How to Use a Slim Jim to Unlock Your Car Door

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Plus, how to tell if a slim jim will work with your make and model

Co-authored by Robert Vallelunga and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: August 28, 2024 Fact Checked

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How to Tell if a Slim Jim Will Work on Your Car

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Using the Slim Jim

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Tips

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Warnings

You don’t know how it happened, but you’re stuck staring at your locked car door, keys nowhere to be found. This can be a costly mistake, especially if you need to call a professional locksmith. However, depending on your car’s make, model and year, you might be able to use a slim jim to open it. A slim jim is a strip of metal with a notched end that can pop open older, upright locks on car doors. In this article, we’ll show you how to determine whether your car has the right locks for a slim jim and use it to get back on the road in a flash.

How do you use a slim jim?

Insert a rubber wedge between the car door window and its weather stripping on the passenger side near the lock. Slide the notched end of the slim jim into the gap slowly until you notice the upright lock start to move subtly (this means you’ve hooked it). Slowly pull the slim jim straight up to unlock the car.

Part 1

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How to Tell if a Slim Jim Will Work on Your Car

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Trying to use a slim jim on electric or power locks will do nothing but possibly scratch your window and damage the electronics in your car door. There might be other ways to unlock the door, but don’t try using a slim jim.
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Ensure your car has upright locks. These locks look like small cylinders and are found near the bottom of the car window, where it meets the door. Note that these mechanical locks are usually found on cars manufactured in 1992 or before. If your car was made afterwards, it might still have these locks, but the car door may have electronics, wires or even airbags that make using a slim jim more difficult.^{[1]
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- If you’re unsure what locks are on your car, you should consult the user’s manual, or try researching your car model online.
- Newer cars have complex electric power locks and lock shields or shrouding that block slim jims and other break-in tools, making them ineffective.^{[2]
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Call a locksmith if you’re still unsure. If it’s not obvious whether your car has the right locks for a slim jim, you should strongly consider calling a locksmith. Using a slim jim on the wrong type of locks could seriously damage your car. A locksmith might seem expensive, but the repairs on your car could be moreso.
- Professional locksmith Robert Vallelunga recommends calling a pro. “You can go it alone, but you risk damaging the car lock, car door, or door seal, which will ultimately cost you more than hiring a professional to begin with. Every car model has a preferred way of opening, and they can be very different.”
- He adds, “For older cars, with proof of ownership, a locksmith shop can just make you a key that will unlock the door by using the car’s VIN. Even if the key isn’t programmed to the car, it will unlock the door so you can get your working keys out.”

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Using a Slim Jim to Unlock Your Car

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It seems natural to want to open the driver’s side door; after all, this is where you typically enter the car. However, professional locksmiths typically try opening the passenger side door.^{[3]
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Research source} That way, if you make a mistake and damage the door’s mechanism, it won’t be the door you use most.
The weatherstrip is the rubber strip running between the car door and window.^{[4]
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Research source} This will create the space you need to insert the slim jim. You can get a wedge specifically designed for opening car locks, but they’re typically not much different than a door wedge. Ideally, use a rubber wedge, as a wooden wedge could leave splinters and shards in your car door.
Slide the notched end first, in towards the car lock. Align the slim jim with the lock, pushing down towards the keyhole, which is usually located at the rear of the door. Insert the slim jim slowly, making sure not to catch on anything on the way down.^{[5]
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You’ll know the slim jim has caught on the locking mechanism if the lock starts moving slightly. Make sure to keep the slim jim completely vertical, to avoid catching on any other mechanisms.^{[6]
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If you’ve latched onto the locking mechanism, the lock should move upwards as you move the slim jim. Keep your motion slow and smooth to avoid causing any undue damage.^{[7]
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Research source} Remove the slim jim and you’ll be able to open the car door.
If you can’t get the door unlocked after one or two attempts, it’s best to stop before you cause any damage to it. Unlocking a locked door is a very technical skill; don’t feel bad if you’re not able to get it open. Get a professional to open your car door and call a locksmith.^{[8]
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Community Q&A

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Question

How do you pick a car door lock?

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With an automotive lock pick. Normal picks will damage either the pick or the wafers.

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Can I use a Slim Jim if the locks are electronic but the lock is upright?

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The security system might prevent you from doing so. Try a long reach tool instead and go for the unlock.

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Can you use a slim jim on a 1990 Nissan Santra? The door locks aren't upright, but turn to unlock.

Community Answer

Slim Jims work on upright car locks. For the locks in this car, you may need to look at alternate options.

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Tips

Slim Jims come with notches in a variety of shapes. You can ask an employee at your auto parts store to suggest which shape would work best for your particular vehicle.

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Consider calling a locksmith to unlock your car door. They are trained professionals who will be able to open your car with little risk of damage.

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If a slim jim won’t work on your car, opt for a professional opening kit with a long reach tool. Vallelunga says, “Professional opening kits are available online and can be purchased by anyone, but most require training to be effective. The most valuable tool in one of those kits is a long reach tool. Long reach tools are slid in the crack between where the door and the roof of the car meet. You grab the door handle on the opposite side of the car, and pull it to release the door.”

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Warnings

This article is intended for informational purposes. It is highly illegal to break into someone’s vehicle. A sign of carjacking is a detached lock rod.

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Be very careful when attempting to use a slim jim to open your car. You could damage the weather stripping, the rods of the door mechanism, wires inside the door, or even scratch or break the window glass.

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