General How to stop locks freezing

[smc4761]

Its getting to that time of year again. Minus 5 for me this morning. Tried the drivers door, key would not go in. Tried passenger door , that works but could not get door open. Back round to drivers door and opened door there.

I have now rubbed the rubber seals with silcone lubricant and hope fully that will work

I only have the Popular so no remote central locking for me

Best suggestions to allow me to get key into lock and open car

 

[jrkitching]

How to stop locks freezing

Move to Bournemouth. We've not had a frost yet this year .

Seriously though, a squirt of lock deicer into the lock before leaving the car for the night should do the trick. These work better than standard deicer because it contains a lubricant & water dispersant to help stop any more water getting in.

If it doesn't, or you forget, there are various battery powered heated prodders you can poke into the lock to get it unfrozen.

NEVER try to thaw out a lock by pouring hot water over it; you'll fill the internals with water and next time it freezes, it'll be worse than ever.

 

[Thefox]

You can't beat just using the trusty old standard oil can. Repeat after pressure washing.
If you find your lock frozen, just lean your bum or thigh against the lock for a few minutes and that should warm the lock enough to get it working again.

 

[varesecrazy]

You can't beat just using the trusty old standard oil can. Repeat after pressure washing.
If you find your lock frozen, just lean your bum or thigh against the lock for a few minutes and that should warm the lock enough to get it working again.

at MINUS FIVE - you'll have your flesh stuck to the door until spring..

smc4761
use a water dispersant in the lock, , then lightly lubricate - with a light oil,

there was a thread on panda locks last year.. some have no weather flap..

ahem..https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/435750-panda-poular-1-2-lock-question.html

 

[Davren]

Best suggestions to allow me to get key into lock and open car

If all else fails, heat the key blade with a cigarette lighter (or similar). You may need to repeat it a few times.
.

 

[jrkitching]

If all else fails, heat the key blade with a cigarette lighter (or similar). You may need to repeat it a few times.
.

This was a good trick in the old days when keys were just lumps of meta. Bearing in mind the amount of electronics in a modern remote key, and the insane cost of replacement, be careful not to overheat it.

Something like this 1 X Car lock hot key - Frozen lock heater - Keyring torch: Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games on your fob will do the same thing without risking a £300 key.

 

[AB100]

This was a good trick in the old days when keys were just lumps of meta. Bearing in mind the amount of electronics in a modern remote key, and the insane cost of replacement, be careful not to overheat it.

Something like this 1 X Car lock hot key - Frozen lock heater - Keyring torch: Amazon.co.uk: Toys & Games on your fob will do the same thing without risking a £300 key.

By 'eck. Thanks for taking me back to the Eighties. I had one of those back then for the Alfasud. This had the annoying habit of letting you in the car but then the catch not working til the car warmed up. You had to hold the door shut whilst driving. Happy days.

 

[Davren]

This was a good trick in the old days when keys were just lumps of meta. Bearing in mind the amount of electronics in a modern remote key, and the insane cost of replacement, be careful not to overheat it.

Something like this on your fob will do the same thing without risking a £300 key.

It was only a suggestion for "if all else fails".

I only have the Popular so no remote central locking for me

OP doesn't have the £300 remote key, so just a transponder chip in the key, and I wasn't suggesting he heat it up to melting point.
.

 

[Tom95]

By 'eck. Thanks for taking me back to the Eighties. I had one of those back then for the Alfasud. This had the annoying habit of letting you in the car but then the catch not working til the car warmed up. You had to hold the door shut whilst driving. Happy days.

Driving an Alfasud in the winter!? Brave man...

 

[gar074]

In an emergency, you could always resort to the convenient dispenser of body-temperature fluid that nature provided us with (and for some of us at least, nature also provided a handy flexible pipe with which to aim the flow vaguely in the direction of the target)

Don't get too close, though - flesh sticks to frozen metal, and you'd have difficulty explaining yourself to the emergency services!

 

[Super Uwe]

Solution? Just go back to bed!

 

[jimboy]

Graphite spray is your friend, obviously this has to be used when locks are free, but you will never have frozen locks again. On older cars that have open key hole locks, put tape over them.

 

[varesecrazy]

Graphite spray is your friend, obviously this has to be used when locks are free, but you will never have frozen locks again. On older cars that have open key hole locks, put tape over them.

the ISSUE - it's WATER freezing in the locks - get rid of the water, and the lock will be fine..,

all covered in last years thread - by the same poster..:shrug:

 

[jimboy]

the ISSUE - it's WATER freezing in the locks - get rid of the water, and the lock will be fine..,

all covered in last years thread - by the same poster..:shrug:

Yep these things do tend to go round in circles & repeated. New members/lazy members/not using the search facility ah! human nature is what it is. The thing is with graphite spray, once you've got the mechanisms covered ANY further water ingress, if at all, will not stop the lock working.

 

[smc4761]

at MINUS FIVE - you'll have your flesh stuck to the door until spring..

smc4761
use a water dispersant in the lock, , then lightly lubricate - with a light oil,

there was a thread on panda locks last year.. some have no weather flap..

ahem..https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/435750-panda-poular-1-2-lock-question.html

That was also my thread from last year. They did fit the flap and allegedy changed the lock as during really cold weather the central locking was not working at all

 

[smc4761]

the ISSUE - it's WATER freezing in the locks - get rid of the water, and the lock will be fine..,

all covered in last years thread - by the same poster..:shrug:

Yes it was but there are new members who may offer alternative solutions, perhaps some people may be experiencing similar issues and only like to read not post.
Just trying to raise awareness

 

[babbo_umbro]

Have you tried Vaseline? (As the actress said to the bishop.)

 

[smc4761]

Vaseline, not yet.
The problem I have is there is so much conflicting info out there

Some say use Vaseline, some say dont
Graphite same again
WD4 same again

On the plus side a lady I work with has a 65 plate top of the Range, Range Rover and she had the same issue with her locks and had to climb in through the rear hatch

 

[jimboy]

Vaseline, not yet.
The problem I have is there is so much conflicting info out there

Some say use Vaseline, some say dont
Graphite same again
WD4 same again

On the plus side a lady I work with has a 65 plate top of the Range, Range Rover and she had the same issue with her locks and had to climb in through the rear hatch

Trust me on this one buddy. Once you have sprayed all the required parts, graphite is your friend.

 

[Egon52UK]

At the risk of sounding like a newbie (Which i am), Will GT85 work? or is there a better type of graphite spray to use?

Its just have some of that in the shed for the bike, but wasn't sure long term if there was something better to use?