How to Thaw Frozen Car Doors and Locks

Winter mornings often lead to icy doors and frozen locks. Plan ahead to avoid being late by keeping a few tools available to thaw out the icy driver's side. The car may be frozen inside the lock, preventing the key from unlocking, or frozen along the door seal. If the seal is frozen, even an unlocked door can be impossible to open without thawing or causing damage to the car.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Commercial de-icer
• Cigarette lighter
• Blow dryer
• Thick gloves

Determine the Best Door to Open

1. Gently try to open each car door to see which is the least frozen. Try the doors that have had the most recent sunlight, or are facing east. If the handle lifts, pull gently but firmly on the door to see if the ice around the seam cracks.

2. Wearing thick gloves, firmly press your palms along the door's cracks and push. If the door gives a little, the ice around the seam should crack. Try lightly hitting along the door crack with both palms. If the ice cracks, try to remove chunks while wearing the gloves.

3. Test the back hatch if none of the passenger doors will budge. If the back hatch or tailgate is thawed, crawl into the driver's seat to crank the car.

4. Allow the car to warm up at least 5 minutes before trying to force open the frozen doors from the inside. Forcing the frozen doors may damage the door seals.

5. Run an extension cord from the closest electrical outlet and use a blow dryer to thaw the doors. Hold the nozzle of the blow dryer close to the door seam and slowly run it up and down the door. As the ice cracks, use your hands to breaks it away.

Using a Heated Key

6. Keep the gloves on and hold the car key by the end. Pass the flame of a cigarette lighter back and forth beneath the key until it heats up. Commercial de-icers may be squirted into the lock instead of a heated key, if available.

7. Test the heated key in the frozen lock. Jiggle the heated key to help thaw the lock if it does not immediately unlock.

8. Repeat the process with the lighter to reheat the key if it cools off. Continue inserting the hot key into the frozen lock until it thaws enough to turn the key and unlock the door.

9. Once the door is unlocked, test to see if the door is still frozen by pulling gently but firmly on the handle.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid frozen locks and doors in the mornings by parking your car so the early sun hits the driver's side door. Avoid parking in shade or facing away from the sun. If stranded in a parking lot without tools, press your thumb to the car lock for a few minutes. In a pinch, the warmth from your skin may thaw the lock enough to open it.
• Do not use chisel tools to pry open doors around the frozen cracks. You will damage the seals and the paint job and risk injury to yourself. Be aware that thawing a lock may not allow a door to open if it is also frozen along the seal. Never force the doors open, even from the inside, as it will cause damage.

[sohodojotimlynn]

on 1/27/2009 An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of maintenance. If you know that the temperature is falling or about to, put a piece of masking tape over your door lock(s) to keep moisture from getting inside and freezing. Ready to travel? Hold your key in your hand to warm it up a litte, peel off the tape, insert key and voila! .... sometimes this works; sometimes it doesn't --- but it's a simple prevention that can save you time when you are standing at your car door in a freezing hurry!

[BigDiamonds]

on 1/3/2009 never thought about all this, really informative.

[opalpearl3]

on 1/2/2009 Great article.

[Rockney]

on 12/24/2008 Great ideas! 5*!

[Teachforever]

on 12/23/2008 With the weather we are having this comes at a good time.5*****