Hello!
Frozen doors are a very common problem in the Russian climate and it is best to avoid it, of course. It is enough to follow simple rules - take care of the locks (we have on this topic) and do not wash the car at a temperature of -10 or more.
If the door is still frozen, below I will give tips on how to open it. Please note: Do not pull hard on a frozen door and try to open it with brute force. This can damage the lock, door fasteners and rubber seals!
- The first thing to do is check the rest of the doors. Usually not all doors freeze equally and if you manage to open at least one, you will be able to start the car and warm up the interior. After that, the problem with the frozen door will resolve itself.
- If you have an alarm with auto start in your car, just start the car and wait until the interior warms up.
- Try to click on the frozen door, this can destroy the structure of the ice and help with further actions.
- If you have a special anti-icing agent, pour plenty of it on the frozen door gap and lock, wait 3-5 minutes and try to open it.
- Another way is to spill the door gap and the lock with boiling water. Most likely you will need several teapots of boiling water. After each "spill" wait 3-5 minutes and try to open the frozen door.
- Some people recommend using a hair dryer, but this is a bad way. If boiling water didn’t help, then a hair dryer definitely won’t help. In addition, you can easily damage the paintwork of the car with a hairdryer. Only a heat gun will do, but few people have it.
- If all else fails, your last option is to call a master cracker. This service can cost 2-5 thousand rubles, in addition, you will have to wait until the master gets to you.
Even residents of regions with not the most severe winters sometimes cannot open the car. This is due to temperature differences: the moisture accumulated during the thaw freezes, tightly grabbing lock mechanisms and door seals. As a rule, this happens when we are in a hurry.
How to open a frozen lock
On cars equipped with a burglar alarm, you can open the lock using a key fob. However, at low temperatures, the battery often runs out in it and it becomes useless. Then you have to open the door with a key. And there are three ways.
Be sure to check all doors, not just the driver's. Hatchbacks and SUVs can also be accessed through the trunk.
Method 1. We crumble
If the lock is slightly frozen and you manage to insert the key into the hole, try to break up the ice inside by rotating the key from side to side. Be careful, don't push too hard. Overdo it - and the remains of a broken key will be added to the ice jam.
If the driver's door does not give in, try to do the procedure with the passenger.
Method 2. Gray
If turning the key in the lock does not come out, you can try to melt the ice. The simplest thing is to heat the key itself with a lighter.
A more effective option is to insert a thin metal object into the lock and heat it already, transferring heat into the mechanism. A hairpin, a piece of wire, or an unbent key ring is suitable as a conductor. If there are other cars nearby, try heating the lock with red-hot .
What you should not do is pour hot water: in the cold, it will immediately cool down and freeze, further exacerbating the problem.
Another bad piece of advice is to blow through the keyhole. The heat of your breath is still not enough to melt the ice, but the resulting condensate will immediately freeze. Moreover, by negligence, you can generally stick to the castle with your lips.
Method 3. Defrost
It is best to use a special defrost spray, the so-called liquid key. A small spray can only be attached to the lock and press the sprayer a couple of times. The alcohol-based liquid will melt the ice, and the lubricant included in the composition will prevent corrosion and protect against subsequent freezing.
If there is no liquid key at hand, but there is a pharmacy nearby, you can buy alcohol and a syringe and inject the lock: the effect will be the same.
But spraying WD-40 and other kerosene-based liquids into the lock is not worth it. They won't help much against the ice, but they will wash all the grease off the mechanism.
How to open a frozen door
Unlocking the lock is only half the battle, because in order to get into the car, you still need to open the door. Due to the larger area, it, or rather rubber seals, freeze to the body much more strongly.
In no case should you pull the handle with all your might: the door is unlikely to budge, but the handle may fall off. To open a frozen door, you need to knock it with your fist around the entire perimeter and press it. So you crush the seal, the ice on it will crumble and free the door from captivity.
You can also try rocking the car from side to side.
On hatchbacks and station wagons, try slamming the trunk a few times if you can open it, of course. The air flow will push the door from the inside.
How to open frozen windows
There is no special need to open the windows, unless you are going to wipe the side mirrors directly from the passenger compartment. However, in order not to inadvertently spoil the power window mechanisms, it is better in no case to try to lower the icy windows before the interior warms up.
When the ice melts, the windows can be opened and also treated with silicone grease where the seal is adjacent.
And do not use a scraper to clean the mirrors: it leaves scratches and can damage the anti-reflective coating.
If your car is not equipped with electrically heated mirrors, try de-icing them with warm air. When the car is warm, blow air from the heater through the open window,
How to keep your car from freezing
- Wipe dry the door seals and treat them with silicone grease or spray.
- Let the car cool down before parking. Ventilate the interior by opening all doors and the trunk to allow the moisture to evaporate or freeze.
- Be sure to treat all locks with a moisture-repellent silicone-based lubricant.
- With constant freezing of the locks, dry them well by putting the car in a warm garage or underground parking. The machine will warm up, and then all the moisture will evaporate.
- When you leave your car overnight, remove snow from the top and bottom of the doors.
- And don't forget to throw newspapers on the floor. They will absorb the melted snow, the humidity in the cabin will decrease.
- Always make sure that after the car is properly dried. The washer should blow out the glass seals, wiper blades, washer nozzles, as well as locks, door handles and the gas tank hatch with compressed air.
How do you get into a frozen car in winter? Share your tips in the comments!
Frosty winter is a special time for car owners who continue to regularly operate their vehicle. Leaving a car in an open parking lot, it is difficult to predict what will happen to it overnight, and what kind of weather tests it will be subjected to. One of the problems that a car owner runs the risk of facing in a cold winter is the freezing of doors. As part of the article, we propose to figure out what to do if the car doors are frozen, as well as how to avoid such troubles even in the most severe frost.
What to do if the car door is frozen?
Before you figure out how to open a frozen car door, you need to understand why it freezes. Rubber seals and the door lock itself freeze for a simple reason - water gets into them, which turns into ice in severe frost. The more water got in, and the stronger the frost on the street, the more difficult it is for the owner of the car to open the door.
You should not immediately resort to radical measures to defrost the lock or car door seals, we recommend checking not only the passenger doors, but also the trunk. It is possible that they have frozen less strongly, and it will not be difficult to open them. Once in the cabin, it remains to turn on the stove so that the car warms up and the doors thaw. However, if the doors are frozen evenly strongly, you need to remember several ways to unfreeze them.
The lock in the car is frozen, what should I do?
If you cannot open the car due to a frozen lock, do not panic and try your best to turn the key or insert it as hard as possible. Motorists have long come up with several sure ways that help open a frozen lock in just a few minutes.
Use automotive chemicals
Every motorist has a huge amount of automotive chemicals in the garage, at home and in the car itself. You need to find a bottle that contains an alcohol-based product. There are specialized tools to open a frozen car lock, which are called "Liquid Key". If you don’t have any automotive chemicals on hand, find any other liquid with a high alcohol content. Various lotions, hand hygiene products, vodka or alcohol will do.
Having taken possession of an alcohol-containing liquid, it is necessary to acquire a medical syringe or some kind of similarity. After that, the alcohol-based liquid found must be poured into the lock, wait 5-10 minutes and try to open the door again.
The main disadvantage of this method of opening a frozen lock is the lack of automotive chemicals from the owner of the car. It is possible that all of it can be inside the car, but you can’t open it, and you don’t want to run to the store for vodka or another alcohol-containing product.
Use a specialized device
The problem of frozen locks has been haunting car owners for years. Especially for such cases, a device called the "Lock Defroster" was developed. It is a regular keychain that can be hung on the keys. In this case, if necessary, a probe is removed from the key fob, capable of heating up to 150-200 degrees Celsius. The hot probe remains to be inserted into the lock of the car door, and after a couple of minutes it can be safely opened with the key. Naturally, not every motorist has such a useful device, the cost of which is low.
Open a frozen lock with a hot key
The most affordable, simple and common way to open a car door if its lock is frozen is to use a key, like a “Lock Defroster”. To do this, you will need a car door key and a lighter. Heat the key for 10-15 seconds, and then insert it into the lock for 1-2 minutes. Next, try to open the door. If unsuccessful, repeat the above procedure. Slowly melting the ice in the castle, sooner or later the owner will be able to open his car.
Attention: When heating the key, make sure that its plastic elements do not burn. This is especially true when the key contains the required information for the immobilizer or other electronics.
Naturally, with due ingenuity, you can find a number of other ways to open a frozen car lock, but we recommend using the options described above. You should not try to clear the ice in the castle by inserting sticks into it or by heating the castle itself with a lighter - this can seriously damage it.
The car door is frozen, how to open it?
A frozen car door is a problem that is as common as a frozen lock. It is enough to allow moisture to get on the seal in the cold season and leave the car for several hours in the cold so that the door is “tightly” frozen. It is not uncommon for doors to freeze after washing due to carelessness or illiteracy of the driver.
If the door is frozen, proceed as follows:
- Find a brush or other handy tool that will allow you to clean the edges of the doors from frost and snow. If you use a brush, the chance of damaging the paintwork is almost minimal, but when using a screwdriver, wrench or knife, you should proceed with extreme care.
- Pull the door towards you, and if it does not move, then push it down and lightly tap the edges. After that, again try to pull the door towards you. Repeat the procedure several times until the door opens.
Remember, if one door is too cold, you can try to open another or the trunk. In addition, various alcohol-containing liquids will help to open a frozen door, which can be used to smear the edges of the door and seals. Warming up a frozen door with a hair dryer has a good effect, but not everyone can connect a household appliance to the network at the parking lot.
Attention: In no case should you pour boiling water over frozen doors - this is fraught with damage to the paintwork. In addition, do not apply extreme force when trying to open it - this may damage the door itself or the handle from it. It is also not a good idea to try to pry the frozen seal from the door with coins, knives, keys and other items that can damage the materials.
How to lubricate the doors so that they do not freeze even in the most severe frost?
Every morning, tormenting yourself with opening a frozen door is not the best solution for a car owner who values his time. The occurrence of such problems can be avoided if, before a long-term parking of the car, lubricate the inside of the door lock with WD-40 or specialized fluids that are released to protect seals, hinges, wells and other car parts from icing.
Another important tip that will help protect the doors from icing during a long car park. After the car engine has been turned off, it is necessary to open all the doors so that the warm air leaves the passenger compartment to the street, and the temperatures in the car and outside of it are almost equal. This will prevent condensation on the doors inside the cabin, which can freeze during long parking. It is worth noting that after washing, it is imperative to do this procedure so that the water turns into ice on the seals, and then it crumbles when the doors are closed.
For decisive and very hurrying people, the problem is solved in one movement: you just need to pull the door as hard as possible. So if you yourself and your rhythm of life are in the above category, then you can, in general, not read all of the following - you still won’t “according to the instructions”. The only thing you can give here is one...
…advice: if you tear off the door, then it’s best not the driver’s, but the passenger’s, and even better the one that is used the least - for example, the rear left (if it’s not frozen and the central lock works). Through it, already move to the driver's seat and warm the rest of the doors with a “stove”.
The point here is that with such violence over a frozen door, rubber seals are often torn off and torn, which even on a warranty car will only have to be changed at your own expense. And since the driver's door is used most often, the torn off seal will soon lose its presentation, water will leak through the torn fragments, and snow will accumulate. And immediately you have to go for repairs, otherwise the ride will be very uncomfortable.
The other door, especially the rear left one, can be carefully closed by tucking in the torn rubber bands, sealing the damage with household products, and driving around for some more time, having figured out the date and budget for repairs.
In general, when opening frozen doors, the main task is to maintain the integrity of the rubber seals.
How can it be solved?
How to open locks?
If the locks open and are not frozen, then to save personal time, you can go directly to the “Second Approach” item. If the locks are still frozen - read on.
By the way: Frozen locks will have to be opened in any case - whether you are going to open the door with a jerk-tear or separate it from the frame carefully.
Advice: before the onset of cold weather, you should definitely stock up on a tool from the Lock Defroster group. The issue price is from 50 rubles, but it helps out great.
If there is no defroster, then you can try something from improvised means - non-freezing liquid from the washer reservoir, as well as any "household" alcohol-containing composition, even cologne. It can be poured, say, into a plastic bottle "with a spout" from under some pharmacy drops, and then injected into the keyhole. After two minutes, you can try to twist the key.
Attention: if the key does not turn, in no case should you make great efforts! Otherwise, you can break both the key and the lock. Therefore, if it is not possible to twist, we continue to defrost.
How to open doors?
So, the lock is open (or the locks were opened initially), now we proceed to open the door.
Advice: even if you open it carefully, it’s better anyway not the driver’s door, but the other door. (Therefore, by the way, you need to defrost the passenger door lock).
Step 1: we clean the perimeter of the door at the place where the frame fits to the opening. To do this, it is convenient to use a thin flat scraper or, if there is none, some improvised “plastic”, for example, a plastic stationery ruler. Be careful: when cleaning the glaciation, you do not need to scrape with all your might! Be careful not to damage the paint and seals in the first place.
Step 2: You can try to gently pull the door. Opened? Hooray! If it doesn't open, then there are two options. The first is to tear off, the second - go to "Step 3" - to freeze.
Step 3: After cleaning, the perimeter of the door at the place where the frame adjoins the opening can be treated with the same non-freezing windshield washer fluid, pouring it in a small stream, for example, from some plastic shampoo bottle.
The final: We open the door! Still doesn't work? Then we continue to defrost, but we completely freeze ourselves. If we don’t want a cold, then we pull a little harder and get into the car, turn on the “stove”.
Do not be afraid: after correctly performing the above manipulations, the risk of tearing the door seals will be minimal.
Prevention will help
And so that you don’t have to “dance with a tambourine around the car like this or tear the door with all your strength, before the frosts we stock up in advance with inexpensive, but great means that make life easier:
1. Means for protecting locks and hinges from freezing - from 50 rubles.
2. Anti-freezing agent for door and trunk seals - from 100 rubles.
3. Universal silicone grease (frost-resistant) - from 100 rubles.
Unfortunately, in most cases, the automotive manufacturer does not install special systems on the vehicle that would protect the locks from freezing. Nevertheless, there are many effective recommendations. You should not try to open the door with the help of force, because, apart from mechanical damage to the paintwork, breakage of the lock and bruises, it is unlikely that you will be able to achieve other, sane results.
Frozen lock in the car: causes and consequences
This is a problem that most motorists face during the cold season. If you are wondering why the locks in the car freeze, as well as how to fix the problem, read the article to the end. Among the main causes of this problem, it is worth highlighting the elementary ingress of moisture into the well. In cold weather, the water freezes and does not allow you to insert the key or turn it. There is nothing terrible here, because a frozen lock in a car due to moisture is a common occurrence.
Another reason is jamming as a result of exposure to water and other liquids. Everything is more serious here, since the lock can rust and fail and it can no longer be opened without a specialist.
And now a few words about the consequences. They can be very different: from elementary to complete or partial replacement of the lock. You can even break the key, but if there is a duplicate, this is not so bad, but if there is only one, then you definitely cannot avoid replacing the locks. To prevent the consequences from becoming even sadder, you do not need to pour warm or hot water on or into the lock.
How to solve the problem without harm to the machine
In 90% of cases, this problem is resolved, but about 60% of the total mass ends without various kinds of damage. When you want to open the lock as quickly as possible, then this is another story. So, let's consider the most relevant methods for opening frozen car door locks today:
- Use of silicone-based products (thawers). It is enough to puff the lock once or twice from the spray can, and the door opens with ease.
- Fen. If there is such an opportunity, then after 5-7 minutes everything will thaw, and the lock larva will turn.
- The use of a "liquid key" is a special tool that allows you to open the door in a couple of minutes.
This is not the whole list, but the funds really help and work. If it is not possible to use at least something from the list, then all is not lost.
Opening with improvised means
You can use a lighter, preferably not an ordinary one, but an autogenous one. You need to try not to damage the paint, and also not to hold the fire for too long. Another rather dangerous, but perhaps the most effective way is to use it. If the door lock in the car is frozen, then this will definitely help. But you should be wary of getting on the paint, as it will be damaged. Therefore, after using this method, it is advisable to rinse the whole thing with water, but already in a warm room.
Hot objects (cigarette lighter, etc.) can be applied directly to the lock. Warm air also always helps, but if there is no hair dryer nearby, you will have to handle it yourself. To do this, you can take a thin tube, like a straw, insert it into the keyhole and breathe like that for a couple of minutes. It almost always works. You can, of course, pour warm water over the castle, but this can cause a lot of problems, especially if the water starts to freeze.
Using toilet water is also an option. The composition includes elements that contribute to the melting of ice. But you need to take into account that there may be aggressive components that can cause corrosion in the metal. Nevertheless, in emergency situations, this is an excellent solution that will suit everyone.
In order not to freeze the door lock in the car, prevention will help
In order not to get into a difficult situation and not stay on the street after work or simply not get to it, you need to remember about prevention, which has never harmed anyone. The first and most important thing to remember is the absence of moisture in the castle. To do this, you must constantly wipe the key from the water, if any, and also try to protect the keyhole in winter.
This can be done with the help of ice cream. The castle is processed before winter, which helps to completely eliminate the risk of freezing. We have already decided on how to open a frozen lock in a car, but we need to say a few more words about solving this problem. The fact is that seals sometimes freeze, and it would seem that the problem is solved, but no - the door does not open. The same hair dryer, warm water, etc. can help here. facilities.
Using a regular liquid lubricant will help prevent freezing. Just a few drops in each keyhole are enough, and the problem will not appear throughout the season. The penetrating liquid WD-40 is ideal, which has already established itself among Russian motorists as a trouble-free method of prevention.
What should always be remembered
Not everyone knows, however, car glass cleaner (windshield wiper) contains a certain percentage of alcohol, so it can be used as a defrost. Of course, if it is frozen in the car, then it is desirable to deal with this with professional means, which will not only extend the life of the lock, but also quickly solve the problem.
The use of open fire - as an option, but in the most extreme case. It is better to get a battery-powered hair dryer and put it in the trunk. Door seals for prevention are treated with glycerin or a special silicone-based spray. You can add a little graphite dust to it, as well as periodically lubricate.
If the key does not enter the frozen lock in the car, then you can use a screwdriver and try to break off the layer of ice, perhaps the larva is not frozen, and this will solve the problem. You may encounter the problem of freezing, which rarely happens, but at the most inopportune moment. WD-40 or 10 minutes of hair dryer will help here. If the problem persists, then it can be solved by heating the entire castle. Open fire must not be used, since there are a lot of contacts in the ignition switch (turn switches, headlights, alarms), if one of them is damaged, further ignition can occur. That, perhaps, is all that can be said about how to open a frozen car lock with minimal time and without damaging the car.
