Can you tow a car without a key

Do They Need My Keys To Tow My Car? Not necessarily, since there are ways to go about the entire process without the need for the keys, and notable among these is through by-passing the keys.

In conclusion, your keys may not really be needed before your car is towed, except maybe when you instruct otherwise or under some other conditions.

How to tow a car without keys

Before you can tow any car without the keys, there are certain things to do or steps to take. First, determine if the car in question has either front or rear-wheel drive.

Your purchase user manual can help with this procedure. Next, make sure that there is total compatibility between the two vehicles involved with regards to their weight capacity, transmission type, speed of driving and so on..

Thereafter, attach a tow strap between the two participating vehicles; the towing vehicle and the broken-down car. Before you can tow a car without keys, you will most likely need to raise the drive wheels off the road as well, in order to avoid any damage to its transmission.

Read Also: Can You Tow A Manual Car In Neutral?

Can AAA tow my car without keys?

Yes, they can,  since they are specialists with the expertise that will enable them to either bypass the keys or disengage the key system altogether.

They can tow any car or vehicle with no key at all. They are known to charge up to about one hundred dollars for automotive locksmith services through them.

If you have any issues or complaints with your car keys, always call AAA who will get your car opened, and in good time too, without any damage to it.

What are the requirements needed for your car to be towed?

Many reasons can cause your car to be towed which include: parking at a place adjudged to be unsafe to your vehicle or other road users and their vehicles too.

For this reason, you are advised to avoid any sudden engine breakdown or malfunction, unexpected tire flattening without a spare and conduct that may trigger any repossession effort.

By repossession, we are referring to a situation where your vehicle is hired from a vehicle hiring company, and for some reason, the company wants to repossess the vehicle.

In this case, they can get it towed away by the repo man. You are not by law allowed to park at some specific places, especially for long periods of time such as: at sharp bends or corners, up or down a slope, double park or parking improperly on a bridge or a busy highway and so on.

Should you park at any of such places, you risk getting your vehicle towed by the authorities.

Read Also: Can A Car Be Towed With The Wheels Turned?

Is it safe to leave my keys in the ignition hole while it is being towed?

Yes, it is safe, particularly if you are around to closely monitor the process or you have a trustworthy person who will watch things on your behalf.

In addition, It is recommended that all towed vehicles should always leave their lights on, especially at night, so that they will be visible to other road users and also see the road clearly.

In some modern cars, you can only manipulate the steering wheels and/or the brakes when the ignition is on, which can only be done by keeping the keys in the ignition holes of the vehicles. So, essentially, it is not only safe but also necessary too.

Do you have to be with your car keys when it is being towed?

Not necessarily, and that is because there are many ways the keys can be bypassed, get the car opened and the ignition switched on.

Take AAA, for instance, they are specialists who have the tools, skills and manpower to open and also start any car, no matter what kind of key it uses, without any damage to the car.

However, if you happen to be with your keys whenever the car needs to be towed, so much the better. Having your car keys with you will first hasten the process and secondly, it will save you any expenses.

Usually, doing this becomes necessary whenever you need to move the car and you don’t have the keys with you. It is possible to do this without the keys, but it is advisable to seek and obtain the owner’s consent before doing it, as doing it otherwise will constitute a criminal offence.

Read Also: Can You Tow A Car With The Engine Running?

What happens if I do not release my car keys to those towing my car?

On the surface, refusal to release your car keys to those towing it should prevent them from doing so. However, the situation is much more than that.

For instance, there are ways that the car can both be opened and ignited without the need for the keys, no matter what type they may be.

Furthermore, if you refuse to surrender the keys to the repo man in a situation where he is instructed to repossess your hired car, there are ways he can bypass the keys.

In conclusion, refusing to release your car keys cannot in any way prevent the car from being either towed or impounded, as long as there is a lawful reason to do so.

Again, refusing to release the keys will basically make towing your car more stressful and time-consuming as well.

What is the usefulness of the car keys when towing?

The keys will enable those towing the car to both open the door and turn on the ignition. It is important to turn on the ignition because, with certain modern cars, the clutch and the break need the car to be turned on for them to function.

In addition, it is required that the lights of the car being towed must be switched on during towing. It is important to do this in order to enable other road users to see you clearly.

Furthermore, when the headlights are on, especially when towing at night, your visibility is bound to improve. Manipulating the steering wheel as you trail the car towing you will require that you turn on the ignition with the keys, and if you do not have it, steering the car will also be a little bit more difficult.

In fact, some steering wheels may fail to function altogether if the ignition is not turned on. There are other uses of the car keys in towing, these are just some of the commonest ones.

Read Also: Can You Tow A Car With Handbrake On?

Is it all cars that require keys before they can be towed?

Basically, yes, most( if not all) cars require the use of their keys before you can tow them. However, this does not mean that without the keys these cars cannot be towed.

After all, there are many ways through which you can eliminate the use of the keys before towing your vehicle.

Are there requirements when it comes to towing a car without keys?

Of course, there are. To start with, do not attempt to tow any vehicle without the keys unless you have sought and obtained the permission of its rightful owner.

Doing so without his/ her consent can legally be interpreted as an act of theft or intent to steal. Even after getting the legal permission to tow the car without the keys, do so carefully without subjecting the vehicle to any avoidable damage or malfunction.

Read Also: Can you tow a rear-wheel-drive car backwards?

What happens if you lost your car keys and would they request for it when towing?

Obviously, without your car keys, you will be denied asses to your car, and the first measure to take is simply getting a replacement key that is compatible with your car.

Alternatively, if you are on a journey and maybe far away from home, you can consider bypassing the key in order to get home, if you have the expertise.

If you do not know how to disable the keys, you may seek the help of the nearest auto electrician to help out. Where all these are not possible, you may consider getting someone to assist you in towing the vehicle to where you can get help.

FAQ

How do you put a car in neutral without keys?

Close to the gearshift lever, in cars with automatic transmission systems, is a slot into which you can insert the key to enable you to shift the car to neutral.

The situation is not the same for cars with manual transmission. In this type of cars, there are three steps involved before you put the car in neutral without the keys.

The first step requires that you get a flashlight, which will be needed since this step involves working underneath the vehicle.

In this procedure, you must make sure to park the car in a safe place. Next, place some blocks at both the front and rear wheels.

This will ensure that the car does not move while working on it. The second step demands that you go beneath the car while carrying the flashlight, which you will still need even if it is during the day.

Then, find the car’s transmission system, which is often bolted to the engine. Once you are able to find the transmission system, locate the cable that runs through this part and disconnect it before pushing the lever back until you hear a ‘click’ sound twice.

After this, the car is already in neutral. For most American made cars, you can put them in neutral without the keys by locating the cable that runs alongside the transmission which has a switch and a lever attached to it. Simply disconnect this cable and you’re done.

How do you tow a car with locked wheels?

There are several ways by which you can tow any car, even when its wheels are locked. First, you can disable the wheel lock, or alternatively, if you are dealing with a front-wheel-drive car, is to tow it with its front wheels off the ground. You can also use a tow dolly.

Read Also: Can a Subaru outback tow a tab trailer?

How do you move a parked car without keys?

Moving a car without keys is something that must be done with the full consent of the owner as it can become a serious crime if done clandestinely.

Having said that, let us now look at how the feat can be achieved without any stress. Firstly, you can always bypass the keys and get the car started.

Alternatively, you can solicit the help of trained automobile specialists in the matter such as AAA. They have the manpower, tools and expertise to take care of any key issues, but for a fee.

If the keys are believed t be permanently lost or misplaced, you may solve the issue by simply getting replacement keys. In any case, you should choose whatever method is convenient to you concerning how you move your car without keys.

What do you do when your car needs to be towed?

If you must get your car towed, the first thing you should take into consideration is whether the car has an automatic or manual transmission system.

Next, how do you tow the vehicle? This is important because depending on certain conditions, you may have to tow the car by either lifting two or all of its tires off the ground during towing.

You should also know the towing capacity of the vehicle so that you can avoid overworking it, a situation that can also affect other several vital components of the vehicle or even its transmission system.

Do They Need My Keys To Tow My Car – Conclusion

Of course, we know by now that different methods abound through which you can get your car towed, no matter its type or features.

These methods have their individual requirements such as with or without the keys, whether the wheels are locked or not, where you hook up both the towing and the towed cars.

Most cars are best towed in neutral and hence, you should be conversant with how to put the car in neutral with or without the keys, and both procedures have been discussed in every conceivable detail in this article.

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