In winter, not only the windows of a vehicle can freeze over, but also the car lock and the car door. You can use these tips to solve the problem.
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Warm water and de-icer are tried and tested
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You can prevent it with care products and graphite
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Sudden actions can cause damage
What is frozen: door or lock?
The first thing to check is whether the… Rubber seals the car door together frozen solid are or that Door lock iced up is – the latter option is of course not a problem for cars with central locking. If the key fits into the lock and can be turned, but the door doesn’t open, then it is due to the rubber edges of the door. If the key doesn’t go into the lock, moisture has collected in it and is frozen.
In this case, never try the to force open a frozen car door. If the rubber seals on the door and the body are frozen together, the material can crack and must be replaced in the workshop. The door can also be deformed or the door handle damaged.
Frozen car door: This is how it opens
Instead of violently pulling on the door of the vehicle in freezing temperatures, you should first be careful from the outside press against the car door. With a little skill, the ice can be removed from the gaps between the seals. Alternatively, you can also gently tap on the door panel.
Try one too other door from: Maybe the passenger door is easier to open? Because when you’re sitting in the car, you can push open the door from the inside better or in a more controlled manner. Nevertheless, it is important: Before you start driving, the driver’s door must also be able to be opened from the outside in order to provide assistance after an accident.
One more way: Take one hot water bottle filled with hot water and press it onto the sheet metal around the door frame. If that doesn’t help: carefully pour hot water from the tap all around the door frame. But under no circumstances should you use boiling water as it can damage the paint. And don’t pour it over the window: the sudden increase in temperature can cause the window to burst or crack.
If the door can be opened again, you should Inside of the door and the Dry door sealsto avoid refreezing. And treat the door seal with a suitable care product so that the scenario does not repeat itself. Don’t forget: Finally, sprinkle the wet floor with gravel or sand so that no one slips on the frozen puddle of water.
Icy car lock: This is how it is de-iced
Try one first chemical door lock de-icer – which is hopefully not in the car, but at home and is quickly at hand if necessary. An alternative are Disinfectantwhich usually contain alcohol.
With a lighter You should only attempt to warm up the car key, then carefully and slowly insert it into the lock, turn it and thaw the ice in the lock with very old cars or keys. This must be done with extreme caution. The method is not recommended for today’s common keys with transponders for immobilizers, radio remote controls and keyless systems.
Blow dry the door or lock? Not a good idea!
Defrosting a car door or lock with a hairdryer usually doesn’t help. In the cold environment, the hot dryer air cools down so quickly that it does not reach the icing in the sealing rubbers. A hot air dryer can even do this because of its high temperatures Damage to the door cause. The paint and primer could melt or chip, and rust could occur more quickly due to a lack of corrosion protection.
Prevent frozen car doors
Treat the cleaned ones before the first frost Rubber seals the door with one care products from the car dealer. The experts advise against using household products such as butter, milk fat or deer tallow for this purpose.
The Nursing layer prevents the rubbers from touching each other directly. And it ensures that they don’t freeze together. They also protect the sealing rubbers from drying out or becoming brittle.
The Door lock can be with graphite protect, even regularly Oiling helps.
Here you will find information about what helps against moisture in the car and how different tire brands perform in the winter tire test.
