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Car on the street covered by icy rain

How To Open Frozen Car Door Latch [Easy Ways]

Do you wake up every day in the morning and then find your car door frozen? If you are facing similar problems due to the snowy weather then this article is going to be very helpful as it will tell you how to open a frozen car door latch.

This happens when you are living in a very cold, icy place like Canada or maybe Moscow. When it rains in such a cold place, the water seeped inside the handle and the lock freezes. This makes the car door frozen and it is going to be hard to open it. The ice may even freeze the door seals.

If you put too much force trying to open you might even damage your handle. Pulling it effortlessly is not an accessible option unless you are getting chased by an elk!

How To Open Frozen Car Door Latch?

There are many ways to open a frozen door. And, the most common ones are mentioned below. This problem can sabotage your schedule, and it can make you late to places you want to go. It can be very time consuming if the correct procedure is not followed.

1. Fix For Frozen Door Seal:

There are many ways to unfreeze a door and the ones down below are the most common ones.

  1. Apply pressure on the car door with the help of your palm. This might break the ice off the seal.
  2. Use a tool to break the ice off the seals and the latch. Make sure the tool is not sharp as it will leave scratches on your car.
  3. Pouring lukewarm water over the ice so it melts off. Do not use hot water as the sudden temperature difference might break the glass window.
  4. You can find De-Icing products almost everywhere. Especially, if you are living in a snowy area. These products melt the ice pretty quickly. There are other alternatives to these like rubbing alcohol, diluted white vinegar, etc. Make sure you use the alternatives when you have a real emergency as these might damage your car.
  5. If you are lucky and have a battery-operated hair dryer then you can try blowing mildly hot air on it. Do not blow very hot air.
  6. There is another way you can unfreeze a car door by using a towel. Pour the tower into lukewarm water and then rub the towel on the seal and the door latch.

2. Fix For Frozen Lock:

If the water has seeped inside the lock, then it is going to be harder to unlock the door as now you can’t push the key inside.

  1. The de-icer can be sprayed inside the lock as it has a very small nozzle. This will melt the ice away and leave a lubricant preventing the lock to freeze anytime soon.
  2. Again if you have a remote hair dryer, you can blow mildly hot air inside the lock with the help of an air concentrator. You can make an air concentrator at home using cardboard.
  3. You can use lukewarm water again but this time you have to splash the water, hitting the car lock and some of it going in. The lukewarm water will get in contact with the lock and make it warmer, melting the ice.
  4. If you have a spare key that is not electronic, you can heat it using a lighter. After heating it the key will simply go into the keyhole and all the ice inside will melt off.

You can even make your methods just make sure you keep the vehicle away from damage. These will certainly help with frozen doors. The most important part is, how to prevent the door from freezing.

How To Prevent The Door From Freezing?

As we all know getting up early in the morning every day, and spending an eternity to unfreeze your door is very irritating and time-consuming and not efficient! If there was a way to prevent the doors from freezing, things would be so much easier. Well, there is.

  1. Covering your car is one of the easiest and the most obvious ones on the list. This will prevent any moisture from collecting on the car and freezing. Just make sure you cover the car properly and that the cover does not fly away if it gets windy.
  2. Grease your car with a rubber conditioner. Silicone sprays work the best for this. You can also use vaseline on the rubber seals. This will prevent moisture from sticking to the car.

Frequently Asked Questions:

So, here are some of the frequently asked questions about how do you open a car door if it is frozen shut, or open a struck car with a latch?-

How Do You Open Your Car Door If It Is Frozen Shut?

You can open your car door if it is frozen shut-

  1. First, you can use an Ice Scraper. Try using an ice scraper to get the job done.
  2. Next, Fill up a container or jug with lukewarm water, and pour it over the door lock, or door frame.
  3. Blow With a Hair Dryer.

How Do You Open A Stuck Car With A Latch?

For opening a stuck car with a clutch you can spray WD-40 directly into the lock and then use the metal key. Remove the interior door panel

How Do I Stop My Door Latch From Freezing?

You can stop door latching from freezing by-

  1. Storm door. This is used for controlling severe weather outside. …
  2.  Metal locks have a magnetic field so that they can be attached with magnets.
  3. Lock Lubricant.
  4. De-icing Spray.
  5. Lighter, hairdryer, or torch.
  6. Weatherproof padlocks.

Does WD-40 Work On Frozen Locks?

No, you should stop lock freezing with Wd-40.

Does Rubbing Alcohol Unfreeze Car Doors?

Yes,  rubbing alcohol can unfreeze car doors as it is the best solvent.

Does Vaseline Keep Car Doors From Freezing?

Yes,both glycerine and vaseline help in keeping ar doors from freezing.

Can I Pour Hot Water On My Frozen Car Door?

No, you should not pour hot water on the frozen air door as the temperature difference can shatter your car window.

Conclusion:

Frozen door seals and locks can be a very prominent problem in snowy areas. This can be extremely irritating and time-consuming. The number one thing to do would be trying to prevent freezing doors. Even after you are very careful about your door not getting frozen,  but getting a de-icer won’t hurt. Always remember “Prevention is better than cure”. I hope this article helped you find out how to open frozen car door latch.