Frozen locks or doors are not such a rare problem in the life of an ordinary Russian motorist. After all, severe frosts and difficult weather tests lead to freezing of doors and locks. However, with all the complexities of such a situation, one should not succumb to worries and worries - it is enough to take into account the recommendations of specialists in order to choose the safest and most effective means for a quick solution to the problem.

Frozen locks or doors - comparison of effective solutions from experts

Many motorists can say with confidence that in the winter before leaving, first of all, you need to warm up the engine. But practice says something completely different - engine warming up in winter often fades into the background. After all, first the motorist still needs to get into his car. This problem is especially relevant in conditions typical for our country of severe frosts, when the lock and car doors can freeze.

Calls or doors are frozen - do not give in to unnecessary worries

We often heard from different motorists that if the locks and doors are frozen, the situation does not present any problem. The problem is solved extremely quickly and easily. But in reality, such a "theory" does not work - you need to show diligence and knowledge to get inside the car itself. For the desired result, when the locks in the car are frozen, it is necessary to take into account the advice of specialists. Only under this condition can you be sure of opening the car doors without negative consequences for its reliability and beauty.

If the doors in the car are frozen - how not to act

For example, many, when opening a car lock, decide to fill it with a special liquid - it is widely known as "anti-freeze". She has gained wide popularity among drivers. This recognition can be easily explained given the fail-safe effect. Just a few minutes are enough to get rid of the problem and find yourself in the cabin of your car.

However, few people want to think about the possible consequences of using such a "non-freeze". Since it contains isopropyl alcohol in its composition, which can interfere with the functioning of the door lock. The consequences of such measures can be sad - up to the complete breakdown of the castle. Hardly anyone will be pleased with the prospect of additional costs for the purchase of a new lock and its replacement.

Why do different products pose a threat to frozen doors?

Also, the use of formulations, in which kerosene is the main active ingredient, is becoming a fairly effective means in combating freezing of locks. However, such a tool is not inferior to "anti-freeze" not only in terms of effectiveness, but also in terms of harmful effects on the lock. It is possible to "unfreeze" the lock rather quickly, but nevertheless then these means can themselves provoke its freezing.

Effective and safe ways to open frozen car doors

According to experts, the safest way to combat freezing of the castle is to use pure medical alcohol. Under the influence of alcohol, the lock is instantly freed from the existing ice, without negative consequences for the state of the mechanism itself.

But it is worthwhile to understand that not only locks, but also the door itself, can encounter freezing. Sometimes they freeze together, which makes life much harder for motorists. Therefore, to solve the problem here, you also need to take into account certain nuances, which we will talk about in more detail.

Frozen doors are safe remedies

After solving the problem with frozen locks, go directly to the doors. In this case, the main thing to remember is that it will be strictly forbidden to apply excessive force. After all, the consequence of such "excesses" may be a torn off rubber seal on the door - or you can tear off the door handle, but never open it.

If the car door is frozen without opening, try to press it gently several times. Thanks to such simple manipulations, it will be possible to crumble the ice a little under the influence of its strength - opening the car door without much difficulty.

We have reviewed the main ways to successfully combat freezing of car locks and doors. But it is also necessary to consider ways to effectively prevent freezing. It is better to prevent a problem than to urgently deal with it, risking not only your time, but also the condition of the car.

Ways to prevent freezing of car locks and doors

Freezing of the lock is caused by moisture ingress. If you notice the first "symptoms" of freezing of the castle, the car should be placed in a warm box for a couple of hours. Such a simple method will allow you to get rid of the moisture accumulated on the lock - after all, it evaporates quite quickly at temperatures above zero.

Effective ways to prevent freezing of car locks and doors

Also, it does not present serious difficulties and full-fledged prevention of freezing of car doors. It is enough to take care that moisture does not get on the door seals. This problem can usually occur when cleaning the car from snow. Therefore, show your accuracy and attentiveness during this procedure.

If you have not been able to prevent snow from getting inside the machine, while wetting the seals, try to keep the door open until the moisture freezes. A similar approach is preferable when washing the car in the cool season. Moisture freezes, after which you can close the door. The resulting ice will crack and fall off by itself without endangering the lock or car door.

For absolute confidence in the reliability of your actions - when closing, you can press the handle several times, as if opening a frozen door. Note also that this method is great for combating freezing of the car trunk.

And already at this stage, many car owners find that after a cold night the castle is frozen in the car... Some, without thinking twice, enter the salon through the tailgate. But this method is far from always applicable: firstly, the mechanism for opening the trunk itself can be covered with ice, and secondly, even having raised the trunk door, there is no guarantee that things will go further (largely due to the design features of the car), and, finally, this method cannot be called humane. However, there are more humane and reasonable ways out of this situation.

As a rule, locks will not open if moisture freezes in them. To prevent it from getting there, it is necessary to inject the well-known aerosol WD-40 or its analogues into the wells of the locks. It is also useful to open the door trim once and lubricate everything there. The procedure, although painstaking, is one-time and reliable. In the absence of special aerosols, you can resort to the old method: attach a heating pad or a tank filled with hot water to the door. But here it is worth remembering that in the future, the risk of freezing increases significantly, since the vapors that act on the lock will then turn into ice and significantly complicate the opening of the doors the next day.

Aerosol WD-40

Also the answer to the question "What to do if frozen locks in the car? " can be found on numerous car forums, many of whom use silicone spray. Pour it over every lock, door handles from the outside, and then moisten all the rubber around the perimeter of the doors. For the whole car, some half a liter of liquid is enough.

Almost all cars these days are equipped with a central locking system. It is important to know here that most owners make one serious mistake: they prefer to press buttons from a warm apartment rather than using a mechanical opening method. Often the problem is that the battery is dead in the car or the electric lock is covered with ice. With the key, the car can be opened easily.

If you've successfully unlocked frozen locks in your car, there are a number of ways to keep them from freezing. To prevent the occurrence of a problem, treating the sealing gum or the inner surface of the door with a water-repellent lubricant, for example, the same WD-40 or ordinary hydrophobic impregnation for shoes, will help. It is also very important to remember that it is necessary to clean the snow not only from the glass and roof, but also from the doors. Otherwise, the snow can melt in a warmed-up car, and then freeze again and grab the door.

22 october 2017

Car enthusiasts living in the middle lane and northern regions are repeatedly faced with a problem typical of the winter period: after a long parking in the car, the door locks freeze. This nuisance happens at the most inopportune moment, when the car owner needs to go to work or on other urgent matters. Experienced drivers practice several ways to resolve the issue, and prudent ones take measures in advance so that constipation opens in any frost.

Why do doors freeze?

The reason for the phenomenon is quite simple - a certain amount of moisture penetrates into the larvae of the locks. At negative temperatures, water freezes, turns into ice and simultaneously expands in volume, blocking the moving parts of the constipation. Complete freezing occurs in 0.5–5 hours, depending on the strength of the frost outside.

How does moisture get into door locks:

• in the process of washing a car;
• from oncoming and overtaking cars during heavy rain;
• as a result of an unpleasant meteorological phenomenon - "freezing rain", when falling water drops are immediately caught by frost;
• after a long transportation of a full passenger compartment and driving in thick fog.

The air exhaled by people contains water vapor, which settles on cold elements (for example, fogging of glasses). Condensation also forms on constipation parts.

When the castle froze over, it’s not so bad. From exposure to "freezing rain" or after intensive washing, frost often grabs the rubber door seals. It becomes difficult to open it, despite the unlocked locks.

Ways to solve the problem

Having found the frozen car lock, do not rush to take drastic measures. The first thing to do is try to open the passenger side door with the key. If successful, unlocking the rest of the doors from the inside will not be difficult.

What to do in a situation when frozen locks cannot be opened with a key fob or key:

1. The old "old-fashioned" method, which works in light frosts, is to warm up the working part of the key with a lighter and try to turn the larva. If the first attempt was unsuccessful, repeat the operation several times, thus warming up the parts of the lock.
2. Use WD-40 multipurpose aerosol lubricant (preferably room temperature). Blow liquid from the cylinder into the mechanism through the keyhole.
3. The agent that helps at low temperatures is pure medical alcohol. If it is minus 20 ° C outside and warming up the key does not work, find or buy a syringe and a small bottle of ethanol at the pharmacy. The liquid pumped into the larva with a needle will melt the ice and evaporate quickly.
4. If there is an auto parts store nearby, buy a special spray called door defroster. The composition is sold in small bottles with a curly nozzle that fits the keyhole.

Advice. Aerosols purchased for defrosting locks should not be kept in the vehicle. The packages are specially made small for easy carrying in a jacket pocket. A tool locked inside a locked machine becomes useless. As a result, you will have to buy a second bottle, a third, and so on.

After successfully opening the door using any of the above methods, be sure to take steps to prevent re-blocking. The water remaining in the castle should be displaced with the help of an aerosol preparation WD-40, otherwise the larva will freeze again at the next parking lot. The best option is to dry the car in a warm garage.

A few words about how to open doors with a sealant stuck in the cold:

1. First, take the steps outlined above to unlock the constipation. A sure sign of normal operation is locking / opening by a key fob signal.
2. Gently bend the upper right corner of the driver's door using a wooden wedge as a lever. In the presence of WD-40 aerosol, treat the rubber seal around the entire perimeter through the gap in the porch.
3. Open the door using a wooden lever (in extreme cases - with a key). When finished, wipe the seal dry and coat with silicone grease.

If the car is covered with a layer of ice on the outside, you must first release the door. Gently pour hot water (not boiling water!) Over the gaps of the vestibules and start opening. It is not worth breaking off the ice by mechanical means - there is a danger of damaging the paint.

How can you defrost locks?

Often, drivers try to unlock a frozen lock in a car using various means that are unacceptable for use:

• steep boiling water;
• gasoline and other flammable substances;
• non-freezing liquid or glass thawing compound.

Boiling water is capable of causing irreparable harm to the paintwork of a car, which becomes cloudy from a sharp temperature drop. This option does not solve the problem: since hot water is poured into the castles, temporary thawing occurs, and then the larva is again covered with ice. A similar effect is given by various antifreeze compositions containing water - the constipation is thawed for a short time.

Whether gasoline will help solve the problem is unknown. But it is quite capable of damaging some plastic and rubber elements, therefore it is not suitable as a lifesaver.

Preventive action

To prevent the lock and door sealing rubber from freezing due to moisture penetration, follow these instructions:

1. At the end of the car wash, open the doors and let the mechanisms dry. Blow out the larvae with multi-purpose spray lubricant or spray that expels water that has entered.
2. Wipe the door seals with a cloth and treat with any silicone compound. These greases are neutral towards rubber.
3. A car caught in the "freezing rain" must first be thawed in a warm parking lot or garage. Then carry out the operations to remove moisture and treat the seals.
4. After opening the door, lubricate the locking mechanism with a water-repellent silicone grease.

In the absence of a warm garage, the ends of the doors and openings will have to be rinsed with warm water, wiped dry and applied with silicone. Pump the aerosol into the castle and take it with you after use. If in the morning you find that the lock is frozen again, you can open the door without any problems.

The ice inside the door locks is perfectly melted with an ordinary hairdryer, provided that there is a socket nearby. Use this simple household appliance to completely dry the larva and other elements of the castle.

A frosty winter is a serious challenge for a car, especially if it sleeps in an unheated garage or on the street. The vehicle needs special care at this time of year, otherwise it will be more of a hassle than a benefit. One of the most common winter problems is freezing door locks and seals. Drivers who are in trouble should know the correct algorithm of actions so as not to cause additional damage to the car. And if you do not forget about preventive measures, then winter will pass without such incidents at all.

Causes of freezing car doors

The doors are blocked due to freezing of water that has got into the lock and on the seals. She can penetrate them for the following reasons:

• poor-quality car drying in a car wash;
• condensation formed due to the temperature difference in the cabin and on the street;
• a sharp drop in air temperature after rain;
• temperature jumps when thaws are replaced by severe frosts;
• getting on the compactors of snow, which first melts under the influence of heat from the passenger compartment, and then freezes.

Therefore, in winter, the seals should be thoroughly wiped off after washing, as well as opening doors in rain or snow.

And to prevent condensation, leave the doors open for a few minutes before closing them completely. This will allow the temperature in the cabin to approach the outdoor temperature.

If the castle is frozen

When the castle freezes, the main thing is not to aggravate the situation with the wrong actions that first come to mind. It is categorically impossible:

• try to turn the key in the lock by force, risking breaking it off and disrupting the design of the lock;
• pour boiling water on the lock, as the paint on the door will crack from it;
• breathe on the lock, because this will only increase the amount of moisture in it.

Also, do not resort to the very common but ineffective advice - heating the key with a lighter. In severe frost, the key will cool down even before you have time to put it in the lock. From such actions, you would rather freeze yourself than defrost the castle.

As an alternative to lighters, it is better to use a specialized defrost keychain... The device is equipped with a retractable pin that must be inserted into the keyhole.
When pulled out, it automatically heats up to a temperature of about 150 degrees, and the ice in the lock melts in a matter of seconds. The keychain is powered by AAA batteries, the charge of which is enough for about 10 defrosting. A similar device costs about 500 rubles.

In the absence of such a defroster, you can use the tools at hand by analogy. An extended hairpin or tie clip is suitable for these purposes. Insert them into the lock with one end, and heat the other with a lighter. Just do not scorch the paintwork of the door, it is better to protect the area around the lock from fire with ordinary foil.

Defrosting liquids for locks, which must be poured into a frozen keyhole, show no less efficiency.
Preference should be given to the form of a spray, since such products show the best performance, ridding the lock of ice within 10-15 seconds. Another advantage of defrosting liquids is their budgetary cost, which starts at 30 rubles.

Special products have a defrosting effect due to the presence of alcohols in the composition. Therefore, in case of emergency, you can pour any alcohol-containing liquid into the castle. Just do not transfer perfume to this business, since the concentration of alcohol in them is too low for a defrosting effect.

Actions in case of freezing of seals

If you managed to turn the key in the lock, but the door still does not give in, it means that the rubber seals also froze.
It is not worth pulling on the door with force, unless you are late for the plane or have extra finances to replace damaged seals. Warranty service does not apply to this type of repair.

When pulling out doors by force, it is better to do this on the rear passenger door. So it will be possible to drive for some time with damaged seals, which you can try to glue and not use again. After entering the passenger compartment, the remaining doors can be warmed up with a stove.

For those who are not ready for barbaric methods, a more gentle and lengthy procedure is suitable. It consists in the following:

1. Leave the lock open.
2. Remove frost from the door and surrounding area. To do this, use a special scraper or any plastic object of a similar shape. Scrape off the ice carefully so as not to damage the paintwork.
3. Knock lightly on the door, walking around its entire perimeter.
4. Push down on the door.

Such actions may be enough to break the ice on the seals. If the trunk is not locked, you can additionally close it forcefully several times. If not successful, coat the door edges and seals with an alcohol-based liquid or water-repellent grease such as WD-40.

Problem prevention

In order not to have to face the above problems, it is necessary to prepare the car doors for winter in advance. First of all, inspect all seals for cracks, and also clean them of dirt. Dirt and debris in the seals interferes with their sealing, allowing water to enter the doors.

Next, you need to protect the seals with grease. A multipurpose silicone grease with good water repellency can be used.
The composition just needs to be applied to the rubber door elements and wait for it to dry completely. As a result, a strong elastic film is formed on them. It not only protects the seals from freezing, but also extends their service life. It is worth treating the door lock with the same lubricant, applying a small amount to the key and turning it in the well.

The ideal protection of the car from winter freezing is a garage or a heated parking lot. But not all car owners have the opportunity to leave their vehicle in such conditions. If it is necessary to put the car in the cold outside, there is a need to provide it with additional care. Timely preventive measures to protect car doors from freezing will help to avoid a lot of inconveniences during the onset of cold weather.

So, in the frost the door to the passenger compartment does not open... There can be two reasons for this: either the lock is frozen, or the rubber seals around the entire perimeter of the door are frozen. You can cope with both problems using improvised methods.

If the matter is in the lock, then an ordinary key should become the main tool for solving the problem. Firstly, it can be heated with matches or a lighter, and then quickly inserted into the larva and thereby try to warm up the locking mechanism. Secondly, almost any auto shop has "lock defrosters" - inexpensive tubes with non-freezing liquid - you just need to inject it into the larva and wait a couple of minutes.

However, there are situations when there are no matches, no lighter, or car dealerships at hand. For example, a castle froze to death somewhere far from civilization: in a forest, in a godforsaken village or on a half-abandoned highway ... There is a way out, and in this case it will help out the warmth of your body. You can breathe in the larva of the castle or simply pee in it. Not a very hygienic way, but when there is no alternative, then it will do. Water from a kettle is also suitable for defrosting locks, but do not forget: if water or another liquid has been in the mechanism, it should be treated with WD-40 grease at the first opportunity, otherwise it will freeze tightly next time.

When the door is frozen around its entire perimeter, there are also several ways. It is not necessary to melt the ice - it can simply be crumbled: it is enough to knock with your fist on the edges of the door. If such manipulation does not help and the door does not want to open, then defrosting is still required. The most humane thing would be to use a hairdryer. Moreover, in order not to damage the paintwork, you should not choose the "hottest" mode of its operation.

However, if the car is standing far from the outlet, and there is no extension cord at hand, you will have to use boiling water, which will help melt the ice pretty quickly. When the door does open, do not be too lazy to stop by a car dealership and buy some silicone grease. The ice will not "stick" to the rubber seals treated with such a composition, and the doors will no longer freeze. The lubricant layer needs to be renewed periodically.