Steming from a very colorful thread in the Pit about how much I hate it when the doors on my car freeze and can not be opened. I was wondering what is the best way to Unfreeze the Door so I can get in. I tried a kettle of boiling water this morning with horrible results…
What gives him the right to do that? Well, he was stabbed in the butt, you know…
Is the whole door frozen shut, or just the lock? Locks can be unfrozen in a variety of innovative ways (stick a coat-hanger into it, then heat the coat hanger with a lighter…). Most of which only do a moderate amount of damage to your lock.
Doors, however, are a little trickier. Hate to ask the obvious question, but have you tried both doors?
Have you tried cool to luke warm water…works wonders for me, without the problems of boiling water
I have an SUV and all the doors were frozen shut. Except the hatch in the back, which is how I got in.
Some of the doors locking mechanisms were frozen solid. Others the door was frozen to the frame. I currently have a car sitting out in the parking lot with a door minus some of the weather stripping… It’s going to coast me an arm and a leg for that…
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- I just use hot water out of a coffee machine or hot tap water, poured slowly over the lock face plate. If your locks are dry-lubed properly they are far more resistant to freezing up.
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- I just use hot water out of a coffee machine or hot tap water, poured slowly over the lock face plate. If your locks are dry-lubed properly they are far more resistant to freezing up.
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Back when I was a kid this used to happen to us all the time – we used hot but nowhere near boiling water poured on the door and it always worked after one to three applications.
–Cliffy
What sort of horrible results does burning water give?
Robb - A crack down my windshield…
[wiseass]
What exactly were you doing with the boiling water to cause it to even touch the windshield?
[/wiseass]
hrh
Body temperature fluids are more effective and less harmful than boiling hot water. One could empty one’s bladder on the lock. Of course, then one would have no recourse if one then proceeded to stick one’s tongue to a lightpole, other than wait for the bladder to fill again.
Back in High School & college (near Buffalo, no less) when I was driving beater cars, I used to Kick the doors when they were frozen- usually worked.
Try a little preventative measure, Phlosphr. Spray some WD40 or other light lubricant on a rag and wipe the weather stripping every month or two.
The doors on my old car always froze real easy.
I just hung a blanket over the drivers door, tucking it into the top of the door before slamming it shut.
Come the frozen morning, all the ice is on the blanket and you can open the door.
Worked for me in the UK at temps down to -5 C or so (not sure what that is in fahrenheit, about 20 I think.
Also used hot water, which eventually melts the locks after a few applications, never had the windows crack though.
You can piss on your tongue?
Get an aerosol can of (windshield) de-icer. It will melt the ice, is much more convenient than hauling water to the car, and won’t hurt anything. The same stuff is sold in little bitty containers with a nozzle and labeled lock deicer, but the big can will also work on the locks, if a bit more sloppily.
To prevent the door seals from sticking to the frame, get a can of spray silicone and apply it liberally to the weatherstripping.
I’m a big fan of the ole’ Zippo to the lock face and/or key
You can’t?
I thought the idea of the piss was to free OTHER people from metal poles.
I suggest taking proactive steps to prevent this occurrence. One of the best is moving to Arizona.
