So I took my new car through a car wash today. Yay. It's all shiny and everything. But my car door wasn't shut all the way and water started flooding in and I had to open and shut it quick.

It's also the coldest day in weeks and we're coming upon the coldest week so far this winter. It only reached a high of 7 degrees (F) or so today and there are lows predicted as low as -17.

My lock and handle and door latch froze up. I had driven to a friend's and I was able to get my car to his garage and we blew a hair dryer on it and it seemed to work fine. Then, by the time I got home (10 minute drive) it was frozen solid again. I'm lucky I was even able to get the door shut. My key won't even go in the keyhole to lock it back up.


Any ideas? My plan is to buy lock de-icer in the morning, provided I can get the door shut again once I open it. But is that gonna work when I can't even get my key in the lock it's so frozen?

Buy de-icer as that's what it's for and stop worrying.

JDINTERACTIVE said:

Thanks.

Oh man, that's the worst.

De-icer doesn't always work so well.

JustErin said:

That's what I was thinking.





ah well. Here's hoping.

I thought she had just excepted the truth about being a fool, I had no idea she had harmed an innocent car

WD-40!!!

did you know the "wd" stands for "water displacement"???


lube that bitch up gooood!

CarrieMpls said:

once lock is de iced and dry use a lot of powdered graphite

even put some on your key and work lock back and forth

What car did you buy?

Have some dogs piss on ur car. That'll de-icer it

emm said:

No, the wd40 will then catch dirt and do more harm in the long run

emm said:

It is fantastic

move post haste

Leave the car where it is and go to bed, you'll only get yourself hurt.

LordEvil said:

PS - I think you mean 'accepted'.

ThirdandFinal said:

So do you think the de-icer will work?


I ended up buying a 1990 VW Jetta with only 85.000 miles. It runs great! The locks are just frozen.

luv4u said:

Wd40 has no lubrication properties, it should never go in a lock

It is good a drying electrical parts in cars, that is it

Another solution is find an underground heated public parking lot for the day. Go shopping and come back later.

Imago said:

This really may be my last winter here.

CarrieMpls said:

CarrieMpls said:

The de icer that has a little straw for praying in locks should get you in, don't forget graphite

Jetta's are wonderful cars, keep up with your maintenance though

carrie now do you know why everyone drives horribly dirty cars all winter?
(except those that have the luxury of a garage that is )


the irony is when it is warm enough to wash so you don't freeze everything up
it's probably warm enough to just make your car all dirty again

thedribbler said:

OK, that was the plan for the night. But I need to drive it in the morning.

ThirdandFinal said:

fine, don't put it on the lock
but surely the hinges and whatnot would benefit from a good squirt


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[Edited 1/28/07 18:42pm]

ThirdandFinal said:

I don't know what the graphite stuff is. Will they sell it at a gas station with the de-icer?

emm said:

I know!!

But it's my new car!! I wanted it to look nice.

You know, I even thought of it as I was sitting in the line with all the other cars. I'm SO silly!!

Carrie you really scared with me with those lows of -17. Looks like bad info as the forecast doesn't really show anything below 5 for the next week.

http://weather.yahoo.com/...664_f.html

You will probably need to leave it in a heated garage tonight and I certainly wouldn't lock the doors tomorrow as you may lock yourself out.

I'm actually surprised a car wash was still open today as they usually close at around 10 degrees. Even when it's like 25 I still sit in the drier forever until it turns off.

emm said:

No
automotive hinges should get spray white lythium grease
House hinges should get a few drops of houshold oil
wd40 is a solvent for grease, it causes grease and oil to run out of where they are supposed to be, and then it sneakily covers up the noise that would tell you something is wrong before it's too late

lovemachine said:

I don't have a heated garage!
It's on the street. And it's not locked.

And I got my forecast from weather.com. I suppose they aren't always the most reliable. But it showed Thursday with a high of 1 and a low of -17.

CarrieMpls said:

Powdered graphite, auto parts stores, hardware stores, and locksmiths will have it, and they will know what you are talking about if you ask for it. it comes in a little tube you spray into the lock. (art supply stores also carry it, but in a less usable form)

CarrieMpls said:

Wow the weather channel shows 22 and 11 as highs and lows on Thursday. I have never seen a 30 degree variance in predictions. Shows you how much they now.