All silliness aside, I've stumbled upon a neat way to keep the car door locks from freezing solid now that I have to store it outside. I scavenged one of those flexible magnetic signs like you see stuck on the sides of cars to advertise a business, and trimmed it down so it completely covers the door handle and lock. It provides a good seal against water than can trickle into a lock and kill your morning commute before it even starts. It has worked well through several freezing rain incidents this season. BTW, I also lubricate my locks with WD-40 at the beginning of the winter.

Good idea, but just in case, a quick fix for that frozen lock goes like this: Holding the key in a GLOVED hand, heat it with a lighter, insert the hot key into the lock and in one or two applications the lock should thaw. *WARNING* I don't know if this method should be used if the key has a computer chip in it, my guess would be NO!!! but it works fine with a plain jane metal key.

Troy

For the best prevention of freezing locks, use a graphite lubricant with a pure alcohol carrier. Any oil will tend to gum up in the winter weather, and especially if it collects any kind of dirt that may gum up the works. With graphite, the graphite is a solid left behind after the alcohol evaporates and it will not pick up dust or dirt or gum up.

Bountyhunter

We had this problem with our ambulances when water would get in during car wash and storage. It was a big problem since our outside compartments with emergency equipment were getting impossible to get into (huge no no during the call). We solved the problem by putting medical tape over locks when in storage or when going thru the wash. But if by any chance it happened my windmill torch/ key heating technique worked fine. Also WD40 was used very richly in order to keep them in tip top shape.

Matt

why haven't i heard any of you talking about defrosting fluids. The sell special lock defrost liquids in tiny squeze bottle's. Just stick it in to the keyhole and squeze. there is even printed on the label that you should NOT store it in the glove compartment. They also got versions to defrost window.

Haven't heard because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Either that, or since the fluids can not be stored in the car itself, they are useless for the return trip, only good for leaving home. And when the fluid runs out and you are locked out of the car, you can not go get more.

the liquid isn't supposed to be stored in the car, because you won't be opening the door with it, wenn you are standing out side and the defrost liquid in side ! It can be stored in the car, but the label says to put it in your pockets, bag or whatever, so it won't be inside, wenn your out ! i agrea with the prevention thing, but it's also nice to have a back-up.

The defrosters are usually alcohol based and wash the lubricant out of the lock. The lock will freeze easier and the action is not as smooth as it could be. I have seen locks that needed real force to turn the key even in summer time because of that. A bit graphite powder cured this immediately.
The defroster should be a last resort and it should not be confused with prevention.
BTW: I agree that it´s a good thing to have defroster with you just in case you need it.

For emergency situations, there is always one's own biological, on-board defrosting fluid, if you know what I mean. This is perhaps more easily accomplished by males than females. Unsavory, yes, but effective. Just clean up as soon as possible, and don't bother telling subsequent passengers, as it will only cause turmoil.

I wouldn't use that on more than one door, ever. Because it's mostly water, it will refreeze quickly, so that by the time you get to your destination, your lock will be pretty much seized up.

It's my experience, driving in Canada, that it's somewhat rare for all the locks on your car to freeze. On several occasions, I've had to crawl into the driver's seat from the passenger side, and I suppose in a crisis, I could crawl into the front from the hatchback; but I can't recall ever being completely frozen out, even when I've been silly enough to run the car through the car wash without checking the weather forecast for the next day <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Keeping a small bottle of lock de-icer in the glove compartment isn't such a silly idea, if your main concern is not being frozen out of your car, but avoiding the annoyance of having to crawl in and out through the passenger side until Spring springs. <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />