What should I do first if I'm locked out of my car in Tarzana?
Start with who and what is inside the car. If a child, an infant, or a pet is locked in, or anyone is in distress, call 911 before you call us. Valley heat in summer can turn a closed car into a dangerous space very quickly, and nothing about a locksmith visit outranks that. Emergency crews are the right call in that situation. We are the right call when everyone is safe and the only problem is the keys.
If everyone is fine, take a breath. A car lockout is one of the most common calls a locksmith gets, and it is almost always fixable without breaking anything. Move to a safe, visible spot if you can, keep your phone charged, and have these details ready, because they help us find you and bring the right tools:
One request: please don't try a coat hanger, a shoelace trick from a video, or a screwdriver in the door gap. Those attempts are how a simple lockout turns into scratched paint, a torn weatherstrip, a bent door frame, or a damaged wiring harness inside the door. If you have already tried something and the car looks different than it did, tell us when you call so we can plan around it.
- Exactly where you are: street address, cross street, or the name of the lot or building.
- The make, model, and approximate year of the car.
- Where the keys are: on the seat, in the ignition, in the trunk, or not sure at all.
- Whether the car has a key you turn or a push-button start, and whether the engine is still running.
- Whether an alarm is sounding or any window is open even slightly.
Why do keys end up locked in the car?
Rarely from carelessness, whatever people tell themselves in the moment. It is usually a hands-full moment: a grocery bag, a phone call, a kid to buckle in. The door shuts, and the keys or the fob are on the seat, in the cup holder, or in a jacket you tossed in the back. Some cars lock automatically under certain conditions, which is a useful feature right up until the keys are still inside.
Trunk lockouts have their own pattern. You load bags, set your keys on top of them, and close the lid. Or the keys were in a jacket pocket and the jacket went into the trunk. Now the car is locked and the one thing that would open it is sitting behind the one door you can't reach.
It also helps to separate two problems that sound alike. Keys locked inside the car is a lockout, and that is what this page covers. Keys that are lost, stolen, or broken is a different job that calls for a different solution. We cover that distinction further down, so you know which path you are actually on before anyone is dispatched.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How does our mobile car lockout service work?
We work from our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and Tarzana sits roughly 14 miles from there. That distance is exactly why this work is mobile: the van comes to you, whether you are in a driveway, a business lot, or at the curb. Our mobile locksmith service in Tarzana covers a lot more than cars, but vehicle lockouts are a core part of what the vans are built around. Here is how a typical call goes.
No honest locksmith can promise a stopwatch number for every car. Some vehicles open quickly once the right tool is in place. Others have tighter door seals, more shielding around the lock linkage, or sensors that mean we slow down and take extra care. We will tell you what we see rather than guess out loud.
- You call (213) 577-1366. A person answers at any hour, any day, and asks where you are, what the car is, and where the keys are.
- We send one of our own vans. It is our company and our technician, not a call center handing your job to whoever is closest.
- On arrival, we ask you to show that the car is yours, such as matching ID and registration, before we open it. This protects you as much as anyone.
- We look at the door, the window seals, and the lock design, then choose the method that suits that particular car. For most vehicles that means a protective wedge and a reach tool rather than anything that forces the door.
- We open the car, then check that the door, the lock, the window, and the weatherstripping all behave normally.
- We confirm the keys work and explain what the job involves so there are no surprises about what you are paying for.
What if my keys are locked in the trunk?
A trunk lockout is a slightly different puzzle, and the honest answer is that it depends on the car. In many vehicles, once we have the cabin open, there is a way to reach the trunk from the inside: an interior release, a button, or a rear seat that folds or pulls forward. In that case the job is simple and the keys come out of the trunk with no damage to the lid or latch.
Not every car works that way. Some have fixed rear seats, some have no manual interior release, and some have electronic releases that need the car to be in a particular state before they respond. We look at your specific car on site and tell you what is possible before we start. We would rather say plainly that a particular trunk takes more careful work than pretend every one is the same.
If the keys in the trunk are the only keys you have, there is a second consideration: once the trunk is open and you have them back, check that the fob and key both still work, and think about whether a spare is overdue. A cracked or worn fob is more likely to fail on the day it is locked behind a lid.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of a car lockout?
We don't put numbers on a web page for this, because the honest answer depends on the situation, and a number that fits one car would mislead another. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost, so you can judge any quote you get from us or anyone else.
A lockout call is usually the more economical route compared with towing a car to a dealer just to get inside it, though that depends on the vehicle. Whatever company you call, ask for the full cost of the job up front, not just a low service-call figure that grows once someone is standing at your car. A straight company explains the whole job before work starts.
- Time of day. Nights, weekends, and holidays involve different staffing than a weekday afternoon.
- Where you are. Distance from our base affects the trip, and Tarzana is about 14 miles from our Westwood storefront.
- The vehicle. Some doors, locks, and security systems are simply more demanding to open without damage than others.
- Cabin versus trunk. A trunk lockout can involve extra steps, depending on how the car is built.
- Access. A gated lot or a difficult-to-reach spot can change how we plan the job.
- Whether it is only a lockout. If a key also needs to be cut, a fob replaced, or a lock repaired, that is additional work and is priced as such.
When is it more than a lockout?
Sometimes the call starts as keys locked in the car and turns out to be something else. Knowing which one you have saves time, so here is how we sort it out.
If the keys are not inside the car at all because they are lost, we can open the vehicle, but you will also need a replacement. That is a lost car key replacement job. If the key is fine but the remote is dead, cracked, or unresponsive, a key fob replacement is probably what you need. If your car uses a chipped key that must be matched to the vehicle, that falls under transponder key programming.
A word on honesty here: whether a given key can be programmed by us or only by the dealer depends on the make, model, and year. We don't guess. We confirm by VIN and in person, and if a particular case is dealer-only, we say so plainly rather than promise something we can't deliver.
And if the real trouble is that the key won't turn, sticks in the ignition, or the ignition itself is worn or damaged, that is ignition repair, not a lockout. For the full range of vehicle work, see our automotive locksmith page. We keep this page focused on getting you back into your car.
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?
You are standing next to a locked car, probably annoyed, and you need to trust whoever shows up. These are the reasons we think we are a sound choice, stated plainly with nothing inflated.
On licensing: California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and you should ask any locksmith you hire for it, including us, before work starts. It is a reasonable question and a good company will not mind answering it.
- In business since 1987. We have been doing this work for a long time, and the basics of opening a car without damaging it do not change with trends.
- A real storefront plus mobile vans. Our shop is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024, so there is a physical place behind the phone number.
- One company, no dispatch middlemen. The person who answers is part of the same company as the technician who comes out. Your job is not auctioned to a stranger.
- David's oversight. David is the owner and lead technician, and the work is held to the standard he sets.
- Answered around the clock. The line at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round, including our 24-hour locksmith service for lockouts at any hour.
Car lockouts around Tarzana: Ventura Boulevard to the hillsides
Tarzana is one ZIP code, 91356, but it is not one kind of place, and a car lockout looks different depending on where you are standing. Here is how we think about a few parts of town.
Along the Ventura Boulevard corridor and the Tarzana Safari Walk district, people park at the curb or in business lots and step away for a few minutes, which is when keys end up on the seat. Condo and apartment buildings cluster along that same corridor, and condo lockouts are a real local scenario. Residents sometimes get locked out of the car in their building's parking, or out of the home itself. If the problem is your front door rather than your car, our house lockout service is the right page. Tell us exactly which situation you have when you call, so we bring the right tools.
Around the Tarzana medical district near Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, a lockout often arrives at a bad time: people are visiting, working a long shift, or dealing with something stressful already. Give us the exact lot or street and the make and model, and we handle the rest.
In North Tarzana, along the Victory and Vanowen corridors, the flats are mostly wide streets and everyday errands, and the typical call is a simple key-in-the-car or key-in-the-trunk situation.
South of the boulevard, the foothills are different. Mulholland Park is guard-gated, and so are other communities off upper Reseda Boulevard. If you are inside one, tell us when you call so we can sort out how to get in, and have the guard or gate contact ready if you can. In Melody Acres, the equestrian-zoned lots mean long driveways and gates, so give us the exact address and which gate to use.
Climate matters too. Valley heat dominates in summer, and the foothills south of Ventura get extra sun and canyon wind. A locked car in direct sun gets hot fast, which is one more reason to act early, and to call 911 first if anyone or any animal is inside. Wherever you are in Tarzana, the van comes to you.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How can I avoid locking my keys in the car again?
Nobody is immune, but a few habits cut the odds, and none of them cost anything.
- Make it a rule to have the keys in your hand before the door closes, not just in your pocket or bag nearby.
- When loading the trunk, keep the keys in your hand or pocket, not on top of the bags.
- Keep a spare key or fob somewhere other than the car, such as at home with someone you trust.
- If your fob is cracked, worn, or slow to respond, deal with it before it fails at an inconvenient moment.
- Put the phone number for a locksmith in your contacts now. Ours is (213) 577-1366, and it is answered at any hour.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can you get to me in Tarzana?
We can't give a fixed number on a web page, because it depends on where our vans are and the conditions on the road. Tarzana is about 14 miles from our Westwood storefront. Call (213) 577-1366 and we will give you an honest estimate based on what is happening at that moment.
Will unlocking my car cause damage?
Our methods are chosen to avoid damage to the paint, door, window seals, and wiring. We look at your particular car first and use the approach that suits it. If a vehicle has an unusual risk, we tell you before we start. Please don't try a hanger or a pry tool yourself, as that is what usually causes damage.
Do you handle car lockouts at night, on weekends, and on holidays?
Yes. Our line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. Late hours may change how the job is priced, and we explain that when you call rather than after the work is done.
Can you get my keys out of a locked trunk?
Often, yes. In many cars, once the cabin is open there is an interior release, a button, or a folding rear seat that gives access. Some vehicles do not offer that, so we look at yours on site and tell you what is possible before we start.
Do I have to prove the car is mine?
Yes, and it protects you. We ask for ID and something that ties you to the vehicle, such as registration, before opening it. A locksmith who skips that step is not looking out for owners.
My key fob stopped working and the doors won't unlock. Is that a lockout?
It might be. If the fob battery is weak or the fob has failed, you can end up unable to get in even though the keys are in your hand. We can get the car open, then look at whether the fob needs a battery, repair, or replacement. Which of these applies depends on the vehicle, and we confirm that in person.
Can you come to a gated community or a property with a gate?
Yes. Tell us when you call that there is a gate, whether it is a guard gate like Mulholland Park or a driveway gate on a property, and give us the entry details so we can plan access ahead of time.
Should I call roadside assistance or my insurer first?
If your auto club or insurance includes lockout help, it is worth a call, and it may be the more economical route for you. If you would rather not wait, can't reach them, or want a direct call to a local company, we are available at any hour at (213) 577-1366.
What if a child or pet is locked inside?
Call 911 immediately. Heat inside a closed car can become dangerous very quickly, especially in a Valley summer. Emergency responders come first. Call us afterward if you still need the car opened or keys retrieved.
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Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.