First taste of the cold stuff this year

Iced up for the first time in a couple of years, couldn't get the key in the lock. A little wiggling and the key went in, couldn't turn the lock, some more wiggling and the key turned. Door opened with the slight sound of ice breaking, luckily I sprayed silicone spray on the seals a few weeks ago.

Started up, little spray of deicer on the windows and drove as normal to work, no juddery engine in the cold. Lovely.

Forgot my coat though, brrrrrrrrrr.

Going to have to work out what to do with the lock, oiled it up last week so might have to just lay her up for the cold spell.

WD 40 for the lock perhaps? Not sure if it would prevent ice.

I tend to pour warm water over door seals to free them up.

Good call on the silicone spray, I need to do mine.

I gave the lock some 3 in 1 oil, but the little flap is stuck open, so the rain probably washed it out. Best I get the lock fix done, as the lock on the fuel cap is also stuck open.

I tried the silicone and it has worked, but I have no idea what it might do to the seals, with regards to degredation of the seal itself. Joes got loads of spares, so if gets ruined I'll just have to buy another of him!

Just push open the lock flap and blow - works every time for me

For the locks buy yourself a tin of white grease in one of those aerosol cans with the tube on the nozzle, it's quite 'loose' when you apply it but after the propellant has evaporated it lubricates and sticks well so won't be washed away by rain. Door seal rubber use silicone spray and wipe the door contact areas so they're clean.
Don't use warm water, you're only feeding fuel to the fire should it freeze again the next night.
Winter preparation is the key, normally I talk about this but we've not exactly had a winter this year.

Oooh, I've got that white spray somewhere, that's the weekends jobs sorted. Yes, 2 sprays into the locks is more than enough work for a weekend.

Mark also spray some white grease on lock catch itself, you won't need loads, just a couple of squirts to keep things lubricated.

Had this issue this morning, unlocked the passenger side to dump my man bag in, couldn't open the door. Tried the drivers side, nope, same thing. Back to the passenger door and pulled the handle a bit more and the door freed up, climb in, start the car from the passenger side, pop the bonnet, check water level, all good. Climb back in passenger side, get into the drivers seat and wait 5 mins for the screen to unfreeze / demist, drive. Half way to work, stop and open and close the drivers door since the light was on

Has anyone ever got in via the boot ?

My Mother had to get in via the boot in her old Seat Ibiza when she was in Tesco carpark

Passenger lock had never worked and the drivers one decided to pack up after she'd done her shopping.

Petroleum jelly on the rubbers and over the door locks, silicone spray in the barrels and in the actual mechanisms.

If your handbrake freezes on I found a pan of hot water under the offending side soon freed it off.

I always worried that petroleum jelly was no good for the rubbers.
Eight years on they are still OK.

Too much information