We have been getting pretty low temperatures here lately. -25 degrees Celsius (-13F) really is a challenge for everyone!

It also presents quite a few difficulties to car owners. I myself own a 1995 Volvo 850. As the temperatures dropped I realised I might not be able to open or lock my car anymore as the locks started freezing over. Since I don't have a remote locking system either it presented quite a problem.

So I came up with an easy fix using stuff I already had at home!

Supplies

A heat gun or a hairdryer
Flathead screwdriver
Good quality lubricant with a thin nozzle
Compressed air (optional)

Step 1: Unfreeze It!

The first thing to do is to unfreeze the car lock. It is easiest done with hot air. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT use open fire! It can damage the paint job or set your car on fire! A heat gun can also damage the paint or melt the plastic so be careful. 30-60 seconds should be enough to unfreeze the lock. You could also hold the dust flap (inside the lock) open so that the hot hair could get inside and heat it up faster. It can be easily held open with a screwdriver or small stick.

As I had compressed air nearby I also decided to blow in the air with a thin nozzle to force out any water inside the lock. I do not really know if it helps or not.

Step 2: Lubricate It!

Now it is time to add the lubricant. It is quite important that the lubricant is good quality (because nothing but the best for your car) and has a low freezing point. WD40 would of course work. It has a freezing point of -63 degrees Celsius (-81.4F) so it´s adequate unless you live in Siberia. As I had a bit higher quality lubricant I decided to use that.

Again you can use compressed air to blow the lubricant to every nook and cranny of the lock but it is not strictly nessecary. Turning the key a couple of times does the trick as well.

There are also special products to help you unfreeze the car lock but I decided to use the stuff I had at home!

I hope this trick helps you!

Take care

Andu

PS: If you ever find yourself on the go with a frozen lock I would recommend warming up the key slightly and then trying to unlock the door.