Technical Can't open doors from outside when it's freezing

[TURNSKIN]

Hi,
I have fiat stilo 1,9 JTD 85kW, 3 door
Few days before I started to have such problem: if temperature falls lower 0C I can't open doors from outside (left and right door, but boot opens OK). I mean car is open, but I can't move door handle, its looks like stuck. So I have to open windows and open doors from inside. After driving 20 km with heater full on I can open both doors. While i can open doors I tried to spray WD40 but still no help. Next morning I still can't open doors.
Today I tried to disassemble doors and see what's problem, so I lubricated all mechanism with solidol (solid oil, consistency like en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_jelly , buts its oil with freeze temperature less that 20C) and it worked perfect, but after I combine door back, door handle was stuck again.... ( i was working outside and temperature was around -5C)
Maybe some one has ideas how can repair this?

 

[yellowstilo]

did you lubricate the cable between the door handle and the lock mechanism?
Moisture gets into it and freezes - only heat and lubricating will unlock the frozen cable (i just experienced the same today....)
You can lubricate the cable by unlocking the retaining screw for the door handle (under black plastic cover) just above the mounting screws of the lock mechanism and partially taking out the handle with it's cable.
good luck!

 

[Yellow Peril]

A jug of warm water poured over the door handle and around the door seals usually cures it.

 

[TURNSKIN]

did you lubricate the cable between the door handle and the lock mechanism?
Moisture gets into it and freezes - only heat and lubricating will unlock the frozen cable (i just experienced the same today....)
You can lubricate the cable by unlocking the retaining screw for the door handle (under black plastic cover) just above the mounting screws of the lock mechanism and partially taking out the handle with it's cable.
good luck!

thank you so full answer.
i was talking with my friend today, who works here in official fiat service. he said they had costumer with same problem. he said they had to disassemble all door to lubricate that cable.
thank you very much again!

 

[TURNSKIN]

Hi yellowstilo,
i tried to do like you said, i found that retaining screw, but when i try to remove(unscrew) the screw its goes out of door for 5mm and stops. same on both doors. i dont want to brake my door handle
please, can you give me more detail instructions?
thank you very much again!

 

[ABZSTILO]

A jug of warm water poured over the door handle and around the door seals usually cures it.

..... but will also add more moisture to the problem especially around door handles creating much the same problem again the next morning

I've had the same problem here in tropical NE Scotland, best bet I've found is to spray as much lubricating/penetrating oil pump as possible into the system. Have taken the door trims off and sprayed everything again that's reachable from the inside. Longer term fix is to try and get as much vaseline into the system as possible (white grease may do the same job) to stop moisture getting into the cabling etc and freezing.

Finding the motivation to actually take it all apart and do it I must confess is sorely lacking on my part - but oddly the idea crops up every time the car freezes up

 

[Andymacselespeed]

A decent spray of silicon spray on the door handle, and I kid you not, wrap a tea towel or similar around the handle so it covers the area. That'll stop it sticking.

Other possibility is start to park it closer to a wall, or a shrub or something like that on the side you need to get into. The shelter will stop the frost getting at the system.

More extreme measure, get a remote popper fitted to the offending door. It'll need a seperate remote control, but will then pop the door lock open without needing the handle to move.

 

[StevenkSengwayo]

Other possibility is start to park it closer to a wall, or a shrub or something like that on the side you need to get into. The shelter will stop the frost getting at the system..

Yeah that I do that to stop passenger side door freezing.

 

[pycoed]

Hi,
I have fiat stilo 1,9 JTD 85kW, 3 door
Few days before I started to have such problem: if temperature falls lower 0C I can't open doors from outside (left and right door, but boot opens OK). I mean car is open, but I can't move door handle, its looks like stuck. So I have to open windows and open doors from inside. After driving 20 km with heater full on I can open both doors. While i can open doors I tried to spray WD40 but still no help.
Maybe some one has ideas how can repair this?

Welcome to FIATS!! Its a common achilles heel of the marque. Don't bother trying to fix it - just work around it. It's happened on every FIAT I've had (Uno, Tipo, Tempra estate, Bravo HGT, Punto ,Bravo JTD & Marea Weekend. Every single one) never managed a permanent fix to any of them.
Last week, my son working 350 mls from home poured hot water over the Weekend drivers lock to get in & start it to warm up. When he came back 2 mins later, car had locked itself, engine running (key in ignition), heater on full blast, spare key 350 miles away at home!!!

 

[Ged20D]

same with me the other day wih me made me laugh

no time to mess opening the door as late for work so opened the other and couldnt close. made me laugh

sorted in the end

 

[john55]

A decent spray of silicon spray on the door handle, and I kid you not, wrap a tea towel or similar around the handle so it covers the area. That'll stop it sticking.

Standard practise in cold countries. Also wipe some silicon around the door rubber seal / window seals to stop them sticking.

Ice does not stick to Silicon.

 

[TURNSKIN]

its around -20C here for a week and all this week i can open mine doors normally
glad that i can open windows with remote control
p.s. added instruction for handle remove from fiat stilo cd.

 

[birdman]

Doors won't open

Went to open the doors this morning on my 2 door stilo and was frozen. It appears that after trying both doors did manage open one the problem is now that both doors won't open, it appears the handle will move and both door knobs will unlock and lock, the doors just don't respond
Got in through the hatch heated the car didn't help?
Any ideas?

 

[LoBsTeR]

Re: Doors won't open

I usually climb through the boot if neither handle will work. I work shifts so have to leave at all hours of the night. I'm supprised my neighbours haven't called the police suspecting a theft, lol.

 

[TURNSKIN]

Re: Doors won't open

have you tried open windows and open doors from inside?

 

[yellowstilo]

i just did the door handle removing trick (see picture above) and was able to lubricate both cables left and right by lifting the mechanism with a screwdriver and spraying a graphite-based thin oil on the cable whilst moving it up and down to get the oil into the cable.
No more problems with frozen door handle cables - it's definately worth the effort ! (just half an hour for both sides...)

 

[Argonought]

I was locked out this morning, due to frozen rain, although hatch still opened.

Most impressive part was my 7 year old battery starting 1st time although getting the 'loose connection' message.

On board computer clearly not happy about voltage levels :chin:

 

[dal31]

And I thought it was just my car with this fault Its put a smile on my face knowing that everyone has to climb through the boot lol.

 

[jackson74]

i climbed through the boot monday morning, forced the drivers door open from the inside but still knackered up the door mechanism, had to drive to work holding the door shut then pay £150 for a local garage to fit a new mech whilst i was in work, in future if the door handles frozen up i wont touch it, will just walk to work instead!

 

[B3NNETT]

i climbed through the boot monday morning, forced the drivers door open from the inside but still knackered up the door mechanism, had to drive to work holding the door shut then pay £150 for a local garage to fit a new mech whilst i was in work, in future if the door handles frozen up i wont touch it, will just walk to work instead!

or just take a jug of warm water out with you in the morning and poor it over the handle and door above the handle and gently work the handle and it will unfreeze and let you open the door