Getting locked out of your RV isn’t fun, especially if it’s cold or rainy out, or the person with the other key is out doing errands! No, thank you!
Have you ever been accidentally locked out of your RV? Once? More than once? If yes, please tell us about what happened in the comments below. Do you keep a spare key somewhere just in case?
Read about Tony Barthel’s experience getting locked out of his RV – he broke into his own RV in minutes!
The FREE RVtravel.com newsletter is filled with great RV information, advice, and news written by RV experts, delivered right to your inbox. Never any SPAM and we will NEVER sell your information! When you subscribe, you'll get three checklists that every RVer should have as a thank you!
A Permanent Address for RV Freedom — Full-time RVers trust America’s Mailbox for mail forwarding, residency help, and reliable support from the road.
Our most popular articles this week:
SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR RV?
Good news! We have more than 3,500 articles in our “RV Maintenance and Repair” category, so we’re confident we can help you solve the problem. In addition, did you know you can search our website using the search bar at the top of every page for keywords or topics that interest you or that you need help with? Yep, we’ve got you covered!
Everything on sale for RVers right now. Yes, right now! Click here.
Please follow our rules for commenting.
No but been locked in when the lock broke. That was not a fun experience
Never been locked out as we have a set of entry door and ignition keys hidden in a safe place. We always use the key-pad to lock and unlock the entry door and bay doors. Once it would not respond so had to use the spare keys to get in.
Yes, once. On our former RV (travel trailer) for what ever reason the door locked when I closed it. Not sure why, as you need a key to lock it. We always carry two sets of keys, not that day. Luckily we were not that far from home and drove home to get keys.
Once my fault older Class A, once lock broke. I now have a hide a key, since a Class C three doors to access.
Yes when the deadbolt lock broke and would not unlock. I had to crawl into the front storage bay on the travel trailer and raise the bed to get inside (which was much harder than I thought it would be). Then needed a special screwdriver to remove the lock. All this with a storm approaching and all the items from the storage bay on the table!! Luckily we were close to a Camping World and they had a replacement lock!!
Just once. We have a Winnebago that has the latch just below the door handle. We now have a set of keys hidden outside.
When working in an RV park for several years, we had at least 2 people a summer lock themselves out of their RV. Most had kids so we’d get a kid to climb through the storage compartment and open the door. If it was a car they had to call a locksmith. Had one ole frumpy guy who thought it was our fault for not having a set of master keys. We let him call the locksmith.
Keep a set of keys for all adults and big kids.
I had to drill the lock on my son’s 5th wheel because rhe keys were so flimsy one broke off in the lock. New lock with better keys and a spare key to hide.
I was locked out and my wife was locked in when the deadbolt came apart inside the lock. The only access for me was the bedroom exit window in the upper bedroom of the fifth wheel, sadly I had no ladder so I backed the pickup up to the RV and my wife opened the window and I crawled in with a screwdriver and disassembled the lock. Then we all had a drink and laughed about it. Phil Mead
Were in a big hurry to get to a post-graduation reception and locked the keys in the RV. Thankfully, the campground owners had accumulated many keys, one of which fit the RV, sparing us a locksmith fee. Another time, in closing the door of the RV I inadvertently hit the lock button on the inside of the door without realizing it. After retrieving the spare key from its hiding place I unlocked the door.
When the dead bolt snapped, due to cheap materials used (pot metal), our door was locked. We were 300 miles from home. Went to 3 RV shops, including CW. None had a replacement lock. Drive home with door tied to opposite wall. Wife took Towd and stopped at another RV shop on way home. Purchased the correct lock for $180. Same lock on Amazon is $130.
Need to add, all key sets have duplicate keys on them.
We’ve never been locked out (have the habit of both of us always carrying the keys in our pockets.) But we were locked in once in our motor home when the latch on the screen door malfunctioned. Hubby had to stick head out thru the sliding plastic piece to get the latch working again. Would have had to call Coach-Net if that hadn’t worked.
It is so very easy to push the lock and close the door without confirming you have the key in your pocket. It is not a good feeling when this happens. Now we have a routine of making sure we have our keys PRIOR to locking and closing the door as we step out. As a backup we have also placed spare keys in a safe place outside our MH in the event we have another senior moment.
Stopped to get gas, wife took dog for pee walk. Door was not locked but would not open, one of the small springs in the lock mechanism broke, outside handle didn’t work, driver window open so I took lower half of the roof ladder, it has hooks on the top of the bottom half and hooked on the window. Opened from inside. When we stopped at Walmart I found a package of mixed springs found one that worked.
Never. We installed the keyless lock. Phone number is on the door for emergency so we can provide the combination to our caller.
Once. Camping in Myrtle Beach, SC. I went to a sticks and bricks locksmith make three sets of keys. One for me, one for my wife and another for my brother. When we decided to take a walk on the beach, I asked each if they had their keys. They assured me that they did. I tossed my keys on the table and closed the locked door. When we returned from the beach, no keys could be found. Fortunately we had left a window open. After removing the screen and crawling through said window, I retrieved my keys. What’s the point of having keys if you don’t carry them? Myself included.
The DW loses her keys on average 3x a year. Most recent was car keys last month. On two different RV’s the lock failed and key would not open it. One hell of a time getting in through a window. My dog attacked the guy who finally got in! No injury.
I was at a dog show and got locked out after my dog managed to lock the door by jumping up at it. Fortunately I carry a spare set and when at the shows hand them over to a trusted friend in case of emergency and they give me a set to their rig for the same reason.
I was driving in the Petrified Forest when I got to a viewing area overlooking the Painted Desert. I left the engine running, grabbed my camera and jumped out to take a few pictures. The wind slammed the door shut and the door locked. But I had a backup plan, there was a set of keys in the toad. But the toad was locked. OK, but another backup was a key lock box located in the propane tank locker. But I couldn’t remember the code. OK, the code is on my cell phone. Unfortunately, the cell phone was in the locked motorhome. I eventually hitched a ride to the ranger station and they sent me back with a ranger who used a kit to open the car door where I could get the keys and open the motorhome door. If they made a keyless entry lock for my RV I would surely install it.
Our door mechanism broke and we could not open the door. Fortunately one of the cab windows was open slightly. So, helped tiny daughter (she was not young, just not very big) up into the window where she handed out the keys because to her it looked like the door was unlocked. She was correct it was. BUT with the keys I could get the step ladder out and lift myself into the window. I took the lock apart, figured out what needed to be manipulated to open the door, and got it opened. Fortunately we were heading home the next day.
The door latch failed and door could not be opened. Don’t remember now how I gained entry, but had to replace the latch.
Key broke off in lock. We were on way to mechanic for other work anyway. He was able to get broken key out and we had a spare. Installed a new RVlock with code now. Another time I was jiggling keys on metal water bottle while hiking in bear country. Didn’t realize the trailer key had fallen off until we got to to trailer and had no key. Luckily we had just enough daylight to retrace our steps and found key. Whew close call! No more jiggling keys on water bottle.
Not my RV but in 1972 while in college my Rottweiler locked me out of my Ford Pinto. The nice policeman attempted to unlock the door but Greta was having nothing to do with it. She was lunging at him from inside repeatedly relocking the door. Finally I was able to crack the door when it unlocked before she could lock it again. The cop jumped away from the car saying “not so fast” thinking I was going to open the door fully. He quickly left to resume his patrol and Greta and I continued on our way, me to class and her home to a bone.
Not me but my hubby was. He was at a state park campground near our home. I was at work. He call me but I wasn’t able to leave work so his Mom came an got my key to help him. Now I always have my door key in my pocket.
In all my previous RVs I could lock the door prior to closing possibly locking myself out if didn’t have the key. My new TT only has the deadbolt lock so it requires the key to lock or unlock the door. I don’t know if this is a new idea or just a cheaper idea, but it will prevent accidental lock outs.
I keep a front door/ignition key stored in a hide-a-key tucked in under my MH. So far, I haven’t had to use it but on occasion check to make sure it’s still there.
We had a spare key made for our TT in a small town once. We went out to check to see if it worked. It did not. To make things worse, we could not get the key OUT of the lock either. Neither could the guy who MADE the key! Luckily our trailer has two doors so we could still get in, but here we go with a key sticking out of the other door’s lock. We ended up calling a bunch of locksmiths (on a Saturday!) and found one several hundred miles away who offered some advice on what to do. It worked. We took that key and threw it WAY out into the sagebrush.
Never locked out, have several extra keys in different locations.
Have gotten locked in though as dead bolt became uncoupled from the cylinder.
Always make sure to have tools on inside of camper for lock removal.
One choice should be “No, not YET.”
Haven’t done it yet hope this doesn’t jinx me
We attached a small key lock box on the side of our battery box. It contains duplicates, which should limit that issue.
nope but because i believe in always, always having a plan B i have a locked keybox with a set of keys located on the chassis just in case.
My RV was broken into while at a RV dealer for repair. Though the dealer replaced all the stolen items, and even professionally cleaned the interior, we didn’t know the lock was damaged and would soon fail. It did so on our first trip after the break-in. My AAA insurance covered the locksmith, the dealership replaced the lock.
Twice I’ve forgotten to bring the RV key with me when I visited the RV in storage. Now, we have an RV key on every keyring we own, plus I added a combination lock box in the propane bay with an RV key in it.
Embarrassed to admit it. Weren’t locked out. Just the key wouldn’t open the door. It was night, just back from wedding reception. We both tried numerous times. And no, we weren’t under the influence. Lol. We had just picked up motorhome from Newmar after two months of being updated/painted. They put a new seal around the door & it was really tight. Fortunately we were able to get a locksmith out quickly. He tried the key…and it opened. To this day we have no idea why we could not get it to work. Embarrassed to say the least. But glad there really wasn’t an issue. As we were headed home, & rather quickly, we never unhooked tow car the entire 3000 miles so didn’t have to use key again. It works fine now. As an aside, my husband was pretty ill at the time (long story about a bad drug, the legal kind). We shouldn’t have even gone to pick up motorhome & then travel even further to attend wedding. He insisted. Thankfully, after 18 long months, he recovered.
We got locked out when the door lock on our vintage Airstream broke in locked mode. Took creative crawling through a window that luckily was open. Husband is very flexible.
Our class A has a main entry and a driver door (GM). If the locks are set in lock position on either door – when you close the door – it is locked! Very easy to do when alone and refueling – exiting out the driver door which can be opened from the inside when the lock button is down! Happened only once at home. Called Good Sam road assist and within the hour the locksmith was there and I had 6 new keys as well! (Also a hidden set outside!)
We keep a key in a storage bag taped outside. Lesson learned about double checking the door and key before shutting the door.
I answered yes, but technically I was locked in. Got to the campground, went to open the door and heard a “SNAP!” – that little flat actuator pin the retracts the bolt broke in two. The Ranger and my site neighbors gave me weird looks when they saw my backside coming out the passenger window, but I got my tools (and learned to keep a screwdriver set INSIDE) and set up my stepladder so I could crawl back in and took the lock apart. Eventually figured out the problem, realized it needed a new lock and ordered it. Two weeks later, we were back to going in and out like normal, respectable folks. Luckily haven’t had an issue since then.
Technically we were locked in. The deadbolt lever jammed and my husband ended up going out the emergency window. This was on our 1st trip with our class A (used). 2 lessons learned: always have vise grips or other tools INSIDE, and know what something is BEFORE you turn or push it!!! Yes, we were newbies
I was locked out once because I had lost all my keys while at a seminar. Several people helped me look for them but we never found them. A locksmith came to the rescue and I had him duplicate all my keys. I keep a complete set on my key ring at all times. I also keep the emergency plastic card key in my purse. I’ve had to use it once.
Our original lockset failed after a long weekend camping. Fortunately the failure occurred in the driveway and the roadside help was booked out for 3 days. The roadside company sent a mindless knuckle dragging person who destroyed our lockset with a drill and hammer that he was ready to use on the window. We dismissed this mistake and thank goodness the local RV dealer sent a tech over to our driveway to rescue us. Warranty replaced the defective lock set but I replaced with RV Lock set
Many, many years ago we did that in our travel trailer. I lifted our nephew, about 4 years old at the time, through a window to unlock the door. Had a spare key in the truck after that.
The keypad malfunctioned. Fortunately the keypad has a key as an alternate unlock and we had the spare key in a secure outside location. Repaired the keypad and all has been fine ever since.
Spare keys in truck, also the trailer hitch safe since we have a 5er. So we have hopefully eliminated that issue. So far so good.
Not my RV, but my car, twice. Once in Sequoia NP and once in Yosemite NP.
Yep! Motorhome + separation anxiety suffering dog = door locked! Took a kind hearted bystander who VERY easily unlocked our MH’s passenger door (suspected car thief? LOL) because everything we needed to call AAA was locked inside the MH with our dog! Never left the dog alone in the MH again!