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YACT: How can I keep my car doors

E

Exterous

Super Moderator
I own a 98 Ford Taurus and I have a bit of a problem: The doors keep freezing shut. But thats not the worst part. After a couple of minutes of work, I can get them to open, but then they won't latch back. Its not frozen in place, the door will close all the way. but it doesn't latch.
Now, should I have an extra 30 min. to warm the car up, the door will work all fine and dandy again. Aside from keeping a blow dryer in the car, what else can I do to keep this from happening?

Thanks guys!
 
One could put a water displacing liquid on the latching mechanism (WD-40 comes to mind). That should prevent them from freezing.

EDIT: After the door has thawed.
 
Originally posted by: BZeto
This thread reminds me of how little I miss living in northern Utah during the winter.
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Amen.

I have no water today. My pipes are frozen. Never happened before.
 
Originally posted by: DougK62
Hose the latch AND the rubber weatherstrip around the door with WD-40.
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Yeah, the weatherstripping is most likely your main culprit. Saturate it with WD-40 , top, bottom, & sides. Water won't stick so it can't freeze!
Also, be sure to lube the latches, and inside the keyhole, put the little red tube on the WD-40, insert it into the keyhole, & blast away, that'll get all the internal parts lubed and keep your lock from freezing.
 
Originally posted by: jadinolf
Originally posted by: BZeto
This thread reminds me of how little I miss living in northern Utah during the winter.
Click to expand...

Amen.

I have no water today. My pipes are frozen. Never happened before.
Click to expand...

My kids have the day off school because a pipe froze and burst.
 
Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Originally posted by: jai6638
Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Originally posted by: Exterous
Originally posted by: slsmnaz
move
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I knew someone would say that.

Thanks for the help guys!!!
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Link
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bah ****** weather. Who needs temps in the 70's ? I'm not even being sarcastic! Snow FTW!
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don't kid yourself, it sucks
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I was serious..... You grow up in a place where temps are constantly over 115F and you'll start liking the snow!
 
[/quote]

Also, be sure to lube the latches, and inside the keyhole, put the little red tube on the WD-40, insert it into the keyhole, & blast away, that'll get all the internal parts lubed and keep your lock from freezing.[/quote]

This will help, but it may give you another problem "down the road" (sorry for the pun in the expression). When you load up a lock cylinder with oil it becomes a great place for dust and dirt to accumulate because the oil is sticky. Instead, get one of those tubes of graphite dust. It is a dry black power of graphite which works great as a lock lubricant, but it will not hold onto other dust particles that get inside. You simply "puff" a bit of the graphite into the lock, insert and remove the key a few times and turn the lock a few times to start distributing the graphite around inside the lock cylinder. Works great.

By the way, if the lock cylinder itself is frozen, get a lock de-icer bottle (usually contains methanol or something similar). Thaw the lock if necessary, then quickly squirt de-icer into the lock, insert key and move it around. The liquid will disolve and remove any water left in the cylinder so it does not re-freeze as it chills out again. Do this BEFORE adding graphite lubricant.
 
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