A 2017 VW Caddy in Nottingham with keys sitting on the driver's seat, door swung shut and locked. Classic central-locking self-lockout. We opened the van on site without damaging the door, the lock, or the glass.
The call
Van lockouts are the job that triggers the most "just smash the window" advice from bystanders. On a work vehicle that costs a new pane, a new seal, and a day off the road. Non-destructive opening should be the first answer whenever the locksmith gets there with the right kit.
A 2017 Caddy is a straightforward opening if it's approached properly. The things that turn a clean job into a repair bill are brute force on the door lock, shim tools on the weatherstrip, or a screwdriver through the window frame. We don't do any of those.
How we opened the van
Protective pad went on first - covering the paintwork and the weather seal so the paint doesn't get nicked and the rubber doesn't get stretched out of shape.
Air wedge next, slid between the door and the frame. Just enough to create a small gap without stressing the seal. Through the gap goes a long-reach tool, bent to the interior door handle. One lift, the latch releases, the door swings open, and the wedge and pad come back out. Everything back where it started.
Start to finish, under half an hour.
Outcome
Van open, keys recovered from the seat, owner back behind the wheel. No broken window, no cracked trim, no scratched paint, no repair bill chasing the callout.
Locked out of a van or car in Nottingham? We come to you - on-site non-destructive opening across Nottingham and the East Midlands. Call Autelix before anyone suggests breaking a window.
Published: 15th September, 2025 | Updated: 22nd April, 2026