Winter frustration...

Stopsign002

Stopsign002

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I really thought this wouldn't be a problem now that I had a Lincoln but I see I was being overly optimistic. My door mechanisms are freezing. I had to climb in from the back seat today. I got out the passenger side door and it almost wouldn't shut. I need to get into my doors to wire my door speakers better so is there something I can do while I'm in there? I was hoping this problem would be gone with the Escort but not so much lol
 
Spray them with white lithium grease.

All moving metal parts can get stuck regardless of make/model.
 
Not ideal, but you can roll the windows down by holding the unlock button on the key fob or holding the key in the unlock position in the door. Not that I condone playing Dukes of Hazard, but it is better than being stuck out of the car or ripping the door handle off!
 
Haha. I can relate to this. I've never had to climb thru the back though. Usually one of the front ones will open. Hasn't happened yet this year. Wish I had a garage
 
I left my bag w/ my laptop in my trunk over night and when I got to work this morning I couldn't get the trunk open.

I normally don't drive my ls a lot in the winter but my door lock freeze on this car ALL the time. I'm always afraid I'm going to break the el cheapo door handles. Let me know if you find something that works!!
 
Where do you guys live? It gets cold as f*ck here, and I've never had troubles with the locks. Even on days where it's -20 or colder. I have had doors freeze up a little, but nothing with the lock/handle mechanisms.

My trunk has froze a couple times, but again, was nothing with the lock. I used the key in the lock then a quick firm lift on the trunk unfroze the weatherstrip.
 
Make sure you lube the weather stripping. They easily stick to the metal parts. When we lived in Utah I carried a lighter in the winter. If it snowed when working the mid my lock would freeze shut. A little heat on the key (pre coded keys) and it would melt the ice that formed in the key socket.
 
WD-40 displaces water. Maybe try spraying the locks when above freezing and then lubricating. Water gets inside the doors after the weatherstripping starts to wear after a few years. Ford does not sell the horizontal weatherstripping at the base of the window, I think they want you to buy a new door.
 
pektel said:
Where do you guys live? It gets cold as f*ck here, and I've never had troubles with the locks. Even on days where it's -20 or colder. I have had doors freeze up a little, but nothing with the lock/handle mechanisms...
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I think that you are normally okay somewhere that it stays below freezing. Here, it almost never gets below freezing. Where I used to live, it would be damp and above freezing during the day and then below freezing at night. I did have my doors freeze shut there now and then. If you are somewhere that stays below freezing, you probably won't have any water to run into the door cracks and freeze.

It's a similar problem with Christmas lights here. They corrode and short out in the rain. North of here, there is only snow to deal with, so the same light sets are probably okay there.
 
pektel said:
Where do you guys live? It gets cold as f*ck here, and I've never had troubles with the locks. Even on days where it's -20 or colder. I have had doors freeze up a little, but nothing with the lock/handle mechanisms.
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well when its that cold, it pretty much pulls all of the moisture out of the air.

pretty much what joe said, its not so much that it is sooo cold, but its always 35 during the day and 25 at night, so all the frost and sh!t melts during the day and then refreezes at night, so every thing inside the door stays damp all the time, doors freezing shut is a non stop occurrence, so far, i havent had any problems with the LS's yet, but my wife's caviler gets you twice, first the lock itself will freeze up so bad, i actually broke the key off one winter in the door cylinder, then if you are able to get it unlocked, then you have to pry the door open because the seal freezes to the door.
 
Stops,

~ Try this:

take a warm damp clean rag, with a small pale of warm clean water, a little soap wouldn't hurt either, clean the
inside of the door jams, if you look closely there will be a dirt build up where the rubber door seal closes on.

I suggest cleaning the entire door jams, both sills and rubber weather stripping. Dry wipe each door, then
afterwards, use the new WD-40 white lithium grease spray on all the door sills and rubber weather stripping.
Rub it in and polish it around with another clean rag, repeat the following week.

product-lithium.png


For the door locks, internally spray the cylinder door mechanism with WD40 regular penetrating
fluid and work the key inside the lock back and forth a dozen times.

wd40.jpg



Then follow each key hole with the white grease, do the door lock mechanism itself as well,
activate the door lock dozen times to get it to work in, repeat a week later to ensure it got a good coating.

Don't forget the trunk as well, same procedure, rubber seals and metal where it closes on,
trunk lock and locking mechanism.

all just needs the dirt cleaned out of the tracks and re-lubricated.

DSC01736small.jpg



also, carefully run a beat of spray around the window track but I'd use WD-40 clear water resistant
silicone spray on those as to not make a sticky mess with the glass.

When the windows are frozen due to freezing rain do not force the windows down,
it will eventually break the plastic clips inside the window actuators.

079567300014.jpg



Last resort: have a long extension cord ready in the garage with a hair dryer,
work the lock with a bit of high heat and your in.
 
I need to lube my weather stripping. I've crawled through the passenger side probably a half dozen times.
 
clean the dirt off first! both sill and rubber.
 
G-RELL said:
or move
Click to expand...

We just got our 1st winter storm. It's rainy and only ~55º. Brrrrrrrr...... I might have to break out my winter coat if I go out today. May even have to turn on the heat!

It's tough living in Paradise......
 
I think the problem is like what Joe described (damp during the day, freezing at night). Both of us live about 40 miles apart in Southeast MI.

WD-40 sounds like a good idea, I give her a good spray when I get home.
 
LS4me said:
We just got our 1st winter storm. It's rainy and only ~55º. Brrrrrrrr...... I might have to break out my winter coat if I go out today. May even have to turn on the heat!

It's tough living in Paradise......
Click to expand...

Yeah gettign that same front over in the desert. I love winter showers
 
Some LS' had to be made with some sort of fault with door lock grease or something. My 2nd LS locks freeze shut all the time. The first LS never had this issue. I wish I could help you Stopsign but I've tried all the grease/sprays and stuff too, and half the time in the winter I'm climbing through the backseat (usually one of those will open).

I do have remote start and have been stuck waiting for that to warm up before I can in my car before. That beats nothing.
 
pagluy said:
I do have remote start and have been stuck waiting for that to warm up before I can in my car before. That beats nothing.
Click to expand...

You aren't kidding. "Nothing" like waking up at 6am to a text message from the gf saying "My battery was dead, so I just took your car. Can you find a ride?"

Yep, I can. All the way to your work so I can take my car back. :mad:
 
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