the wrong side of a closed door. Sometimes it's on the driver's seat or in the cupholder. Sometimes it's in the trunk, because you set your bags down, dropped the keys in after them, and shut the lid. In Covina this happens in shopping lots, at the curb downtown, in driveways, and in the commuter parking at the Covina Metrolink Station, almost always at a bad moment.
The first step is to check for danger. If a child or a pet is inside the car, or anyone is in medical distress, call 911 before you call anyone else. Do not wait for a locksmith. Summers on the eastern side of the San Gabriel Valley are hot and dry, and a closed car heats up much faster than most people expect.
If everyone is safe and the only problem is you, your keys, and a locked car, call us at (213) 577-1366. A person answers around the clock, every day of the year. We'll ask a few questions so the technician arrives with the right approach already in mind.
What should you check before calling a locksmith?
A few quick checks can sometimes save you a call, and we would rather you know about them. If one of these solves it, good. If none of them do, we're a phone call away.
- Try every door, the trunk, and the hatch. Occasionally one of them never got locked.
- Think about a spare key. If someone can safely bring it to you, that is often the lighter-cost option, though it isn't always the quickest.
- Check whether your vehicle has a manufacturer app or connected service that can unlock it remotely. Some do, if the account was set up beforehand.
- Look at your insurance, your car maker's roadside program, or any membership you carry. Lockout help is sometimes included, and using it may cost you less.
- Have the year, make, and model ready, plus your exact location and any parking details such as a gate, a structure level, or a tight space.
- Please don't push a coat hanger or a wedge into the door yourself. It's an easy way to tear weatherstripping or snag wiring inside the door, and that turns a simple lockout into a repair.
How do we unlock your car without damaging it?
Our goal on every vehicle lockout is to open the car the way it was designed to be entered, with no broken glass, no bent frame, and no scratched paint. Here is how a typical call goes from start to finish.
- You call (213) 577-1366. We ask for the vehicle's year, make, and model, where you are, whether the keys are visible, whether the engine is running, and whether anyone or anything living is inside.
- We tell you honestly how long the drive will take given where our vans are and the traffic between us and you, and we talk through what the job involves and what affects the cost, so there are no surprises.
- The technician arrives in a mobile van and asks you to show that the car is yours, typically with ID and something that ties you to the vehicle, such as registration. We do this on every call. It protects you as much as anyone.
- We look over the door, the window seals, and the lock type, then choose a non-destructive method that suits that particular car. We don't use one method on everything.
- We open the vehicle, then test the door, the locks, and the window to make sure everything works the way it did before.
- We hand you your keys. If your only key is worn or you have no spare, we'll tell you what your options are so the next lockout never happens.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What's different when your keys are locked in the trunk?
A trunk lockout is a different puzzle from a door lockout. Often the route into the trunk goes through the cabin, so we open the car first, then reach the trunk from the inside. How that works depends on the vehicle. Some cars have an interior trunk release. Some have folding rear seats that give access. Others don't allow either, and the approach changes.
Because that varies so much by make and model, we don't guess about a specific car over the phone. We describe what we know, confirm by VIN or in person once the technician sees the vehicle, and tell you plainly if a particular trunk is going to be harder than it sounds.
One thing helps a lot: tell us whether the car itself is locked, or only the trunk. If you can still get into the cabin, say so right away. It changes what we bring and how we work, and it may change the cost.
What affects the cost of a car lockout in Covina?
We don't post prices on this page, because an honest figure depends on the details of your situation. Here is what moves the cost up or down, so you know what to ask about when you call.
- Time of day. Overnight, weekend, and holiday calls take more of a technician's time and schedule than a weekday afternoon.
- Distance and traffic. Covina is roughly 32 miles from our Westwood storefront, and traffic on the way plays a real part in the trip.
- The vehicle. Different cars have different lock systems, door constructions, and security features, and some take more care to open safely.
- Door lockout or trunk lockout. A trunk lockout can involve extra steps, as described above.
- Where the car is parked. A tight spot, a parking structure, or a gated driveway can add time.
- What happens after the car is open. If you also need a spare cut or a replacement key, that is separate work with its own cost factors.
Where do car lockouts happen around Covina?
We serve the whole city, including ZIP codes 91722, 91723, and 91724. A few places come up in lockout calls more than others.
Commuter lockouts at the Covina Metrolink Station are one example. You park, rush for the train, and come back at the end of a long day to find the keys sitting on the seat. A mobile service is built for exactly this: the technician comes to the lot, and you don't need a tow or a ride anywhere. The same goes for the Downtown Covina Citrus Avenue district, where curbside parking near the shops, restaurants, and Covina Center for the Performing Arts means evening lockouts are common.
Along the Arrow Highway, Azusa Avenue, and Badillo Street corridors, most lockouts happen in shopping lots and apartment parking areas. If your keys are locked inside your apartment instead of your car, that is a different job, and our apartment lockout service covers it. In Covina Hills, larger semi-rural lots often have gated driveways. If your car is behind a gate, tell us the gate code or how to be let in when you call so the technician isn't standing at the street. Charter Oak, the adjacent unincorporated area with Covina addresses, is within our service area as well.
The same goes for the parking lots near Covina Park, IKEA Covina, and Emanate Health Inter-Community Hospital, where people are often rattled or in a hurry. Wherever you are, give us the cross streets and a landmark, and stay with the car if you can. In summer heat, find shade while you wait.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for a car lockout?
Wilshire Lock & Key has been in business since 1987. We run a storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile service vans that come to you across 140 cities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, Covina included. Here is what that means in practice.
- One company, no dispatch middlemen. The person who answers the phone works for the company that sends the van.
- David, the owner and lead technician, oversees our work and the standards we hold it to.
- The phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, so a 2 a.m. lockout gets the same attention as a noon one.
- We use non-destructive methods first and tell you plainly if we think something is risky for your car.
- We explain what affects the price before the work begins.
Should you ask a locksmith about licensing?
Yes, always. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, issued by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Ask any locksmith for the license number before work begins, and be wary of anyone who dodges the question. This applies to car lockouts as much as anything else, because a stranger will be working on your vehicle.
It's also worth being cautious with ads that show a local name but send a call-center dispatcher to find whoever is available. You deserve to know who is coming and what company they work for. For more on how our vans operate, see our mobile locksmith service in Covina, and for late-night situations, our 24-hour locksmith service.
Can every car be opened, and when does the dealer come into it?
Most vehicles on the road can be opened by a trained technician with the right tools. But we won't promise that for every make, model, and year. Some newer or more heavily secured vehicles take more care and time, and in rare cases a particular vehicle may only be opened through the dealer. If your car is one of those, we'll say so plainly instead of experimenting on your door.
We also don't repeat vehicle-specific claims we can't verify. If you ask whether your exact model has a certain feature or needs a certain kind of key, we'll confirm by VIN or by looking at the car in person. Our broader automotive locksmith work in Covina covers the cases that go beyond getting in, such as keys and programming, and we'll tell you honestly if one of those is the actual problem.
What if it's really a lost-key problem?
Sometimes a lockout is the first sign of a bigger issue. If the keys aren't in the car at all, because they're lost or stolen, you need a different service. Our lost car key replacement page covers that, and if the problem is a dead or damaged remote, see key fob replacement.
If you only have one key, the most effective way to avoid a repeat of today is a spare. Our key duplication service is a good starting point, though for many modern vehicles a spare involves more than cutting metal. We'll explain what yours needs once we see the key and the car. We keep this page about getting you back into your vehicle. The rest we'll handle once you're back in the driver's seat and the situation is calmer.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can you get to me in Covina?
It depends on where our vans are and on traffic. Covina is roughly 32 miles from our Westwood storefront, so we won't pretend it's next door. When you call (213) 577-1366, we give you an honest estimate for your location and update you if something changes.
How much does a car lockout cost?
We don't quote numbers on the website because the real figure depends on the time of day, the distance, the vehicle, where it's parked, and whether it's a door or a trunk. Call us, describe the situation, and we'll explain what affects your cost before work begins.
Will you damage my car?
Our goal is always to open the car without damage, and we use non-destructive methods first. We can't make promises about every vehicle, though. If a method carries any risk for your particular car, we'll say so before we try it.
Do I need to prove the car is mine?
Yes. The technician will ask for ID and something that connects you to the vehicle, such as registration. We do this on every call because we won't open someone else's car for a stranger.
My keys are locked in the trunk. Can you still help?
Usually, yes. Often we open the cabin first and reach the trunk from the inside, but how that works varies by make and model. We confirm by VIN or in person, and we'll tell you if your trunk is harder than it sounds.
My car is parked behind a gate in Covina Hills. Is that a problem?
It isn't a problem as long as we can reach the car. Give us the gate code, or tell us how to be let in, when you call. A gate we can't get through is the most common reason for delay on a driveway lockout.
Should I call roadside assistance instead of a locksmith?
If your insurance, car maker, or a membership covers lockouts, using it may cost you less, so check first. If you don't have coverage, or the wait is long or unclear, call us. We're a locksmith company, not a call center, and we answer 24 hours a day.
The engine is running and the doors are locked. What do I do?
Move away from traffic if you can and call us. If a child or pet is inside, call 911 right now and don't wait for us. Tell us the make, model, and year, and that the engine is running, so we can plan the approach.
Do you work at night, on weekends, and on holidays?
Yes. Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. Late-night and holiday calls can affect the cost, and we'll explain that on the phone.
Can you make me a spare key after you open the car?
Often, yes, but it depends on the vehicle. Some keys only need cutting, while others also need programming. We'll look at your key and your car and tell you what a spare involves before we do any work.
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Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.