Winter blues and frozen locks.

[Reck]

We've had a bit of a cold snap in the UK lately and my drivers side lock is taking the piss. I've been having to get in via the passenger side because it's frozen - I can't even get the key in half the time, but when I do I can't turn it anyway for fear of snapping my key or breaking something. It's always been tough to turn the key on the drivers side, even in decent weather.

Also, on a particularly cold night lately the door was frozen to the frame. Managed to get it open but nearly snapped the handle off in the process hahah!

Has anyone experienced anything similar? What's the best way to fix/prevent this? WD40 doesn't seem to have done anything..

[Jeroen]

Lock: well you're behind on schedule if it was already playing up, remove and give her a lot of grease, WD40 might do good enough. As for the door freezing stuck, usually it's the seals and you best treat them with silicone spray. But in the end, nothing helps against a very humid night and then freezing up. Apart from a garage...

[drjim]

If your car is outside your house you can use my on call quick defrost trick. Basically when called in the night I need to get straight in and drive to the hospital, ice scraping is a non starter.

Cheapo fan heater from Tesco etc. Extension lead into the car, plug in in the house when you are having your breakfast (in my on call case switch on while getting dressed), when you get outside the inside is toasty, no ice to scrape off, and it's usually heated things enough that the ice melts off the door frames/locks etc.

You need to clean out and lube the lock. Maybe get a locksmith to take it to bits and refurb it. I'd also suggest taking the door card off, making sure the rods aren't bent or something and giving the whole mechanism a nice bit of lubrication/copperslip type stuff. Also check the rubber seal on the window is sealing - is dirt and water (which becomes ice) getting down into the lock area.

I think you can swap the drivers and passenger barrels over if the drivers one is worn out.

I have a central locking kit somewhere that you could have to bypass needing to use the lock, but I'll have to find it first!

Jim

[TopCat]

there is an anti freeze spray that you can squirt into the lock it comes in small tins

of course the IOM and Inverness answer is never lock the car (no crime)- and I frequently leave the keys in the car as well- that way at least you know where they are!
Appreciate this is not the solution in other parts of the world!

[uwbuurman]

The problem with that antifreeze spray is that some components, after a while will freeze uip themselves. So like Jeroen says, use grease, like imal of WD40. Seals cn also be treated with talco.

[Reck]

Jeroen - Indeed. I should have sorted in summer when things were dry, but alas I had more pressing jobs.. I'll consult haynes on lock removal and get myself some silicone spray. It could partially be my fault as I wish in a rush one day and I poured warm water over the lock to defrost it, so now it's probably full of water which is freezing every night. I won't do that again.

Jim! - Genius. I'll use that when I'm not living seven floors up. I know the drivers lower window rubber isn't making a good seal. Easy enough to replace?

TopC - I think I've seen that before. Small enough to fit on a keyring! Would pref a long term solution though. I heard some E30's have heated locks. Unlocked doors are definitely not an option in Manchester.

Uwbuur - Thanks. Will remove lock and regrease as per advice.

That's another job for this weekend! I already have a heater/blower stuck in the down position as I think it has unclipped itself from the back of the selector, not good in winter when I could really do without having to manually demist every five minutes..

[m3gaz]

Have you tried licking the keyhole?

[uwbuurman]

I know the drivers lower window rubber isn't making a good seal. Easy enough to replace?

Yep, roll window down, than tilt te rubber up from the inside of te door, it is mounted with these metal clamps, which clamp onto the door and the rubber aswell. Locate the clamps and pull those up. Or use a big screwdriver (not the drink!!!).

[Reck]

Thanks. Yes, those clips were very tight. Needed a flathead screwdriver to loosen (carefully! so easy to scratch the paint).

Took off doorcard and gave everything a proper spray of WD40. MUCH easier to turn the key now. From looking inside the doorskin, the lock itself has a thick black plate/box over it, I presume that's for security? Either way if you get a small can of WD40 you can sort of manouvre it inside the door skin and point upwards underneath this black box to hit the lock mechanism without actually removing the lock. Seemed to work for me anyway!

I also bought some silicone spray and treated all the rubber I could find. Worked quite well for making my mirrors black (rather than light gray) again too, though we'll see how long that lasts..

[Reck]

Have you tried licking the keyhole?

Not yet. I tried licking the window and it didn't seem to help.