ELANTRA door freeze

I found that all the rain we had recently, followed by the freezing temps caused this in my vehicles too.

If the car is at home, I get a blow dryer out and simply hold it to the lock. It eventually thawed out. When one of my daughter's vehicles froze at the park-and-ride, I got the shop vac hose out, held it to the heater/vent outlet in my truck, held the other end to her lock and waited for it to warm up. It was one way I could think of that got heat from my vehicle to the locks of her vehicle. Then don't lock the doors for a couple days, until it has a chance to dry out and warm up with the in car heater.

I found that all the de-ice and lubricant did little when all the door mechanisms were full of water from the rain and froze. The mechanisms froze, not just the locks.

Good luck ... keep us posted.

Gord

vehicle is not an option. We can fly to the moon, yet cannot make a vehicle to withstand -5C and safely open the door???

All the more reason NOT to lock the doors. If the door is open and nothing in the car to steal, the thief will probably look around and leave. If he thinks there is something to steal, he will break windows, pry doors, etc and will get in. The pro will take your car no matter what locks and alarms you have.

I speak from experience. At least twice I've had my cars broken into with doors unlocked. My only loss is a quart of oil laying on the back seat. Locked cars had damage, often considerable. My brother had his convertible top slashed for a $5 pair of sunglasses.

Well, thank you for sharing this. Yet, it makes me wonder, how many slashed car seats were avoided since most cars are locked. Versus how many would not be broken in, if all doors were open. It is hard to compare. To broke a glass window is a much higher risk than just sneaks in and make a deliberate damage. I wonder, what do statistics say about this proposition.

There may be some statistics, but I only have anecdotal evidence. I know of many people that had cars broken into for theft. I don't know of any that had malicious deliberate damage to the interior of their car, locked or unlocked. I do know of some that have had exterior damage as in eggs and paint balls. I know of cars that were locked and alarmed that were stolen in broad daylight on city streets with both cars and people passing by.

While I think locking a car is a waste of time, I'd NEVER leave a car with keys in it. That is an invitation for trouble.

Unfortunately, insurance company does not agree with the not locking concept. Somebody had a trouble get his claim because a "pro" got inside a car without any evidence of "break in". By non locking you car you void any insurance claim.

I would imaging the police report said the car was locked. Not knowing the details, I can't comment, but it sure seems dumb because there is not enough damage so the claim is denied? Insurance companies will weasel anything and any way they can.

Exactly, no proof that car has broken into = no insurance claim. And if the car is stolen, the first they would ask. Did you lock your car? And you are dead. You have to lock the car to be covered. The choice is yours, I am locking.

**There's also this: Just because your car is unlocked doesn't mean that the same dipshit who would slash a convertible's roof for a $5 pair of sunglasses wouldn't smash your windows. I peruse a couple of auto forums and there have been member stories (and pictures) of cars that have had their windows smashed and stuff stolen. The punchline is: The cars were unlocked.

kaboomie

Maybe I am paranoic, but I lock the car after filling up and go into pay for the gas. Too many car-jacking to take any chances.

The police report will show that the car was locked. Prove otherwise.

Can't say it will never happen, but so far, it has happened to me twice in my favor. Cars around me (locked) had damage, I had none. You want to rifle through my glove box? Go right ahead, there is nothing of value in there. Vandalism happens under many circumstances, but so far, I've minimized my loses.