You text the details
Year / make / model + the parking lot or address. Mention if you have a pet or kid inside (in which case: call 911 first). 20-second message.
Checking hours…
Locked out of your car in Winnipeg? I'll get you back in — without damage.
Non-destructive entry, just $65 plus tax. No drilled cylinders, no broken windows. Text me your year/make/model and the lot you're in, and you'll get a firm quote before I drive over.
Pet or child locked in the car? Call 911 first — Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is faster and free for emergencies.
- ✓ No drilled cylinders
- ✓ Written quote first
- ✓ I come to you
Key locked inside
$65
Most vehicles, most lots in Winnipeg. The $65 is plus tax, like the rest. The number I text is the number you pay.
Typical job time
15 – 30 minutes on site
What I unlock — and what I don't.
Honest about scope before you text. Saves both of us a wasted trip.
I unlock
- ✓Most passenger cars, SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks (domestic and Asian brands)
- ✓Keys locked inside the cabin — most common scenario
- ✓Trunk lockouts (when interior release is accessible from the cabin)
- ✓Push-to-start fobs with battery dead — I can get the door open so you can swap the fob battery
- ✓Combination lockout + key generation if you've lost the keys (booked together)
I don't
- ✗Trunks without an interior release — separate specialty job, text me first
- ✗Emergency rescues with kids or pets locked inside — call 911, Winnipeg Fire is faster and free
- ✗Vehicles I don't service — Mercedes, Audi/VW, Porsche, Volvo, Smart (see vehicles I service)
- ✗Locks I think are damaged or rigged — I won't proceed if I suspect tampering
- ✗Drilling out a perfectly fine lock "because it's faster" — it costs you a cylinder you didn't need to replace
How a lockout call works.
Four steps, start to finish. Most of it before I leave the driveway.
I send a firm quote + ETA
Just $65 plus tax. The rare exception is a genuinely unusual lock or vehicle, which I quote up front — never sprung on arrival.
I arrive + verify ID
Government photo ID before I touch the door. If your ID is locked inside, we verify another way (photo of a separate ID on your phone + recited ownership info). This is an insurance and trade-standard requirement, not me being difficult.
Non-destructive entry, then payment
Wedges, long-reach probes, lockout tools — proper auto-locksmith tools. 15–30 minutes on most vehicles. Door opens, you grab your keys, then we settle up: e-transfer, tap, or cash.
No drilling, no broken windows
Why non-destructive entry matters.
A locksmith who shows up and drills your lock cylinder is leaving you with a replacement bill that turns a $65 lockout into a $300+ repair. A locksmith who breaks a window is even worse. Modern auto-locksmith tools — wedges that gently spread the door frame, long-reach probes that reach the interior unlock button, and lockout tools matched to specific vehicle generations — open almost every car cleanly. Drilling is a last resort on a damaged lock, not a shortcut on a working one.
Test before you book: ask "do you drill or do you use non-destructive entry?" before any locksmith arrives. The honest answer is "non-destructive — drilling is only if the lock itself is broken." Anyone who says "we drill because it's faster" is going to cost you more than the lockout itself.
Common Winnipeg lockout scenarios.
The five situations I see most often, and the right call for each.
Keys on the front seat, doors locked.
Walked away, hit the lock button on the door, slammed it shut, then realized. Standard lockout — door opens in 15-30 minutes, you grab your keys, done. Floor: $65.
Remote-start engine running, doors auto-locked.
Winnipeg winter: you remote-started the car, walked outside, opened the door — and the auto-lock had already cycled. Doors locked, engine on, keys in the cabin. Routine job. $65.
Push-to-start fob battery died, can't get in.
Most newer cars have a hidden mechanical key inside the fob — pull it out, use the door cylinder. If you can't find that, I'll get the door open and you can swap the fob battery. $65 for the door, then DIY the battery (~$5-10).
Keys in the trunk with the groceries.
Vehicles with an interior trunk release: I open the cabin and pop the trunk from inside. Same floor. Trunks without an interior release: separate procedure — text me your year/make/model to confirm scope.
Keys lost entirely (not in the car).
Two jobs in one visit: lockout ($65) to get into the cabin, then lost-all-keys ($280+) to make a new working key. Total time 90–120 min. Both quoted up front.
Child or pet locked inside.
Don't text me — call 911. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responds faster than any locksmith, is trained for exactly this, and is free. They'll get the door open safely. Then text me afterwards if you need a new key cut.
Don't call a tow truck for a lockout
Tow operators aren't trained for this.
A common Winnipeg mistake: calling a tow service when you're locked out. Some tow operators use a "slim jim" or wedge — sometimes successfully, often not. Many newer vehicles (2010+) have side-curtain airbag wiring inside the door cavity and electronic window regulators that a slim jim can damage. A repair on either runs $300-$800+.
A trained auto-locksmith uses tools matched to your specific vehicle's lock and door architecture. Same outcome (you're back in), without the collateral damage risk.
CAA membership exception: if you're a CAA member, your lockout is covered as part of your roadside benefit — call them first. If you're not a member, or CAA can't reach you within an hour, that's when you text me.
Real Winnipeg lockouts.
📷 PHOTO SLOT — Wedge + long-reach probe in the door frame, mid-job, customer's hand reaching for keys inside.
📷 PHOTO SLOT — Lockout kit organized in trunk: wedges, lockout tools, gloves. Clean, professional.
📷 PHOTO SLOT — Customer-side view: door open, keys retrieved, smiling Winnipeg driver.
What customers say
Nine verified Google reviews so far — early but real.
★★★★★
"I was very impressed. He was on time and set up both key fobs and cut both keys for my car and it only took about an hour."
— Glenn Buckboro · Google review
★★★★★
"Great service! He quickly made a copy of my car key, and it works perfectly. Friendly, professional, and fair price."
— Oleh Vashchenko · Google review
★★★★★
"Precise, polite and punctual."
— Dominic Ibeme · Google review
Lockout FAQ.
The questions I get most often when someone texts from a parking lot.
How much does a car lockout cost in Winnipeg?
$65 when your key is locked inside and I open the door. If you've lost every key, that's a separate all-keys-lost job (from $280+). Exact number comes by text before I dispatch — the number I send is the number you pay.
How fast can you get to me if I'm locked out?
Depending on where you are and where I am, I'll send a real ETA in the quote — not a fake "30 minutes" promise. During closed hours, the bottom-bar Text button queues you up for the next opening.
Will you damage my car or door?
No. I use proper auto-locksmith tools — wedges, long-reach probes, lockout tools designed for modern vehicles — to open the door without damage. No drilling, no broken windows. If a locksmith ever wants to drill a perfectly functional lock "because it's faster," that's a red flag — drilling means a new lock cylinder and another bill.
What ID do I need for a lockout?
Government photo ID before I open the door — driver's licence, passport, or any official photo ID. If the ID is locked inside, we verify another way (photo of a separate ID on your phone, recited ownership info). It's an insurance and ethics requirement, not me being difficult.
What if my keys are stuck in the ignition?
Still a lockout — the door part is the same. Once I open the door, you'll be able to retrieve the key. If the key is broken off in the ignition, that's a separate retrieval-and-extraction job; text me the make/model and I'll quote separately. The lockout floor still applies for getting into the cabin first.
Do you do trunk-only lockouts?
Yes for most vehicles — usually we go through the cabin and pop the trunk from inside. Some trunks (without an interior release) need a separate procedure; text me the year/make/model. Same floor of $65 in most cases.
What if I lost my keys entirely and they're not in the car?
That's two jobs: lockout first ($65) to get into the cabin, then key generation (lost-all-keys, $280+) to make a new working key. I can quote them together up front and do both in the same visit — typically 90–120 minutes total. See the Lost All Keys page for the key-side detail.
Do you charge extra for nights or weekends?
No "after-hours surcharge" — but I have set hours (Mon–Fri 9–5, Sat–Sun 7–1, Winnipeg time) and don't take overnight calls. Honest scheduling beats fake availability. If you text after hours, the message queues for the next opening and you get a reply when I open.
What if there's a pet or child locked inside?
This is an emergency — call 911 first. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is the right call for any locked-in-vehicle child or pet situation, especially in hot or cold conditions. They're faster, free, and trained for exactly this scenario. I'm a key-and-lock specialist, not an emergency responder.
Locked out? Send the details.
Text is fastest. I'll reply with a firm quote and ETA before I drive out.
Standing next to a locked car right now?
Text is fastest. Call is fine. Either way, I'll send a quote and an honest ETA before I leave.