Frozen Lock In The Car Door - How To Open It, Including After Washing

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

The doors and the car lock are frozen: what to do with them

One of the most common problems that motorists face in winter is the freezing of the lock and door. The most annoying thing is that this usually happens at the most inopportune moment, when you need to urgently go, but you can't get inside the car.

Why do doors and locks in car doors freeze in winter

In winter, car owners face various problems that arise due to severe frosts. One of them is freezing of car locks and doors. This problem is especially relevant when the car spends the night in an open parking lot or in an unheated garage.

The main reason why locks and doors freeze in a car is the ingress of moisture inside the locks and on the seals, after which it blocks the mechanism and it is impossible to open the doors. Moisture penetrates the lock and door seals for the following reasons:

• after washing the car, it was not dried or it was done poorly;
• due to the fact that the temperature is different on the street and in the cabin, condensation forms;
• after the thaw there was a sharp drop in temperature;
• when the door is opened, snow gets on the seals, which then melts and later freezes.

How to quickly solve the problem

If the lock is frozen or it is impossible to open the car door, do not immediately panic. Many motorists face such a problem, but there are several effective ways that you can quickly defrost the lock. You can fix this problem in the following simple and effective ways:

1. Liquid key. In stores there are special liquids with which the lock is quickly defrosted. The problem is that they are not always at hand.

   

   Liquid key allows you to quickly defrost the lock

2. Fire. If the frost is low, then you can use matches or a lighter to slightly heat the key. After that, it is inserted into the keyhole and the ice will melt quickly.

   

   The heated key helps to defrost the car lock

3. Alcohol. It is better to use pure alcohol, but in extreme cases, alcohol-containing liquids are also suitable: cologne, glass washer, and others. With a syringe, alcohol is poured into the keyhole, and it quickly melts the ice.

   

   Alcohol or alcohol-containing liquids are poured into the keyhole
4. Heating pad or hot water bottle. If a problem occurs near the house, then it is enough to attach heat to the keyhole, for example, a heating pad or a bottle of hot water. Do not pour water into the keyhole. Since it can damage the electrical wiring in the door, and also contributes to premature corrosion.

5. Warm air. With a slight frost, you can insert a cocktail tube into the well and breathe. Warm air will defrost the ice, but in severe frost, this method will be ineffective. After that, be sure to use a moisture-repellent lubricant. If possible, you can use a hairdryer.

   

   By directing a stream of warm air to the lock, you can quickly defrost it

6. Kerosene based products. Means for loosening nuts and bolts are often used. These are usually WD-40 or similar fluids. They help to quickly cope with the problem, but they attract moisture and the next time the problem will be even worse. After using such a liquid, it is imperative to use a water-repellent agent.

   

   Kerosene-based products help to quickly defrost the lock, but after them you need to use water repellents

7. Traffic fumes. This is an effective way, but there must be a working car nearby. A hose of the appropriate diameter is put on the exhaust pipe, and the other end is directed to the frozen lock. The warm exhaust fumes help to heat the ice quickly.
8. Silicone Grease. This option is used for door seals. The presence of such a lubricant on them does not allow moisture to accumulate, and it does not freeze. If the problem is not in the lock, but in the frozen seals, then in order not to break them, you must not pull the door towards you, but push it inward. This will break the ice, and then easily open the doors without breaking the seals.
9. Warm garage. If you managed to open one door, then just drive into a warm garage, and already there all the locks and seals will quickly melt.

If you cannot open the driver's door lock, you can try opening the passenger door. After the interior heater starts working, the frozen locks and seals will melt.

Video: how to quickly open a frozen castle

How to avoid freezing of car locks and doors

In order not to face such a problem, you must adhere to the following rules:

• wipe the door seals dry after washing the car;

• the washer must use compressed air to dry the locks, the gas tank hatch and other problem areas in order to completely remove moisture;

  

  After washing the car, it is necessary to dry everything well, especially the locks and door seals

• cover the seals with silicone grease;

  

  Silicone grease prevents moisture build-up on seals

• periodically it is necessary to treat the locks with moisture-repellent agents;

• before leaving the car in the parking lot, you need to open the doors for a while so that excess moisture leaves the passenger compartment;

  

  Before long-term parking, you need to open the doors for a while so that excess moisture leaves the cabin

• if the problem occurs often, you need to dry the car well in a warm garage;
• when parking a car, it is necessary to remove all snow from the top and bottom of the doors so that the seals do not freeze.

Compliance with these simple rules will help protect the locks and door seals from freezing.

Video: what to do to keep the locks from freezing

When the lock freezes, do not try to turn the key forcibly. Everything must be done carefully. Processing locks and door seals with special means, as well as carrying out other preventive measures, will save you from this problem. Even in the most severe frosts, you can easily get inside the car. How do you solve this problem?