There are times in life when you get hit with a bunch of seemingly never-ending problems with one compounding into the next. If you have ever lost your car keys, you know how frustrating it can be.
Now, what if someone told you that there is something much worse than losing your car keys? Well losing your RV keys can be quite frustrating.
Imagine this scenario for a moment, you are on holiday with the family and you have lost your Jayco RV keys.
You are not only locked out of your lodging, but you are also stuck in one place with your family outside. Also, you are separated from your belongings. This can be a massive nightmare.
While everyone would like to think something like this cannot happen to them, the truth is it does not take much to lose your keys, and you don’t even have to lose your keys some times.
You could easily become distracted by something and lock your keys in your RV with no hope of getting into it. This article aims to show you how you can get replacement keys for your Jayco RV.
So, how do you get Jayco replacement keys? In an emergency, roadside assistance can help. Otherwise, your first port of call should be the Jayco dealership. Failing that, contacting Jayco directly has been known to work. If none of these two options work then you might be required to replace the locks.
Where to get your Jayco replacement keys
RV Roadside Assistance Services
This process involves you subscribing to an RV roadside assistance service in the first place. If you have a plan that covers key replacement, all you have to do is call up your provider for help and they will have someone come to you with a new set of keys.
The amount of time it takes typically depends on what Jayco model you have and if your roadside assistance service has your model’s key onboard.
Nearest Jayco Dealership
This is perhaps the most time-consuming way to get replacements for your Jayco RV in the short-term. You would have to find a way to get to the nearest dealership, show proof that you own the RV in question, and then purchase a set of replacement keys.
While this might seem like the most reliable option to get your replacement keys, you would have to hope that the RV dealership you go to has your model in stock, else you could be out of luck.
Calling the manufacturer directly
This process involves you putting a call to Jayco directly to get a set of replacement keys. This will take a while as the keys would have to be shipped to you, so you will have to not only secure your RV but also find lodging while you wait for your keys to get to you.
Local repair shop
This option is most likely the most expensive one to you. While using a repair shop near you means that you can get back to your vacation as quickly as possible, it does mean that it could cost more, given that most repair shops will charge for use of their diagnostic equipment.
One thing to note, however, is that not all garages will have the specialist key equipment on site. This means that while they might be able to assess the recommended key, the actual key making would have to be done by a third party. This can add to the wait time.
Tips to help you avoid losing your keys
It is pretty clear that you will do everything possible to ensure that you do not encounter a situation where you have to get replacement keys. Nevertheless, life does tend to happen but you can take steps to mitigate this.
The list below contains things you can do to help you prevent a lockout or lessen the chance that you lose your keys.
Try not to separate your keys
This might sound counterintuitive given that you are concerned about losing your keys but this is a great strategy. For one, RVs are extremely unique given that they are both car and house in one.
You have numerous keys to consider with an RV, there are individual keys for doors, the hitch, ignition and more. That is quite a lot of keys to track.
It might seem easy to separate the keys, putting similar keys on one ring, you could be raising the chances of you mixing up your keys and potentially locking yourself out of your RV.
Don’t try to pry the locks
If you have your ignition keys, but your door keys are locked in the RV, you might think all you have to do is just break into the RV. This is the wrong move to make.
When you do this, you cause damage to the door and this could cause more headaches and expenses. Additionally, driving with a faulty door is extremely dangerous and it can leave you exposed to supplementary threats such as theft or loss.
Avoid calling a locksmith
Calling a locksmith is perhaps the first thing that people think of when they end up in a situation like this. So it can be quite strange to find out that this is the wrong thing to do.
One of the reasons why you should not call a locksmith is the fact that lockouts tend to be more expensive. Locksmiths are very expensive and this expense could only grow if they have to address more than just one lock.
The fees they charge also tend to vary on what time of the day they are called. If you call a locksmith in the dead of night, you either have to wait till morning before they attend to you or you will have to pay a premium to have them come out to you at once.
And when you add the fact that you could be far away from civilisation on a remote road, the cost could be staggering.
Give spare keys to your travel companions or family members
Given that the bulk of RV lockouts tend to happen while you are on the road, it makes perfect sense to create spares and give them to your family members.
The issue with this is, however, getting spares can be quite costly, especially if you get it directly from your manufacturer. What you want to do is to get an RV key maker to create spares for you at the fraction of the cost that a dealership or manufacturer might charge you.
When you have your spares, you simply provide your fellow travellers with the spare door keys and leave a spare ignition key somewhere in the cab.
This ensures that if you do lose your keys or lock yourself out, someone always has a door key and you can still access the spare ignition key in the cab, ensuring that you are never stranded.
Conclusion
Getting locked out of your RV or losing your keys can be quite frustrating, especially if it happens in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully, there are numerous ways you can get replacement keys and get back to your vacation.
If there is one thing to remember, a locksmith should be the last port of call, when all else fails. This is because it can end up costing you more than you initially planned. Take steps to have replacement keys on hand ensuring that you are never stranded.
