Many problems with car door latches happen in older vehicles and are the result of normal use.
Frozen door lock mechanism car.
For all metal keys placing the key inside the lock will make for a faster lock thawing process since the heat will travel down the key and into the iced up lock mechanism.
You may also want to check with a mechanic to ensure it isn t a warning that the mechanism may need repair or replacement.
First this method is not recommended if you have a specialty key with internal electronics as this.
Another way to prevent frozen locks is to dip your key into vaseline put it into the lock and turn the lock back and forth a few times.
The last thing you want is a broken key or lock or even worse a key that breaks off inside your lock.
Hypothetically we ll cover a car s frozen lock from the perspective that you re leaving the house and ready to head off to work in the morning.
We should note that this is a whole different story however if you were to stumble upon a frozen door lock after a day at the office after seeing a movie etc.
When trying to unfreeze a car door lock vaseline or another similar petroleum jelly product can be very effective.
To defrost your lock simply coat your key with hand sanitizer and insert the key gently into the frozen lock but do not force it.
What to do when de icing car door locks 1.
Unfreeze car door locks with petroleum jelly or vaseline.
If you re struggling to get your key in wiggle it around a bit until it gently slides in.
Heat up the key.
Over time the components wears out and makes it difficult to open and close.
One way to prevent this from happening is to place a magnet over the lock overnight.