Keys locked in the car in the West Island: the complete guide

It happens 30 seconds after setting the keys on the seat, shutting the door, and hearing the fatal “clack” of the auto-lock. At rush hour we take two or three of these calls a day in the West Island — in the Fairview lot, at the Kirkland arena, outside the Saint-Lazare school. Here's the complete guide: what to do (and especially what NOT to do), what it costs, and how the opening goes when you call the right service.

The first five minutes: the checklist

• Check ALL doors and the trunk — a partially latched liftgate is the most frequent escape hatch.
• If someone has a spare key at home, our express delivery can bring it — sometimes cheaper than an opening, always faster than you'd think.
• If a child or pet is inside, call 911 IMMEDIATELY — summer or winter, that's the absolute emergency, before any private service.
• Note the exact spot (street, driveway, parking row): the more precise the address, the faster the callout.
• Call 514-239-6512: we tell you in 30 seconds whether the model is openable and at what price.

The 5 mistakes that double the bill

• Forcing a key into a frozen lock: humidity off Lake Saint-Louis and Lake of Two Mountains freezes cylinders overnight; a bent key means cylinder + key to replace, often over $400.
• Trying a metal coat hanger on a recent vehicle: modern linkages have nothing in common with 1995's — the hanger scratches paint and derails the mechanism.
• Sliding a ruler toward the central button: on most post-2010 vehicles, the button re-engages as soon as the ruler approaches.
• Breaking a “spare” window: a side window runs $300-500 to replace, versus $40-120 for a professional opening — and in winter, broken glass turns the car into a freezer.
• Waiting for “a friend with tools”: two hours of waiting on a Tuesday night is two hours of stress — our units are often on site in under 20 minutes.

How much does an unlock cost in the West Island?

The exact rate depends on the vehicle's model and year, location, hour and weather — the amount is confirmed on the phone before departure. As always with us: no invented surcharge on arrival.

How a damage-free opening works

Our drivers work by compression: a soft sleeve slipped into the door gap creates a few millimetres of space, enough to introduce a straight tool that presses the button or pulls the linkage. No forced lever, no touched glass, no scratched paint. On double-locked vehicles (where the interior button is disabled), we go through the exterior lock with soft picking. Average time on site: 8 to 15 minutes once the vehicle is reached.