Stuck frozen car doors

[Jimw]

Slightly off topic Anyone got any suggestions to keep car doors from freezing stuck. Yes, I know a heated garage would help, but I dont have that. I'm looking for something to put on the door gaskets that will prevent them from freezing to the door frame. One was so badly stuck that the gasket came off part of the door, and I had to re-glue it. I've been late for work 4 times in the past month because of this, and my boss is not happy about it. It's a pickup truck, if both doors are frozen, there is nothing I can do except get a hair dryer and begin unthawing it, which is the last thing I want to do on a cold winter morning. I had this problem on other vehicles in the past, but for soem reason this pickup is worse than others. Probably because it dont have those small roof "gutters" like most other vehicles I have owned. (poor design).

thanks for replies

Jim

[Mark]

Our local weather forecaster says that putting a small piece of cardboard in the door when you close it will keep it from freezing. I haven't had a chance to give it a try and since he wasn't good enough to give a demo on how or where to put it I guess it would be trial and error to see if it works. He did wave around a piece of cardboard, looked like something cut from a cereal box about 5x7 in size.

[hallerb]

bucket of hot water on door when froze.

try to keep the seal dry. i was told wax helps keep it from sticking.

a god place to ask this question is probably a alaska board. been watching a show tougher in alaska, they must heat water supply tanks and even sewer lines

[cshenk]

"Jimw" wrote

Not too bad actually, we range around here.

I know the feeling. Not all of us have a garage much less a heated one.

Several fixes, depending on conditions there. Simple one for the seals, oil with WD 40 or vaseline. Now if you get actual rain water down there freezing, you need more.

The 'country redneck special' works til you can get real rain guards. This is a bit of firm plastic around the top where water can leech in, over the door from the roof. Sorry, it's not pretty and gets duct taped in, but you get to work on time and in these days, you do not need to risk a job. I'd rather look like a rednck, than lose my job ;-)

[Oren]

Vaseline.

Lightly lube to door gasket seal with a cloth.

[Bryce]

Silicone spray on the gaskets and on the metal frame where the gasket makes contact when the door is closed.

[Steve]

I also use silicone spray on the door and the weather stripping.

[SteveB]

I have absolutely nothing to offer but sympathy. We've had one of those hundred year winters here, and about 14" of snow so far. I don't know how people cope with frozen car doors and all the other stuff. It is hard enough around here just trying not to fall and bust yer keester.

Where in the heck is all this global warming stuff? If you see it, please send it to Southern Utah.

Steve

[Jerry - OHIO]

I once grabbed the wife's cooking spray from the kitchen and kept it in an Olds,we once owened, it was the cheapest fix for that damn car. I haven't ever had that problem with any other car.

Jr

[Oren]

"Global Warming Claims Two Aussie Tourists" *

Almost one in three of the 600,000 visitors to the region's two glaciers ignored warning signs and entered danger zones in 2007, the Department of Conservation said.

All the recent snow in Vegas damaged my pool solar heater frame.

[Jim Yanik]

"cshenk" wrote in news:y7aal.3177$ [e-mail]:

I sure would not use WD-40 for door seals. It will turn gummy,and cause dirt to cling to the seals.

[terry]

Also house doors. Twice had to go over and push in neighbours metal front door which had frozen shut around its periphery to the door box.

Problem in part caused when homeowners do not have a storm door, opening outwards, outside of the main door.

[Red Green]

"Mark" wrote in news:mG9al.8056$3 [e-mail]:

Something more elegant and lasting is probably what's being looked for...like the various lube replies. But if this approach were to be taken, I'd use waxed paper. Cheap, disposable and not so frikkin' ugly and obvious. How about searching the Car Talk site. They may have a forum, Q&A, etc.

[Steve Barker]

put it in a garage.

OR

most of the time only one side gets it real bad. You can either 1. get in the other side, or 2. turn the car around so the drivers side is away from the wind and doesn't get icy as bad.

some silicone spray lube on the rubbers may help keep them from sticking.

s

[Marina]

Jim Yanik wrote in news:Xns9B8FE798E14A1jyanikkuanet@74.209.136.87:

right, Use a silicone based lube or spray for prevention.

If you have a teflon spatula with a somewhat thin edge, take the spatula and run it around the car door between the door and the rubber seal of car. Kind of wiggle it back and forth until you can feel the ice 'give'. The teflon won't scratch the metal on the door and is stronger than a plastic spatula which would just break.

If my car doors freeze, it's usually at home with the car parked overnight. I use a spatula for ice I can see on the outside of the car. For between the door and the car body. Then I use a rubber mallet and lightly tap along the top edge next to the roof and the vertical edge by the door jamb. Always use a folded towel between the mallet and the car, so that you are actually hitting the towel and not the car directly. This tapping works every time.

And remember NOT to keep the mallet in the car. Marina

[Ed Pawlowski]

A remote starter helps too. If you warm the car it may be enough to release. If any precipitation is expected I set it to DEFROST and turn up the blower. I do give the door gaskets a spray with silicone though.

[clare]

Propylene Glycol and glycerin mixedand wiped or sprayed on does the trick The glycerin thickens it up and keeps it in place, as well as lubricating the rubber. Vaselene is NOT good for the seals - it will rot the rubber, as will WD40. Silicone is a real bugger if you need to do any paint work on the car in the next ten years or so.

Glycerin and Propylene glycol are both rather innocuous and do not harm the paint or the rubber. Don't stain your clothes too badly either if you rub against the rubber getting in or out.

[aemeijers]

I haven't had the problem in years, but when I did, I always used silicone spray. That crap they sell for making dashboards shiny would likely also work. (I love having a garage and parking inside, after

20-some years out in the cold.) The rubber or vinyl compounds in modern door gaskets seems to handle the problem much better- less UV sensitivity, so the surface breaks down slower. I, too, miss the old-style rain gutters on cars, which went a long way in keeping melted snow from running into the door cracks.

-- aem sends...

[Phisherman]

Although I have not tried this, it makes sense. A thin layer of Vaseline should stay put on the gaskets. Try to keep water off the gaskets.

[RicodJour]

Rub a candle on the door frame. It will conform to the contours. It's easier to control the application than using silicone spray, and both wreak havoc with repainting, so it's good in the long term to put the stuff only where you really need it.

R