I received a couple of excellent …

I received a couple of excellent responses regarding my frozen doors/locks problem. Unfortuntely, I’m beginning to think it’s a problem that has more to with with the electronic locks my car has. I know the cold temperature is causing the problem, but I think that most of the solutions offered aren’t going to work, as the locks are powered electronically, including the locking mechanism. This is leading me to the conclusion never to buy another Volkswagen [I have a 1995 Jetta III].

Solutions:

  1. Heated brandy in a spray bottle
  2. Heat car key with butane lighter
  3. Prestone spray de-icer

Update: I was able to get the driver’s side door open once, and sprayed a healthy dose of WD-40 [what I refer to as liquid duct tape] into the locking mechanism, and opened and closed the door a couple dozen times to work it in. Problem solved. Or so I thought. The last time I closed the door, it refused to open again. Very frustrating. Damn stubborn car.

How can you not read a story such as this one?

What? What’s that I hear? Car doors don’t freeze shut in San Francisco?

Check out #23 on this list of Technical Service Bulletins for my car. Unfortunately, this means that it’s still my problem and not the manufacturer’s.

Posted by Cameron Barrett at December 22, 1999 09:22 PM

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