Need cold weather car door help...

Mongo

Mongo

Joined
Nov 5, 2001
Messages
8,969
Greetings all...
My wife cannot open either front door of her FORD Exploder, but can open the rear doors. Simple solution; enter through rear doors, start vehicle and blast heat, wait, open front doors. I need a more long term solution... can something be applied to the door seal that will prevent it from freezing shut? (It's NOT a lock problem)

Permanent solution.... trade in for a CHEVROLET truck!:D
 
I haven't tried it; but I've heard that spraying the door seal gaskets with silicone works. Again, I haven't tried it myself. We just had a remote start installed on a couple of our vehicles. May or may not be worth it. Definitely handy when really cold outside though.
 
Take a rag and clean door posts on body and seals. Then a GOOD dry silicone spray. I use it all the time and on my 5th wheel travel trailer = BIG rubber seals stuff works!!;)
 
When the ice is comin:

Turn on the wipers, then shut the car down when they're pointing "up". Put plastic bag on windshield secured by wipers, maybe masking tape on the edges. You can also put the little plastic bags the paper comes in over the wiper blades themselves.

Put another bag between the door and frame ("bag" the door) and shut the door. You'll be able to open the door after the ice storm is over. Plus, the windows will be clear.
 
Mongo,
A remote car starter works wonders, but silicone spray will work as will zinc as long as it is not a frozen lock. If it is a frozen lock, than rubbing alcohol (the the high proof stuff) will work in a pinch but there is a icemelt for locks that can be bought. I had a GMC and I went through 2 driveshafts, then I went back to Mopar. I love my little Dakota.
 
To prevent a recurrence, you can coat the rubber seals with WD-40, baby oil, or silicone spray. You would need to reapply frequently, though, but it beats being locked out of your car.
 
Mongo...Buy your wife a crowbar...She should be able to get into her frozen Ford Exploder with alittle prying...Either that, or move to a warmer climate, like Arizona or Florida.:D.:D.
 
Just leave the door open!
happy0009.gif
 
6.0stroker said:
Take a rag and clean door posts on body and seals. Then a GOOD dry silicone spray. I use it all the time and on my 5th wheel travel trailer = BIG rubber seals stuff works!!;)
Click to expand...
So... what is a GOOD dry silicone spray?

BA_Colt said:
Mongo,
I had a GMC and I went through 2 driveshafts, then I went back to Mopar. I love my little Dakota.
Click to expand...
We have a very healthy Ford vs. Chevy thing going on in my family. But, one thing almost everyone agrees upon is... NO MOPAR!!!:D

glockman99 said:
Mongo...Buy your wife a crowbar...She should be able to get into her frozen Ford Exploder with alittle prying...Either that, or move to a warmer climate, like Arizona or Florida.:D.:D.
Click to expand...
Dann, I am a large/fat sweaty Swede... ain't no way I'm gonna move to somewhere warm that either has hurricanes/alligators/giant cockroaches/OJ Simpson or sand/cacti/scorpions/lack of water.
 
powernoodle said:
To prevent a recurrence, you can coat the rubber seals with WD-40, baby oil, or silicone spray. You would need to reapply frequently, though, but it beats being locked out of your car.
Click to expand...

Not WD-40! It is a penetrating oil which over time will degrade rubber and plastic.

A spray bottle fulla rubbing alcohol and a rubber mallet will unfreeze the door fairly quick.
 
Silicone spray works best.
 
tyr_shadowblade said:
Not WD-40! It is a penetrating oil which over time will degrade rubber and plastic.
Click to expand...

WD-40 only contains mineral spirits and mineral oil. The former is highly volatile and evaporates quickly, and the latter (which is the sole ingredient in Johnson's Baby Oil other than fragrance) is what lingers to provide the lubricity to keep the seals from sticking together. I agree that silicone spray is superior for this application, though, but if I knew that a freezing rain was coming and I had no silicone, I wouldn't have the slightest worry about WD-40.

Of course, I spray WD-40 on anything that moves, and many things that don't move. :) JMO.
 
Go to Autozone, Checker, Pep Boys, etc. and get some silicone spray for detailing your car. Ask the sales guy for one that is good for rubber seals. This also works well for window air leaks on pickups with those big rubber gaskets for a seal.
 
You can also wipe the door seal down with a windshield washing fluid that won't freeze. Apply liberally. It won't harm the rubber.
 
Wipe down the rubber door seals with a clean cloth. Do this a few times until there is less black residue on the cloth.
Then take a clean cloth and spray the silicone spray into it until it is saturated. This will take about 30 seconds. Then start to wipe the cloth on the rubber door seals. You'll need to reapply the silicone very often while doing this. If the doors window lacks a frame, wipe the silicone soaked cloth on the window seals also.
If you do this 4 times a year, the seals will last longer and won't freeze in winter.
 
Mongo
ProtectAll!!! got a RV store near you? they will more than likely have it:thumbup: Or some of the tire dressing slickem stuff at your local auto supply store!!!!! ;):D

DO NOT use any thing that degrades rubber!!!!:D think rubber quarter/pointer rain cap!!!!:eek::confused::p:D
 
Electric interior warmers. These are great when the vechicle is coated in ice after freezing rain. Plug it in for half an hour to an hour. Doors defrost, and it is easy to scrap off the ice from the windshield. This is a far cheaper solution than to letting the engine idle at these fuel prices, plus the wear on the engine from idling cold for long periods.
 
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