Fixing Frozen Locks: Lauren Fix, Car Coach
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Courtesy of YNN/ Time Warner Cable
Aired: 1/17/2012
No matter where you live, when the temperatures get cold, it's easy for your car door locks to freeze. Lauren Fix, the Car Coach, has some tips to make sure you don't get stuck outside.
No matter where you live, when the temperatures begin to drop, there's a chance that you will find a frozen car door lock. Plan your attack on frozen locks in advance, before you get stuck out in the cold.
The first thing you should do when encountering a frozen door is to try accessing the car through other doors, or the rear hatch if necessary. Jump in, start the engine, and let it run for several minutes. It won't take long for your car to heat up and thus warm the locks on all the doors.
Here are some other quick thawing solutions:
Things You'll Need:
• Matches or lighter
• Hair dryer
• Toilet paper tube or straw
• Lock de-icer
• WD-40
1. ?Heat your key. Sometimes a frozen lock needs a little warmth to get the tumblers moving. Wearing thick gloves, carefully use a match or lighter to heat your key and then insert it into the lock. The heat will melt ice inside the lock and allow you to unlock the door. WARNING: Modern key fobs contain computer chips that are easily damaged. Unless you have a single key, this is NOT a good option.
2.? Keep a straw or toilet paper tube handy during winter months. In the event that your lock freezes, place the tube over the lock and warm it with your breath. This technique may look silly, but it works. Your breath can be all that it takes.
4.? Using a hair dryer to heat the key or the lock itself is another good option, but finding an electrical outlet nearby can be a problem. You'll need a long extension cord or a portable hair dryer if your car isn't within reasonable range of an outlet.??
5. Prevent your locks from freezing by keeping a can of de-icer or WD-40 on hand and spraying your locks at the end of the day. Since most frozen door locks are the result of condensation inside the tumblers, de-icer will help keep the condensation from freezing. You can find de-icer in most hardware and automotive stores or in gas stations and convenience stores during the winter months.??
Warning:
NEVER pour hot water over your lock. This will increase the amount of water inside the lock and result in future frozen locks.
If you think that using a remote is the best solution, think again; doors freeze shut too.
One final tip: cover a rag with baking spray and wipe the weather strip (rubber door seal) in the evenings to prevent your door from sticking in the morning.
I found spraying some WD40 into the keyhole of the car door works fine. Here in Wisconsin it got -20 below Zero and after a little food shopping with my lady I went back out to a frozen lock that wouldn’t even turn. Ran in bought some WD40 asked the manager for some tissue to wipe off the excess from the paint of the car and the door opened right up. I’m a gearhead I talk car stuff on my channel. Working on my own cars for 20 years now. Good video tho.💯🤔🤘🏾
Smart tips!
From one fixer lady to another....Thanks!
Happen too me today I used windshield washer fluid worked like a charm ha!!
windshield washer is water-based tho?
Tried heating the key and bingo ,it worked. thanks!
Also, using a key FOB does not always work. The moving parts on the inside of the door can freeze, causing the key FOB to malfunction.
In Saskatchewan Saskatoon Canada every time we have extreme cold warning and usually I wash my car because I work in the Truck Wash and it’s really bad my door doesn’t open. Thank you.
I used the straw and actually it worked! Thanks
I heard putting alcohol on the key and in the lock works great.
Apparently, this information for the many joys of winter, did not come out of Wisconsin. Wisconsin winters are nasty. The last two days, it has rained. Now, it is 18 degrees. The door locks, rubber gaskets and every movable part inside of your car door is now frozen. No amount of swearing gets them open....I've tried. Lock deicer, alcohol, heated keys sometimes work on the tumbler, but not the INSIDE of the door. Last resort is hot water. Do not lock the door afterwards. Refreezing is always a high possibility. Pray for summer.......I hate winter.
I live in Missouri. To prevent my car doors from freezing shut in the winter, I treat the rubber gaskets and inside door edges with a silicone spray. This sure saves a LOT of frustration. In extreme cold, I don't lock my car doors.
Alcohol in a spray bottle will de-ice locks and actually at really low temperatures blowing on the cylinder is bad as your breath contains water. Another thing is that if it has a key FOB. Press Unlock, problem solved.
Alcohol and water worked for me
Thank you ;) you just saved my ass :)
+Heniusman Criss Glad I could help
Great tips and briefly explained, excellent!!!
The the water can damage the lock - use lock deicer
use a hair dryer worked for me doesnt damage anything either
I used a lighter it helped I drive trucks and my lock was frozen came accross your video
This happened 5min ago
Thank you! Heating up my key now ....
Hot lighter worked for me!
Hi. I love this for multiple reasons. Name, Lauren. Working on cars? Same. And... managed to have myself locked inside the car during our first real freeze of the winter here in PA 🤣
Long use of WD40 on the locks is not good on the locks.
Have a can of lock de-icer with a dry lubricant.
if you have a key fob, you have remote lock and unlock..use the unlock botton on the key fob.
if your car has numerical buttons near the door handle...use the door code to unlock the door
WD40 is in fact a fish oil based water dispersant. Invented for NASA, it can be used for a variety of non-engineering applications, including spraying onto a fishing line, so that the fish does not sense it. But the bait on the hook is all that it sees! A quick short burst of WD40 before the cold season starts, will usually suffice.
I keep an electric heater, extension cord and stool handy so I can put heater on stool aimed at door. Turn on and go back inside for a while. We also have another heater inside car, hooked to a remote switch to heat inside of car and melt front window. Just have to remote start 10 minutes before leaving.
you can use hot water but you must follow with wd 40 which drives remaining water away
Just a suggestion, never use WD-40, I am a mechanic and you should get actual automotive penetrating lube. WD-40 will reck the lock.
Never burn up your key some keys are chipped and has a special metal that a lighter or torch can melt the key
my house door froze.I will try the wd 40 as matches and hair dryer did nothing.
hair dryer longer did the trick. Door knob now covered with plastic bag and sock :)
Thank yoouuuu. I am experiencing this as we speak. :P
heating a key not a good idea
Don't use a match, use a windproof pocket torch.
..or a stove if you happen to be home. I tried a normal lighter and it was taking too long.
Shawn Taylor
Don't use a normal lighter. You have to use a pocket torch.