Cars in Winter

[Mups]

Minus 2 here this morning, and everythings frozen.

Does anyone else ever find their car door has frozen to the rubber seal surrounding it?
If so, what do you do to get it open again.   You can't just yank it incase it pulls the seal off.

Somebody told me last year to smear Vaseline all around the rubber and it stops it freezing.
Any other ideas please?  What do you do?  
Thanks.

[klondike]

My solution is to not use it when it is freezing and hope there is a thaw coming.

[dextrous63]

I park my car in the dining room.  What else are French doors for?

[Scrumpy]

I have had that happen to me..  I just walk away from it..
Vaseline sounds like a brilliant idea.. 

I have to park my car outside.. I don't have a dinning room..
Everything goes on in the kitchen.. 

[dextrous63]

Realistically though, one of those covers for the top of the car would make sense in terms of keeping frost and snow off.

Bit of a bind to put on and drag off, but better than the alternative.

[klondike]

Vaseline sounds like a brilliant idea..

Until it collects muck and you get it all over your best frock getting in....

November 20, 2024, 09:38:41 AM

Everything goes on in the kitchen.. 

[Alex]

WD 40 

p.s. thought I'd better check that,

"Anything that might react with rubber is definitely not recommended. This includes solvent-type sprays like WD-40 or common household Vaseline. Either might seem like it's helping until you notice that your door seals are disintegrating rapidly"

[Mups]

My solution is to not use it when it is freezing and hope there is a thaw coming.

But that's not much help if you have an appointment and have to go out. 

I also topped up my Screenwash this afternoon, and check the oil,  and got some WD40 Silicone spray to squirt on the rubber seals.   Apparently that should do it.   I've covered my windscreen tonight too.
Can't do any more.

*

Alex,  I have only just seen your warning, but its too late,  I've already done it.   It's not the ordinary WD40,  its a silicone spray,  and it says on the tin its for Rubber, Metal and Plastic.
Oh well . . . . .
 

[Alex]

But that's not much help if you have an appointment and have to go out. 

I also topped up my Screenwash this afternoon, and check the oil,  and got some WD40 Silicone spray to squirt on the rubber seals.   Apparently that should do it.   I've covered my windscreen tonight too.
Can't do any more.

*

Alex,  I have only just seen your warning, but its too late,  I've already done it.   It's not the ordinary WD40,  its a silicone spray,  and it says on the tin its for Rubber, Metal and Plastic.
Oh well . . . . .
 

I think the ordinary WD 40 is what they were talking about, that silicone spray sounds ideal.

[GrannyMac]

Warm, not hot, water? 

[muddy]

I am in Spain and it's still sunny will be back in the U.K. in three weeks and I'm dreading it I hate the cold.

[Diasi]

Minus 2 here this morning, and everythings frozen.

Does anyone else ever find their car door has frozen to the rubber seal surrounding it?
If so, what do you do to get it open again.  You can't just yank it incase it pulls the seal off.

Somebody told me last year to smear Vaseline all around the rubber and it stops it freezing.
Any other ideas please?  What do you do? 
Thanks.

I've never come across that problem.

As well as using a temporary fix I would suggest finding the actual cause.

A possibility is a damp issue in the car, where water has got under the carpets, at least on the driver's side, causing condensation which has then frozen.

[klondike]

Old cars often have iffy seals and tend to be a bit damp. When it isn't freezing it is badly misted windscreens. That problem doesn't happen when it's freezing because the doors are frozen up and you can't get in.

[Scrumpy]

Warm, not hot, water? 

Correct..... That is what I do.. Works every time..
I don't have a garage.. One side of the car gets the early sun.. the other stays frosted much longer..

I did use Wd40 on my ignition key to unlock my petrol cap... because it wasn't unlocking..
 Diasi advised me to do this.. It worked a treat..

[klondike]

One side of the car gets the early sun..

Park with the driver's door facing that way. It will save climbing over from the passenger side.