I hope this doesn't sound too simple for the BRs brains.
In the recent icy weather my wife's Polo has repeatedly suffered from having both of the front doors freeze shut. At first I thought it was simply the doors sticking to the rubbers, so after she had climbed in through one of the rear doors and returned from work I sprayed some silicon on the seals and waited to see if it fixed the problem. Unfortunately today it happened again, this time I was at home so I thought it would just need a bit more muscle to prise the door free, but even though the central-locking worked with the key (the barrel turned and the blippers moved up) it was stuck fast, it feels as though it's the actual lock internals that are 'frozen' (once the Sun has been on the car they open OK).
I'm hoping that it will just need me to spray the lock mechanism with something like WD40 to disperse the water which I guess is freezing inside the door.
Would the freezing conditions cause the door to stick by any other method?
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It has been well below freezing here for a week or so, my door locks were working with the remote control but the doors were frozen to the body of the car and the handles would have broken off before the doors opened. I poured cold water over the edge of the drivers door and it freed off within about half a minute. after the car had warmed up with use, the other doors were OK.
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Last week the Master van side door would not budge. In my infinite wisdom I decided that it would do as I desired and I put the pressure on. Oh! no. These Froggies don't like ze pressure and the handle came orf in my hand.
MD
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I have put silicon spray on number one sons golf door seals.
it works like a treat and no freezing up.
try it.
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You should try frameless doors like my 3 series has. They should drop 10 mm when you open them then close and rise again to form a seal with the roof. But not when they're frozen up. The glass can't drop cos its frozen to its seal at the bottom of the glass / top of the door skin.
Edited by bimmer-driver on 01/01/2010 at 21:09
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ON's tip with the water round the door edges is the most effective quick method.
I'm really not sure how to word this bit but it might very well come in handy......If you find yourself with frozen doors or locks in a situation where you can not readily get to a water supply. For example at a ski road car park or if you have been hill walking....remember, gentlemen anyway.......there is a quick and easy option......but be sure to target properly as it might be some time before you get a second opportunity......
Also be doubly sure that it is your car, frozen over number plates on a similar model combined with the above method has been known to cause misunderstandings.....
;-)
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Of course anyone who could write their name in the snow with warm silicone oil would be doubly blessed.
The silicone oil as already suggested is the best thing for rubber seals. It doesn't attack rubber like petroleum-based lubricants and it will help to stop them deteriorating.
I'm pretty sure there'll be something better to squirt in your locks than WD40 but it does seem to work.
The problem with both of these is that it has to be done in advance of the freezing.
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Thanks all, I don't I'll suggest some of the more unconventional methods of 'warming' the door to my good wife, I think that would raise an eyebrow with the neighbours if she attempted it!
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I have found Holt's Rubber & Nylon spray lube good for this purpose.
It also prolongs the life of the fan belt
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Not that I condone such an action but a bucket of water emptied over a car at 2am when it's -6 outside is a very effective way of getting your own back. And they do say that revenge is a dish best served cold... ;-)
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Spray furniture polish (Mr sheen etc) onto a cloth and wipe all seals
;o)
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Regularly cleaning door seals with Gummi Pflege keeps the seals from drying up, so they will be less likely to make the door stick.
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Bring back proper roof gutters.
Other than that it's part of pre winter prep to keep your door/boot locks (and hinges to prevent rusting) oiled up, too late once they're frozen.
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Just been out to the Volvo which has been parked in the shade (and untouched) for over a week. Yesterday's planned clean didn't happen BTW. Both driver and O/S/R door, plus bootlid frozen shut. In this case, gentle persuasion freed them.
Good tip for the furniture polish. Will give it a go.
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For seals, an older remedy is to paint then with glycerine.
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If you HAVE to get the doors open and no source of warm fluid is at hand (or you can't reach that high) then at least start by pushing the door into the frame section by section to break the seal without risking damage by pulling apart.
Also works on stuck window frames!
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I think Gummi Pflege is a better thing to use on the seals than furniture polish.
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I had a frozen fuel cap at our local Asda filling station last winter - on my way to work so I needed the fuel. Luckily the staff there were good enough not to laugh too much, and boiled their kettle for me; a cupful of hot water freed the lock on the cap straightaway.
I've found that squirting WD40 into the locks has prevented that from happening again.
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It was not the seals which froze on my car, it was the rubber fairings that smooth the exterior profile at the upper part of the door that were covered in thick ice from frozen sleet.
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I think Gummi Pflege is a better thing to use on the seals than furniture polish.
We've all got Gummi Pflege in a cupboard at home haven't we?..................
The furniture polish was a tip from a trader who's been preparing cars since you before you were born, I used it on my MK4 Golf last year and it worked very well
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Dox, OK?...No need to get your knickers in a twist about it...
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Dox OK?...No need to get your knickers in a twist about it...
There's more to life than detailingworld, cheap simple fixes are what 99% of people need not a cupboard full of potions
;o)
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Before the days of remote central locking, my old Allagro door lock had frozen up solid one night. Had to resort to urinating on the lock to unthaw it.
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those allegros always did take the wee wee though
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>>The furniture polish was a tip from a trader who's been preparing cars since you before you were born, I used it on my MK4 Golf last year and it worked very well.
>>
But things have moved on.
To avoid sticky residue try Drylube. No need to rub it off.
as in "Tableau Dry Lube Spray Silicone Lubricant" NOT the stuff for bikes !
( IMO it is also the stuff for curtain track )
It is only about £3 a can.
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But things have moved on. To avoid sticky residue try Drylube. No need to rub it off. as in "Tableau Dry Lube Spray Silicone Lubricant" NOT the stuff for bikes ! ( IMO it is also the stuff for curtain track ) It is only about £3 a can.
Just had a look under the kitchen sink, we're fresh out, so that means I'll have to drive out and buy some, so say a gallon of fuel and an hour of my life wasted plus the £3 for the can that I really have'nt got a home for so I'll buy a shelf while I'm out, sorted
Now she wants me to put the shelf up and I've got no wall plugs, where did I put those car keys...................................
;o)
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'Gummi Pflege' ?????
If you are like me and did not want to appear stupid you can increase your knowledge base here:
www.einszett.co.uk/products_einszett_interior-exte...m
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Thanks FC, i had assumed i was the only ignorant soul here, and was just 'ignoring' the posts.
Seems an expensive way of putting a wipe of Mr Sheen on the seal..;)
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Urine can also be used to top up the radiator in an emergency, or so I found with my MGTD, though it was hard to perch on top. A calm day is advised. Avoid the fuel filler. A joker decided to top up the petrol in a later MG Midget, belonging to a friend. A jelly resulted and the tank had to be cut open for cleaning.
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Urine can also be used to top up the radiator in an emergency
Depending on where you are. In some parts of the world that is your last resort drinking water supply!
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Been there. Done that. Got the tee-shirt.
I can still remember the stench when I flushed it out and that was over thirty years ago!
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I can still remember the stench when I flushed it out and that was over thirty years ago
What did you flush it with? - 10 pints of Special Brew?
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I used to have some ski poles which were hollow and had little corks in the top. The idea was that you could fill them with something sustaining. My favourite was equal proportions of cooking whisky and Crabbies green ginger wine. Upon returning to the car at the end of a day on the white stuff any residue made a very effective lock de-icer. ( for other peoples cars obviously, ahem...)
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obviously being an old duffer i can confirm i use furniture polish on door seals if its to hand or silicon spray that shines dashes up at work :-0
i can also confirm that stuffing snow in the radiator cap hole is of no benefit at all and also that a 1600ohv mk11 escort will run for 43 miles with no water in its system before it needs to be parked up and the headgasket replaced (had the teashirt but lost it years ago)
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A workshop techie at AFN Reading where I used to take my Porsche recommended baby talc for door seals.
It's a damn good dry lubricant for rubber and plastics and worked a treat stopping the rubbers freezing on the hatch of the 944 I had. It even stopped an annoying little squeak from the hatch on bad roads.
Just drop some into a dry cloth/tissue and wipe over the rubber.
I seem to remember a thread about frozen locks in the BR many moons ago. One of the contributors had worked on automotive locks for a manufacturer and gave a good explanation of which lubricants/grease should be used.
Kevin...
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