7 Ways to Protect Your Car Doors This Winter

By CarMoney December 7, 2020
7 Ways to Protect Your Car Doors This Winter

Wintery conditions can cause havoc to car owners even when they are not driving it! We are all well aware of what a freezing night in the UK can do to your car doors, with water freezing around the rubber seals and locks stopping you from getting in. This can be a real hassle, especially first thing in the morning and you’re running late as you will need to defrost everything! It is much better and easier preventing it from freezing in the first place. We have a few tips to help you this winter:

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Shelter your car from the elements

The best and most effective way to prevent ice from taking hold of your car is to keep it away from the cold. This may seem obvious and not everyone has a garage to put a car into, but even something as simple as a car cover can make a world of difference, keeping the car dry and the locks safe!

Replace the door seals

The rubber door seals on your car can deteriorate over time as does everything and they can become brittle. If water builds up around these seals, the winter weather will freeze it and it could lead to the door becoming jammed, or worse, water and ice getting into the car! If you see a hole or if they aren’t smooth anymore, it means its time to replace them.

Clean the door frames

If there is dirt accumulating around the door frame, this can cause freezing too, as debris can stop the door from sealing properly and allowing water into the locks and seals. The solution is as simple as cleaning the door frames regularly with warm water and a cloth.

Protect the rubber seals

There are actually specialist rubber conditioners you can buy to stop the seals from turning brittle and ruining their effectiveness. If you have recently replaced the door seals it is worth doing this to keep them working as long as possible.

Protect the door locks

If you aren’t able to keep your car out of the elements, make sure you protect your locks. They are prone to freezing and will stiffen up when the temperature plummets, which could lead to you having to replace the lock cylinder. An easy hack is to cover the door lock with a piece of duct tape. This will help keep the water out of the lock. If you don’t have remote locking, you can coat your key in rubbing alcohol. This prevents any water inside the lock from freezing up.

Sprayable de-icer

This one is as simple as it sounds! If you do come out in the morning and your lock has frozen, a tin of sprayable de-icer could be all you need. Spray onto the lock and wait about 30 seconds before trying again, simple as that!

Heat the key (Last resort please!)

If you feel confident you won’t burn yourself, get a lighter or match and gently heat the metal of the key before inserting it into the lock. Don’t damage the key though otherwise you won’t be going anywhere!

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If you follow these steps, you will never have another morning of endless scrapping and cold fingers! Remember to stay safe on the roads this winter and drive with caution. Happy motoring this winter!

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