Frozen shut!

[poleclimber63]

Winter is starting here and I went out to the driveway, this morning, to jump in my baby, but the door wouldn't budge!! I gently pried it open and started it up to warm things up! The weather was unusual last night as we received a heavy dew then the temp. dropped to -4C. I'm concerned about tearing the door seals during the Winter-- this is just a peek of the coming months! This is the first Winter with my truck, as well as its first exposure to sub zero conditions. I thought about coating the seals with Vasoline... is there anything better? What do our fellow Easterners do in the Winter? Or am I just being a nut?! I had an Olds Cutlass years ago and replacing the seals cost me ton. I don't want to go there.

 

[ddking]

I've always used WD40. Spray it on a rag and wipe em' down.

 

[Doc2012]

Lighter fluid usually works wonders on unfreezing them.

PB Blaster or a cooking oil on the door frame will work well too.

 

[BigFishAllDay]

That's funny. The same thing has happened to me many times over the years. It's always on nights like you said where you get a cold rain/wet snow and then the temps drop.

I'll keep an eye on this thread to see what ideas people have for dealing w/the problem.

I once had to resort to trying all 4 doors, finally getting a back door open, climbing in through the back and blasting the heater to get the fronts open.

 

[thor999]

I have been wedging a car key / prying with fingers, etc... to get my door open in the past, like the last 5 years in MN, and my seals are perfectly intact.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

I park under my weatherproof carshed :fro:

 

[zgensler31]

Happens quite a bit every year in my western pa weather. I generally just bang on around the edge of the door with the butt of my fist and give it a good yank. If its really stuck a nice hockey style hip check to the door will usually do it. If not follow bfads idea and find a door where it will. And if that fails go back inside cuz its too damn cold to be anywhere else.

 

[Stick Figure]

silicone spray on the weather stripping and wax on the door sills is what I used before moving out of the crappy weather region. Always end a spray off car wash with wax since that won't freeze as easily.

and most important buy a remote start and remember to leave that heater on full blast when you get out!

 

[poleclimber63]

great ideas!

Thanks! I'm not sure if I have any WD40 left, I'll try the cooking oil! When I did get the door open, I noticed the door seals were squished flat and were stiff! It sure didnt take much cold to stiffen things up! this door freezing thing never happened with my Chev Suburban, however, I did have the door hinges sag to the point the door would only close half the time, had 2 door handles break off in my hand, had the power lock seize, and I replaced the power window actuator--- all in 5 yrs! I'll take freezing door seals any day (not frozen with cooking oil!!!) Love my truck!

Before my Uncle retired from the Railway, his solution, in the Winter, was to leave his 74' Corolla idling with the choke pulled out a bit, throughout his 10 hour shift (-40F).... he did this for >10years... Dec-Feb....