What Is the Patrol Car Key in ARC Raiders?
The patrol car key is a scavenged item that opens the locked rear doors of armored patrol cars found on the Blue Gate and Riven Tides maps. Unlike standard vehicles you can breach with brute force, these armored cars stay sealed until a key unlocks them, which is exactly why they hold better loot than the average car wreck.
It weighs 0.25kg and carries a base value of 100 Raider Coins, making it worth grabbing even if you don’t immediately find a matching car to use it on. It also plays a direct role in the Armored Transports quest line, one of the later objectives handed out by the vendor Tian Wen back at Speranza.
Both the quest-specific version and general scavenged copies function identically once you’re standing in front of a locked armored car.
Full Item Reference Table: Patrol Car Key
Here’s a complete breakdown of the item’s core stats and function, pulled from the ARC Raiders wiki and in-game data.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Item type | Key |
| Stack size | 0 (does not stack) |
| Weight | 0.25kg |
| Base value | 100 Raider Coins |
| Maps it works on | Blue Gate, Riven Tides |
| Opens | Armored patrol car rear doors |
| Related quest | Armored Transports (Tian Wen) |
| Primary spawn area | Checkpoint POI, Blue Gate |
| Guaranteed source | Armored Transports quest reward |
| Storage recommendation | Safe Pocket, to prevent loss on death |
Keep this table on hand as a fast reference if you’re juggling multiple scavenged keys across different runs.
Where to Find the Patrol Car Key on Blue Gate
The most reliable spawn location sits inside the Checkpoint POI at the center of the Blue Gate map. This area is genuinely dangerous, frequently patrolled by Bastions, Rocketeers, Wasps, Hornets, and Bombardiers, so approach with a full loadout rather than a light scavenging run.
Search the Guard Post booths lining the Checkpoint area specifically, since it commonly drops from yellow folders sitting on desks inside these small structures. Multiple guard shacks exist in this zone, so if one comes up empty, check the neighboring booths before giving up on the area entirely.
A secondary location worth checking is the Research and Administration building in the middle of the Dam Battlegrounds, where containers scattered across every floor occasionally hold one.
Guaranteed Way to Get the Patrol Car Key
If scavenging feels too unreliable, completing the Armored Transports quest guarantees you one as a direct reward. This quest specifically sends you to the Checkpoint area to track one down as your first objective, meaning the quest itself effectively hands you a copy once you locate it.
This guaranteed method only works once per account, so treat it as your safety net rather than your primary farming strategy if you need multiple across several raids. Once used for the quest, you’ll need to return to scavenging Checkpoint booths or the Dam Battlegrounds building for any additional copies.
Picking up the Armored Transports quest from Tian Wen before heading out ensures you’re working toward both the key and a completed quest objective in the same trip.
Where to Use the Patrol Car Key
Once you’ve secured one, the armored patrol cars themselves are found in the Traffic Tunnel, an underground freeway area accessible past the Outer Gates on Blue Gate. This tunnel runs beneath the upper portion of the map, connecting to the Maintenance and Security Wings.
Roughly eight armored patrol cars sit within this tunnel area, though not every one of them contains lootable loot on a given raid. Cars with usable loot typically show a light shining above their back door, which makes them easy to spot without checking every single vehicle individually. Which specific cars are active resets randomly each time you enter the map, so scouting the full tunnel is worth the extra time.
Approach the rear door of an active car and use your key to unlock it, revealing a weapons case with a chance at rare weapons and modifications inside.
Full Spawn and Use Location Table
Comparing spawn points against where you’ll actually use the key helps you plan a more efficient route through Blue Gate. The table below lays out both sides of the equation.
| Location Type | Location Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Key spawn | Checkpoint Guard Posts | Search yellow folders on desks |
| Key spawn | Research and Administration Building | Dam Battlegrounds, check all floors |
| Key spawn (guaranteed) | Armored Transports quest reward | One-time only |
| Key use location | Traffic Tunnel | Past the Outer Gates, underground |
| Key use location | Headhouse area | Near the Warehouse complex, Blue Gate |
Planning your route around both columns saves backtracking across a dangerous section of the map.
Enemies and Hazards Near the Patrol Car Key Spawn
The Checkpoint area where most patrol car keys spawn is one of the more heavily defended zones on Blue Gate. Expect to encounter Wasps, Hornets, and Bombardiers patrolling the surface area around the guard booths, with a Bastion often stationed nearby as well.
Bringing at least two Noisemakers before heading into this area gives you a reliable way to distract ARC enemies away from the Outer Gates entrance, clearing a path toward the Traffic Tunnel once you’ve secured your key. Throwing a Noisemaker at a distance pulls patrolling enemies away from your intended route, buying you a window to move through unnoticed.
Inside the tunnel itself, watch for Fireballs and Pop Rollers roaming between the parked cars, along with occasional Bastion encounters near the deeper sections closer to the Maintenance Wing.
Step-by-Step: Completing the Armored Transports Quest
Following a clear sequence keeps this quest efficient even in a hostile zone. Here’s the general order that works reliably.
- Pick up the Armored Transports quest from Tian Wen at Speranza before heading to Blue Gate
- Bring at least two Noisemakers and a solid loadout, since the Checkpoint area is heavily contested
- Search the Guard Post booths at Checkpoint for the quest-specific key
- Store the key in your Safe Pocket immediately to avoid losing it if you’re eliminated
- Use a Noisemaker to distract enemies near the Outer Gates, then push through to the Traffic Tunnel
- Locate an armored car with a closed back door and use your key to open it
- Loot the Weapons Case inside for a chance at rare weapons like the Osprey
- Extract from Blue Gate and return to Tian Wen at Speranza to turn in the quest
You don’t need to complete every step in a single raid. Extracting with the key still in your Safe Pocket lets you finish the objective on a later run.
What Rewards Come From the Patrol Car Key and Armored Transports Quest
Completing the full quest chain nets more than just the loot inside the armored car itself. Turning in Armored Transports to Tian Wen rewards experience points, an unlock for the Blue Yellow color variant of the Aviator Outfit, three Smoke Grenades, and three Defibrillators.
The Weapons Case found inside the armored patrol car adds a separate layer of value, since it can contain rare weapons and modifications on top of the quest’s fixed rewards. This combination of guaranteed quest rewards and randomized weapon loot makes the objective worth prioritizing even outside of a completionist run.
Save any particularly strong weapon pulls for a dedicated extraction run, since losing a rare find to an unrelated death defeats the purpose of hunting it down in the first place.
Tips for Farming the Patrol Car Key Efficiently
A few habits speed up repeat runs if you’re after multiple armored cars across several raids. These apply whether you’re farming for weapons or simply clearing the Checkpoint area for loot.
- Check every Guard Post booth in the Checkpoint area rather than stopping after the first one comes up empty
- Keep the Dam Battlegrounds Research and Administration building on your route as a backup key source
- Store any found key in your Safe Pocket the moment you pick it up
- Scout the full Traffic Tunnel for lit cars before committing to opening the nearest one
- Extract through the Overlook or Cliffside Airshaft after looting to minimize travel time back to Speranza
Treating the Checkpoint and Traffic Tunnel as a single connected loop, rather than two separate objectives, makes each raid more efficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find the patrol car key in ARC Raiders?
Short answer: The most reliable spawn point is the Guard Post booths in the Checkpoint POI on Blue Gate, with a secondary chance in the Research and Administrationing atthe Dam Battlegrounds.
Search yellow folders on desks inside the guard booths specifically, since that’s where the key most commonly drops. Completing the Armored Transports quest also guarantees one copy, though that method only works once per account.
What does the patrol car key open in ARC Raiders?
Short answer: It opens the rear doors of armored patrol cars found in the Traffic Tunnel area on Blue Gate, as well as similar vehicles on Riven Tides.
These armored cars stay locked unless you have the key, unlike standard cars that can be breached with force. Successfully opened cars reveal a Weapons Case with a chance at rare weapons and modifications inside.
Is the patrol car key guaranteed from a quest?
Short answer: Yes, completing the Armored Transports quest from Tian Wen guarantees one patrol car key as a direct reward, though this only applies once per account.
For additional keys beyond the guaranteed one, you’ll need to scavenge the Checkpoint Guard Posts or the Dam Battlegrounds building on repeat raids. The quest reward is best treated as a reliable first key rather than a repeatable farming method.
How dangerous is the area where the patrol car key spawns?
Short answer: The Checkpoint POI is one of the more heavily defended zones on Blue Gate, with Wasps, Hornets, Bombardiers, and often a Bastion patrolling nearby.
Bringing at least two Noisemakers before entering helps distract enemies and clear a safer path toward the Outer Gates and Traffic Tunnel. A solid loadout and shield are strongly recommended given the density of ARC enemies in this zone.
Do all armored patrol cars have loot inside?
Short answer: No, only some of the roughly eight armored patrol cars in the Traffic Tunnel contain lootable items on any given raid, and this resets randomly each time you enter the map.
Cars with active loot typically show a light shining above the back door, making them easier to identify without checking every vehicle individually. Scouting the full tunnel before opening the first car you find saves wasted time.
What happens if I lose my patrol car key before using it?
Short answer: You’ll need to find another one, either by scavenging the Checkpoint or Dam Battlegrounds locations again, since keys generally don’t stack and can be lost on death if not stored properly.
Storing any found key in your Safe Pocket immediately after picking it up protects it from being lost if you’re eliminated during the same raid. This is especially important since the guaranteed quest reward only applies once per account.
About This Guide
This guide was compiled using the official ARC Raiders wiki, verified gaming publication walkthroughs, and direct in-game observation, cross-checked for accuracy before publication. ARC Raiders continues to receive updates, so exact spawn locations and quest details may shift over time.
Sources referenced:
- ARC Raiders Wiki, Official Patrol Car Key Entry
- GameSpot, ARC Raiders Armored Transports Quest Guide
- Destructoid, Patrol Car Key Location in ARC Raiders
- TheGamer, ARC Raiders Armored Transports Location Guide
Ready to gear up and head to Blue Gate? Grab your Noisemakers, check the Checkpoint Guard Posts first, and head into the Traffic Tunnel with your patrol car key ready to go
