Frozen Door/Locks
12-17-07, 08:06 PM
#1
Frozen Door/Locks
Winter has hit me (Pittsburgh, Pa) and I've had two instances of my doors freezing shut. I'm not sure if it's the locks or the door itself. I applied some WD40 to them once I got home today, but has anyone else had similar problems and how did you remedy them?
12-17-07, 08:28 PM
#3
hahaha, I'm in North Georgia and it hasn't been too cold here. But I washed the car around 5pm on 2 seperate occasions and the next morning at 8 when I went to warm the car up, the doors and hatch were frozen shut. My remedy may be stupid to some, but it works quick. I get 2 cups of slightly warm water and pour a little into the key hole and some around the top of the door at the crack. Then try the key. Once it unlocks the door, just pull and keep adding water until it un-budges. Just my own personal experience...
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12-18-07, 07:26 AM
#9
There are several lubricants made just for door locks, generally graphite based, IIRC.
A locksmith should be able to help you out.
As for the doors themselves...warm up some Vaseline (not to the point of liquidity but so it's very loose) and rub down all the doorseals- both chassis and on the door itself. While you're at it, do the hatch seal too.*
Neither of these will help if water has frozen in the doorgaps but that's usually not the case.
*BTW...Petroleum jelly- the generic, non scented stuff, available dirt cheap at drug stores- works wonders on all your interior vinyl trim...including the dash.
Leave your car in the sun to warm up the interior, then slather the jelly on.
Let it sit for a while (overnight) and then buff off anything left (there won't be much, if anything) with a clean towel.
This will restore the natural gloss and help prevent cracking and doesn't leave a greasy residue like you might expect. If the panel looks uneven, repeat.
Looks great without that artificial shine that ArmorAll and it's ilk leave.
A locksmith should be able to help you out.
As for the doors themselves...warm up some Vaseline (not to the point of liquidity but so it's very loose) and rub down all the doorseals- both chassis and on the door itself. While you're at it, do the hatch seal too.*
Neither of these will help if water has frozen in the doorgaps but that's usually not the case.
*BTW...Petroleum jelly- the generic, non scented stuff, available dirt cheap at drug stores- works wonders on all your interior vinyl trim...including the dash.
Leave your car in the sun to warm up the interior, then slather the jelly on.
Let it sit for a while (overnight) and then buff off anything left (there won't be much, if anything) with a clean towel.
This will restore the natural gloss and help prevent cracking and doesn't leave a greasy residue like you might expect. If the panel looks uneven, repeat.
Looks great without that artificial shine that ArmorAll and it's ilk leave.
12-18-07, 10:53 AM
#10
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lock de-icer for keyhole or get some sray silicone works great --- wd-40 will just cause more freezing later and eats paint/rubber insides on occasion, hot water in an emergency but obviously just fills everythiing with more water freezing later...the vaseline around seals idea works great too...like mentioned the key will twist break easily on rexes so be careful (and make a spare key in case)
in an emergency try this but stand back a bit farther ... hahaha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZloEik_HsK0
in an emergency try this but stand back a bit farther ... hahaha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZloEik_HsK0
12-18-07, 11:08 AM
#11
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2 WORDS SILICONE LUBE!!!!!
works awesome on all rubber...lubricates it and guaranteed you put a good coat on at the beginning of winter to all the rubber on your doors and winwos and they won't freeze shut all winter
works awesome on all rubber...lubricates it and guaranteed you put a good coat on at the beginning of winter to all the rubber on your doors and winwos and they won't freeze shut all winter
12-18-07, 12:25 PM
#13
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Haha, I did something like that with my Topaz back in the day. Broke the mold holding the bars together that let me open the door with the handle....needless to say, I needed to use the passenger door for a while to get in my car :p
12-22-07, 09:12 PM
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My drivers side door lock is already messed up because someone tried to break in with a different key (im presuming). I parked my car infront of my friends house a couple of nights out and had him drive because gas is a bitch and im trying to conserve it. When we got back the locks where frozen shut. I go over to the passenger side door, do the lighter trick on my key and stick it in the lock. As soon as I start turning it, the factory alarm goes crazy. I jump in and put the key in the ignition to try and turn it off (I thought this is how you are supposed to do it). Nothing happened. I tried different things and nothing worked so I just got out and disconnected the battery, reconnected and started the car like normal. What could have caused the alarm to go off? does anyone else have a factory alarm and how do you deactivate it? Thanks.
12-22-07, 09:40 PM
#19
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I tried the hot water method the other day ... Works 10 times better than that de-icer ****. Hot water worked instantly, as opposed to squirting in the de-icer and waiting like 5 minutes.
12-22-07, 10:35 PM
#20
My drivers side door lock is already messed up because someone tried to break in with a different key (im presuming). I parked my car infront of my friends house a couple of nights out and had him drive because gas is a bitch and im trying to conserve it. When we got back the locks where frozen shut. I go over to the passenger side door, do the lighter trick on my key and stick it in the lock. As soon as I start turning it, the factory alarm goes crazy. I jump in and put the key in the ignition to try and turn it off (I thought this is how you are supposed to do it). Nothing happened. I tried different things and nothing worked so I just got out and disconnected the battery, reconnected and started the car like normal. What could have caused the alarm to go off? does anyone else have a factory alarm and how do you deactivate it? Thanks.
12-23-07, 09:55 AM
#22
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