The winter season might still be a few months away, but people living in colder areas must start preparing for it early as they know how brutal winters can be! With so much snow and ice around, it is genuinely difficult to gaze through everyday challenges during the winter season!
And besides preventing your home roof and courtyard from getting frozen, you might also be thinking about how to prevent car doors from freezing shut because, in winters, several cracks and crevices in car doors can be frozen.
When the car doors are frozen shut, it not only makes your movement difficult but can also cause other major issues within your car door mechanism. And when you find out that your car door is frozen, you would naturally feel irritated while taking your car out for a journey.
Isn’t it?
While some such instances are easily avoidable, sometimes things can go out of hand real soon. But you need not worry, we have got you covered!
In this article, we are going to discuss in detail how to keep car doors from freezing shut in winter. You will get to know the causes behind such occurring and how to fix the problem at the same time.
So, let’s not waste any more time and get to know about car doors getting frozen during winter in detail. Read on to know more.
Why Do My Car Doors Keep Freezing Shut?
Before heading on to the section on how to open or fix a frozen car door, you must know what causes a car door to freeze shut so that you can prevent it beforehand and don’t have to go through the tormenting process of opening a frozen car door.
While the reasons can vary from vehicle to vehicle, usually, there are a few prominent reasons that cause your car door to freeze shut during the winters when the temperature is at freezing point.
So, what causes car doors to freeze?
First of all, with regular usage of the car door (shutting and opening), the door seals can get torn or withered. And if it rains or you wash the car in such conditions, water can get accumulated in the cracks and crevices of the worn-out car door seals, which can later get frozen when the temperature is too cold.
Sometimes, the car doors frozen shut due to dirt and grime accumulation inside the cracks. With a little amount of water getting into these cracks, your door can get frozen at a lower temperature and will shut instantly.
But no wonder, when there is a problem, there is a solution too! And so, the next sections will help us understand how to keep car doors from freezing shut in winter and fix the problem at the same time. Keep reading to know more!
Do you know? How to Remove Snow from Driveway Without a Shovel
How to Open a Frozen Car Door (6 Quick Ways)
Sometimes, even if you try to prevent the freezing of the car door, you fail to take control. And your car door freezes quite obviously! And then, knowing how to open your car door when it’s frozen shut will definitely work in your favor.
In the following section, we will learn more about how to open a car door that is already frozen shut! Take a look.
Apply Pressure on the Door
If you’re thinking about how to open a frozen car door, this is the most viable solution that you can look out for!
Exerting pressure on the car door can help you break the ice and move the door a little bit, after which you can try to open it by applying more force. But this method can only work well when the ice that is formed in the crack of the door seals is thinner.
When the ice is thin, it is evidently easier to break, and you can do that quite easily by exerting pressure on the car door rubber seal freezing. But if the accumulated ice is thicker, this formula might not work well, and your hard work will go in vain.
You should try the other methods for a better outcome if the ice is thicker.
Remove the Ice Using an Ice Scraper
When the car doors frozen shut heavily and exerting force on the door does not work for you, you must try this method. It would be best if you used an ice scraper to ward off the ice easily from the area of freezing.
While scraping the ice would need a sharp object, and a professional ice scraper is best fitted for the job; if you don’t have any, you can also use other sharp objects like a knife, a spatula, or even a credit card.
The frozen ice must come out when you scrap it and thereby lead to loosening of the shut door lock easily. And if this formula also doesn’t work and you are still clueless about what to do if your car door is frozen shut, try the next method!
Pour Lukewarm Water Over the Rubber Seals
If you are still scratching your head thinking about how to unfreeze car doors, this is one of the finest solutions you can apply. It is evident that when you put hot water on ice, it melts faster and easily. The same formula goes for melting the frozen ice in your car’s door.
At first, you should start with lukewarm water if the ice is not too frozen or the weather is not too cold, as pouring boiling water can damage the other parts of the car door interior.
Put the lukewarm water into the rubber seals and wait a few minutes till the ice melts. This formula can work well if you are looking for solutions to how to get a frozen car door open quickly.
Heat the Frozen Seal with a Hair Dryer
There are several solutions to the problem of how to get frozen car door open! Right from pouring lukewarm water to exerting pressure on the door seal.
But if all the above-mentioned formulas fail to show any result, you can resort to the next solution. It is verily a home remedy, and you can easily use it to de-freeze the ice on your car’s door seal.
Use a hairdryer! Yes, you read that right! Using a hairdryer will eventually melt the ice on the cracks and crevices and make the car doors frozen shut to be operational again.
A hairdryer can easily blow hot air into cracks where neither your hands nor other equipment can reach. But be careful as electricity and water don’t get along well, and a small mistake can lead to big hazards.
Use a Car Lock De Icer
Are you still wondering how to unlock a frozen door lock? Well, this is another super reliable option for you. A car lock De-Icer is a product that can easily be sprayed on the frozen part of the car door, and the ice will melt instantly, which will eventually help in unlocking the shut door.
There might be many de-icing products available in the market today, but the best amongst them is definitely the CRC Ice-Off Windshield Spray De-Icer and Victor Lock De-Icer. With these products at hand, you don’t have to worry about what to do when your car doors are frozen shut!
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
These are easy to use, affordable, safe, and long-lasting as well. The ice will melt instantly after applying these products and will keep the door seals lubricated for a longer time.
Remote Start Your Car
If you have been looking for solutions as to how to open car door that is frozen shut, this could be another feasible solution. While this is a good solution to rely on, it may not work well in too cold temperatures.
If you have a remote to start your car, use it to ignite your car from the outside. The car will eventually start heating up, which in turn will melt the ice in the car door lock system.
This process can take up to 10-15 minutes to show results. You can try this effective method if you wish to wait this long. Once the car gets heated, it will be able to melt the frozen ice, and the locked door will open up.
You might also like: How to Get Ice Off Windshield Without a Scraper (8 Ways)
How to Keep Car Doors from Freezing Shut in Winter (6 Best Ways)
Now that you have known the possible causes of a car door getting frozen shut and how to open it when it does get shut, you would arguably want to know how to keep car doors from freezing shut in winter, isn’t it?
Because, as we said before, prevention is always better than cure! And for that to happen, we have presented the six best ways to prevent your car door from getting frozen during winters. Read along.
Replace or Fix the Worn Rubber Door Seals
It’s almost monsoons now and if you are already thinking about how to prevent car doors from freezing shut in winter, then try this method of repair and maintenance.
Yes, it goes a long way when it comes to keeping your worn-out car door seals in good condition. Most times, the freezing door shut happens due to the worn out or damaged rubber door seals.
And you cannot really keep them in good condition regularly because, with frequent shutting and opening of the car door, the rubber seals are bound to get damaged.
And as we have already read above, the car door rubber seal freezing happens due to worn out or damaged parts where cracks and crevices have already made place. At any point in these areas where water can enter, it will get frozen in lower temperatures.
So, how to keep your car doors from freezing shut when such instances occur? Well, the best solution is to either replace the damaged car door seals or repair them.
If the condition is too withered, you should go for replacement only, but if you think the damage is less and can be repaired well, go to an automobile service center and get it repaired instantly.
Clean the Door Frame Properly
When the car door is frozen shut, it can be due to multiple reasons. And one prominent reason is the accumulation of dirt and grime on the car door frame, which attracts water, which in turn gets frozen in low temperatures.
Even though you replace or repair your worn-out car door frame, if you do not clean it regularly, dirt and grime can get accumulated inside. With a prolonged period of non-cleaning, more dirt will accumulate.
And if it rains or you wash the car, water droplets can get attracted to the dirt and stay on till it freezes in the cold temperature. So, one of the best ways to keep car doors from freezing shut in the winter is to keep the door frame clean and free of dust.
It is also necessary if you want to spray de-icer or lubricants on the car door frame. Because with a properly cleaned backdrop, it won’t be easier to apply the lubricant or spray on the base.
Not only that, these products only work fine when the surface is clean and free of dirt and grime. So, to prevent car doors from freezing shut, ensure you have a clean door frame!
Apply a Silicone Lubricant on the Door Seals
Are you still fussing over how to prevent car doors from freezing shut? Well, a silicone lubricant might help you ward off the stress! If you want to protect your car door rubber seal from getting frozen during the winters, applying silicone lubricant can be the best idea for you.
Silicone doesn’t only lubricate the rubber seal surface but also ensures that the rubber seal is revived, protected, and shined effectively!
So, if you have been thinking about what can you put on car doors to keep them from freezing shut, then you must know that silicone lubricants work the best. Now coming to which silicone lubricants are best suited for the purpose.
Well, there are many that serve the purpose well, but if you want to pick the best among the rest, then you must go with the 3M Silicone Lubricant Plus and WD-40 Specialist Silicone Lubricant Spray.
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Both the products are very effective in maintaining the lubrication of the rubber door seal and maintaining its softness with a rich layer of spray to keep car doors from freezing during winters.
Lubricate All the Door Locks
To keep car doors from freezing shut, lubrication is a trustworthy method. When the car door seal is lubricated well, it will not allow water or ice to get accumulated or attached to the door rubber seal.
It means that with proper lubrication, the chances of a getting frozen door lock are much lessened. But you need to understand that not all lubricating sprays or products are worthy of the work.
There are multiple lubricants available in the market, and you must choose the ones that are effective in lubricating the door locks and also maintain the same for a longer period. It is, in fact, one of the best car door freezing prevention methods that you can rely on.
While it is already mentioned that the silicone-based lubricating sprays serve the purpose well enough, there are other liquids and sprays that can also work well on the car door mechanism to keep it lubricated during the winters.
So, if you have been thinking about how to keep car doors from freezing shut in winter, you can trust the lubrication method without any doubt!
Cover Your Car (Use an All-Weather Car Cover)
To know how to keep car doors and windows from freezing shut in winters, you must know what causes the same in the first place. You already know the prominent reasons behind the same, but do you think all these can work effectively in keeping your car from getting frozen?
Well, of course, they can work occasionally and are genuinely effective in dealing with getting frozen shut during the winters, but one of the most effective methods of prevention is covering your vehicle.
It is the best way to keep your car doors from freezing shut because it will keep the entire vehicle protected from snowfall or rainwater, for that matter and would not allow either of them to enter the surface of the car door.
Not only that, when you use an all-weather car cover, it will also prevent dirt and grime from entering your car door surface and would not allow the accumulation of water on it.
Also, when the car is covered, it remains less cool than when it is kept open in falling temperatures. So, if you are still thinking about how to prevent car door from freezing, you know the answer now!
Always Park Your Car in the Garage (If Possible)
Another best way to keep car doors from freezing shut is to keep the car indoors! Yes, when the car is parked in a garage during the winters, the falling temperature will not affect it too much and cause the door to get frozen.
It is seen in most cold regions that when the car is kept outside, it gets covered in snow and becomes colder during the night hours.
And while most of us use our cars during the daytime, it is verily suggested that we park our cars inside the garage, at least during the night when the temperature falls rapidly.
The car doors frozen shut during the night even more vigorously, and when the car is kept inside in the garage, chances are less that it will get frozen.
It is understandable that you cannot always park your car in the garage (more so when you don’t have any), but if possible, you must park your car in the garage to prevent it from getting frozen during the falling temperature.
Thus, if you have been worried about how to keep car doors from freezing shut during the winter season, you know the best methods already! Try them out and keep your car safer!
How to Prevent Car Doors from Freezing Shut in Winter – Author’s View
As you are already through the last part of the article, you have read about the best ways how to keep car doors from freezing shut during the winters.
There are certain techniques that work for some and certain that don’t! So, it’s best that you have varied options to your rescue so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
And since, you cannot apply all the given methods at once to be sure of the result. So, it is advised you go for the ones that are primarily the best among the rest. And it is not that you will know it beforehand.
Thus, I have come up with some expert opinions. After dissecting all the options well, I have come to the conclusion that the best ways to keep car doors from freezing shut in the winter are:
- Applying a Silicone Lubricant to the Door Seals
- Replace or Fix the Worn Rubber Door Seals
- Always Park Your Car in the Garage
When the car door frozen shut, I think these few formulas will work in preventing it further. However, all the other methods mentioned above are effective in preventing a frozen car door as prominently as these, but if you ask my references, here they are!
You may also be interested in checking out:
- Why is My Car Heater Blowing Cold Air and How to Fix It?
- How to Keep Windshield from Freezing While Driving (9 Ways)
- 13 Best Rust Converter for Truck Frame on the Market Right Now
- How to Tell If Engine is Damaged from Overheating (8 Ways)
