metal key beside key with a microchip in itMaybe the title of this should have been:  Who Hasn't Ever Locked the Keys in the Car?  I think this has happened to everyone and it can ve very frustrating and inconvenient.  So what to do?

Many people used to have duplicate car keys made to put in a hide-a-key.  The hide-a-key would attach magnetically to the underside of the car.  Did you know that today's modern keys have chips in them? The car's computer has to be programmed to recognize the key so it can start the car and these keys are very expensive.  The Ford dealer quoted me something like $40 for the key and $98 to program the car!

The solution I came up with was really simple.  I had a metal key without the chip made for $3.00 and I taped it to the inside of my gas cap door.  If I lock my keys in the car, I can get in quickly.  If someone finds the key, he can get inside the car, but it won't start.

If your gas cap door opens with a clicker, you may need to go back to a hide-a-key, but at least you won't have to spend a fortune and you won't have a key a thief can use to steal the car.

key locked inside gas cap door