My doors freeze shut, so do my locks, and my hatch. So what can I do to prevent this? I was thinking spraying WD-40 or Pam.

Thanks,

Matt

 

they make something that you can get at any auto store or walmart,think its called de-icer

you can also try some rubbing acohol

 

De-icer, i shoulda remebered that. My finals have fried my brain....

Thanks,

Matt

 

Use the lock de-icer for the door locks. Then just pull really hard on everything else.

 

And when they do open, get a spraycan of silicone lubricant and a rag, and coat all the contact surfaces between the weatherstripping and the body.

Pete

 

Rubbing alcohol works well, you'll just have to get a spray bottle for it. It's a lot cheaper than the de-icer stuff. Works great on frosted windshields too...

 

In the winter, I always keep a rag in the car and wipe down the door rubber if it's wet (after washing it or driving in snow). If your weatherstripping is really wet when you park it in the cold, it will freeze to the door jamb & when you pull hard on your door to open it like Bandit5 suggested, it can rip the weatherstripping off. It can also break the cheap pot-metal door handles.

 

Thanks for all the ideas everyone!!

I already broke an interior handle last winter, i dont want to break another.

Matt

 

vaseline on the rubber helps too

 

I use fuel for Nitro RC cars... That probably sounds really odd, but its got alot of alcohol in it to unlock it, and if its going into the lock (like when my key would not turn because the lock was frozen) its a REALLY good thing to use because the little bit of oil in it also keeps water away later.

BTW, my locks haven't frozen since Oct. 2002 because of this stuff

It isn't really what I would call cheap, because its about $20 (canadian) for a quart, but you can get it at any good local hobby shop.

It comes in 20% nitro and 30% nitro... I used 20%.

 

was that a joke?


seriously, use something that displaces water, i.e. wd-40

 

no, vaseline displaces water it's petroleum based it also stays on the seals better than wd-40

 

this is very true

 

Yep, I use vaseline on my seals as well (not that they seal much in the first place), they need all the help they can get... I need new ones...

 

One of the many great uses for vasoline, hhhhmmm vasoline, is awesome..... use on your cars, use it on your cuts, use it on your :lala: n***s :lala:

 

I read on another forum that vaseline or any petroleum product can damage weather stripping. Has anyone else heard this? I've also heard that white lithium grease is the best to use if applied with a rag. I tried it a couple years ago and it worked, but it didn't last long. A couple weeks at most.

 

armor-all is a petroleum product and it should not be used on rubber....aka tires, or weatherstripping.

 

Armor-All is mostly alcohol too isn't it. Both ingredients in one product, not good for the rubbers.

 

Just don't get angy and end up kicking the door to loosen it! (My foot slipped and I broke off the exterior handle.)

Metals don't like cold!

 

Thanks for the replies.

But what should I use?

Thanks,

Matt

 

Liquid wrench would work too.

 

I was being silly vaseline, rubber. ky,condom.

 

I have put a thin coat of Vaseline for YEARS around every November when it starts to get very cold out.

I put it on the weather striping for the rear hatch, and UNDER the doors. First time I did it I put it on the TOP and Side weather stripping where the window touches and it coated greasy Vaseline all over the side of the window so I learned my lesson there.

I have had absolutely no weather stripping problems.