Did you know that your car has multiple hidden functions that "90% of people don't know about"? Well, it turns out one of them is being able to access a secret key which will help you in an emergency.
This will be news to many people, but the more you know about the safety features of your car, the faster you'll be able to act when you need them.
Cong, who posts as @conggeshuoche on TikTok, shared some "how to's" when it comes to your motor - and the main one showed a "hidden mechanical key" that can be removed from your fob if your fob isn't working.
He explains: "Insert it into this little hole under the doorknob, pry lightly", and then the handle will come off to reveal a keyhole which you can open the door from.
In the comments, people wrote: "Thanks, that helped", and "Wow", with some asking whether all cars are the same.
Expert Hugo Griffiths, consumer editor at Carwow, wanted to shed some light on the hack, warning people to always check their handbook if they're not sure so you don't ruin your car in pursuit of something that it doesn't actually offer.
Hugo said: "I love viral content like this: it shares esoteric knowledge that can come in really handy in an emergency - but there are some caveats to bear in mind.
"First, while it's true that almost every car with remote keyless locking will have a physical emergency key, how you access both this and the keyhole in the car will vary from vehicle to vehicle; it's also important to be careful not to scratch the car's bodywork when inserting the key or removing any cover there might be."
Another handy hack that the TikTok video showed was if you're car fob is out of battery, stick it to the induction area, and you'll be able to start your car.
Meanwhile, the social media user also gave advice on removing the "dust jacket" from the gear stick to find a hidden yellow button that will allow you to "shift gears in an emergency without stepping on the brakes."
The final hack the video showed was being able to exit from a car boot with ease, showing that the back seats can be moved into a downward position so you can let yourself out of the back.
Responding to these hacks, Hugo said: "The induction area for flat key batteries is straight-up good advice; this zone will almost certainly be on the steering column; a quick look in your car's handbook or online search using your car's make and model will locate it if it's not.
"It's easy to damage interior trim when doing this, and the access to the override may not even require removal of the gaiter: there might be a dedicated tab to remove around the gearbox, or the switch may even be in the engine bay.
"Plus if there's a serious issue with the gearbox or engine, you could cause further damage if you force the gear lever, even if using the override."
He continued: "As for getting out of a locked car through the boot, well, first, you'll have to not be in a saloon with fixed rear seats, and also bear in mind that while US cars with enclosed trunks must by law have an illuminated emergency release handle due to kidnapping fears, there's no such mandate in the UK.
"Your car might have an emergency internal boot release, but this may be designed more for mechanical failure rather than a personal emergency, and could require a screwdriver or other tools to access it."
Overall, Hugo said that whether these hacks work or not is "very model-specific" so the best advice he can give is "to keep your car's handbook in the car at all times and be sure to consult this before attempting any of the hacks shown in videos like this."
Have you ever tried any of these hacks? Let us know in the comments.
