ELANTRA door freeze

I have 2000 Elantra sedan. This winder the temperature dropped below 5
degree Celsius. All doors are frozen solid. I tried all sort of things
to spray inside the locks, but with no avail. It freezes somewhere
inside the door, not in the lock cavity.

Does anybody knows how to re-lubricate, or loosen this? It locks even
the back doors where are no keys.

 

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

 

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.

 

Reply to message from "Edwin Pawlowski" <> (Tue, 16 Jan 2007
09:01:40) about "Re: ELANTRA door freeze":

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

Agreed. I always find myself thinking that the owner deserved to lose the
car after leaving the keys in it. Then there are those who leave the key in
it and leave the motor running. Some times with a child in it.

Best Regards
Wayne Moses <> Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:13:50 -0600

=== Posted with Qusnetsoft NewsReader 3.3

 

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.

 

You mean they actually took a report ??? Don't forget they can also access
the remote trunk opener once in the vehicle too.