How to Keep Car Doors from Freezing Shut

Video Transcript

NATHAN MCCULLOUGH: Hi. My name is Nathan McCullough, on behalf of Expert Village. In these clips, we're going to talk about some of the tips and tricks in order to properly winterize your vehicle. In this clip, we're going to talk about a couple of things on the body that may happen when the temperature's dropped. What may happen is your doors will free-shut, not necessarily the lock or the latch mechanism, but the connection between the metal door frame and your interior weather seal. Now, as you drive the vehicle in the wintertime, of course, it's going to get warm inside 'cause you have the heat on. What will happen is that heat will draw in a marginal amount of condensation. When you park the vehicle overnight, or for a decent amount of time, that condensation will turn to ice. That will freeze the door to the weatherstripping. Now, what you're not going to want to do is just yank on the handle as hard as you can. Tug on it slightly until you can get into one part of the vehicle. At that point in time, you going to want to fire up the engine and let the heat melt away that ice. Now, there is a preemptory step you can take to avoid that situation. You can take a small amount of lubricant, something that won't freeze. I would suggest using WD-40. You're going to want to spray it on to a rag or paper towel, and then, lubricate the entire inside sealing surface of the weatherstrip. What that will do is provide a waterproof barrier. Since oil and water don't mix, the oil will keep the water from intruding into that mating surface and freezing up. The reason why you're going to want to spray it on to a rag, or a paper towel, is that if you were just to spray it directly onto the weatherstripping, it will deflect and you will get the odor and the smell onto and inside of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. One other thing I want to talk about with you is your windows, be it power windows or crank operated windows. If your windows are frozen, it's my strong suggestion, it's personal advice, not to try and actuate them until they've been thoroughly defrosted. The only way to do that is to actually operate the vehicle and to bring it up the temperature and use the heat that's provided by the vehicle to melt that. Once you have it melted, it's okay to go ahead and operate them. I don't suggest using any kind of oil or lubricants on your window surface being that they're glass. And if you happen to overspray, it will be really difficult to clean off and may cause a low visibility condition. There is one other device that's out there that will aid in both of those directions, now that most vehicles don't come factory with them. However, manufacturers are beginning to bring them into the marketplace. They are "remote starters." Now, they're a great invention as long as they're installed properly. What a remote starter does is give you the benefits of being able to start your vehicle without actually having to go outside and get into it. So your doors, windows, and everything else is frozen up, you can step outside your front door, point the remote keyless sensory fob at it, push the button and fire up the engine. That will start it up and get everything warm for you. If you have a remote starter, it is my suggestion to go ahead, and when you park it for the evening, or for any significant amount of time, before you shut it down, they can turn all of your knobs for your heat, and your blower motor, and your rear defrost to the on position, or their maximum setting. What that will do is increase the benefit you get for the time that you leave the vehicle that's running by itself. In most States, and this is just a word to the wise, it is illegal to leave your vehicle running with the keys in it. It may or may not be in your State. Here in Michigan, it is. You cannot leave your vehicle running with the keys in it. If somebody was to hop into it and go joyriding, injure, or cause some damage to somebody else's property, you would be held liable. So I strongly suggest if you're going to warm your vehicle up without you being inside the passenger compartment, have a remote starter installed. Those are just a couple of helpful hints and tips that I have here for you.

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