PCA Forums

Well......with the winter apon us, I now have to look forward to a car in which i cant get my doors open cause they are frozen shut

So i was just wondering, for those who live in colder regions, what do you use to keep your doors and locks from iceing?

I have tried several types of lock de-icers, but none seem to work. Its like I need to use 5 cans at once to open my doors

I could leave them unlocked, but then I take the chance or people stealing my shit, shit that I need to leave in my car

how about a garage? :laugh ... j/k

you could always hook a pelt up to the lock

just take some WD 40 or some Tri Flo some kind of lubricant and spray into them before it starts to freeze... that should keep any moisture out of the locks... it works for me so....

Tri Flo is better than WD40 - WD40 has quite a bit of moisture itself in the propellant.

Tri-Flo uses teflon and will be virtually impervious to freezing.

Never had that problem since using a remote door unlocker...

Originally posted by tunis5000
Never had that problem since using a remote door unlocker...

I am gonna be getting one of the remote starters (hoping to get the remote unlocker too)

I didnt know if it would work cause even if I am inside the car and try to unlock it, the lock is sluggish. damn non powerful electric system

ya we use tri flo at work... that stuff kicks ass... works good on dried out squeeky rubber bushings also

I have one of those remote starters, greatest thing I ever bought. The only problem with it is if you don't turn the bower on it doesn't do much good. I also spray silicon on the door seals a couple of times during the winter.

Maybe you can try replacing the lock with one less vulnerable to ice and stuff? perhaps a visit to the locksmith may reveal more options to you.

heat your key with a bic!

lol john... that reminds me... one time my whole lock was froze couldn't get the key into it... so i took my zippo and heated my key up... it slowly started going in... took it out twice and reheated it... took about 5 min but i got the damn door open

I got your lock deicer right here!



And if you want a remote start let me know. i have a friend that does that for a living and he can give you the hook up.

Whatever you choose, don't leave your doors un-locked... We had two people get their cars stolen at the place I work at - right out of the employee parking lot!

Both of them left their doors un-locked because of the cold weather - so don't do it...

Hey pugsley would that lock de-icer in your pic work for my tranny problem below? I don't think a zippo will do that one

Ok as well as getting the locks to work, don't forget about keeping the doors latched when closed! Also shifting gears!!

I used to use the heat the key with a lighter trick when I lived up north. Also I think using a lock de-icer with graphite in it worked well before they froze to stop them from freezing! Silicine might be as good or even better, but I know graphite used to work for me.

Here's two problems to watch for although less common.

First be sure your door latches are working properly in the cold! Only been in the 20's down here but one day the drivers door on the Daytonna would not latch. Was about 20's the other night and the passenger door would not latch. Really bad thing is sometimes the door felt closed, but bump it a little and it popped right open! Needless to say I used the other car instead!

Also if you got a manual tranny, park where you can pull out and put in 1rst gear. Sounds dumb to say, but hey geuss what! Yep was only in the low 20's and I could not shift gears cept 1st to 2cnd till the tranny warmed up! What the hey on that one? First time it locked up my wife had the car at work, about 50 miles away! Yep, got a call 6am cars broke! SO I get there and the shifter will not move side to side at all, not even wigle! Locked tight as can be and will only move foward and back.
In about half mile of second gear it warmed and shifted perfect! Did it again the other night when the door would not latch too!
Tranny and oil is fine other than the cold problem, and yes I think the manual calls for like 10w30 in the tranny for this one.
Well I geuss the Shelby is all looks and no go in the winter!

As for remote starters, I never used them. I do recall in the past I think it was like illegal to leave an auto running unattended most places. Unattended meant not in it and in controll basically, now they make remote starters for that vary purpose! Sometimes you just have to wonder!
Also don't forget, it wasn't that long ago I think it was Fords that would jump into gear for no reason, just a defect in the tranny. If it pops into gear and does damage your responsable.
ME, I just rough out the cold for a couple minutes and forget about it. Long as I don't have to work on it an hour or wait for a tow truck for 3 hours I am happy

My dad got a spray bottle of Krown, the rustproofing stuff, from the Krown place because they forgot to do a small area, but the ppl there told him it's also good for lubricating and stopping ice from forming in the locks... all I know is that the key slides in nice and smoothly and it hasn't iced yet... though we haven't had any sort of ice storm yet.