Frozen Car Door? Here's How to Fix It!

I went out at 5:30 this morning to warm up my wife's car and clear the windows, so she could eat breakfast and head to work in a warm vehicle. Obviously, the sun was not up yet and, from the looks of the activity on the parking lot, neither was anyone else. So it was me and the nippy morning air to keep each other company. Our conversation was periodically interrupted by a brisk burst of wind, which like to brush it's cool hand across my face with the tenderness of an ice pick.

I expected the car to have a nice crusty coating of ice when I arrived at it, so I knew this was not going to be a super quick task. After traversing the black asphalt parking lock that was littered with cars parked haphazardly, snow and ice, I reached my destination. I took my gloved hand and brushed most of the snow from the driver's side door and proceeded to insert the key into the lock. With only a little difficulty, I turned the key and felt the lock give in to my gentle, pursuasive touch. I recalled the last time I battled the frozen vehicle, and I was thrilled to know that I was going to be able to enter the driver's side this time.

I gently pulled up on the handle and felt absolutel no give in the door's position. Hmmmm... I pull a bit harder. Nothing. I push in on the door frame and then pulled the handle. Nada. I began the complicated manuever known as the "Frozen-Lock Rock". For those who might have never heard of this classic winter activity, I have included the following description.

First, make sure you are standing on ground which will provide you with stability, balance and most importantly leverage. Place your left foot closer to the car than your right foot, with your left foot pointing almost directlty at the target area and your right foot parallel to the vehicle.

After confirming your stance, place your left hand on the frame of the door. Some people prefer to press directly against the door, but I recommend using the actual frame of the door to press against, as this will prevent any possible denting of the door itself. Plus, using this area to place pressure makes sense when you consider that the frame of the door is the item you are attempting to dislodge from its frozen state. With your left hand in place, take your right hand and firmly grasp the handle. (It is always a good idea to verify that the door is in fact unlocked prior to initiating the "Frozen-Lock Rock", as the move is rendered utterly pointless otherwise.)

With your left hand on the door frame, right hand on the handle and your legs in position, begin to gently lean into the car with your left hand while pulling up on the handle with your right hand. There may not appear to be an effect at first - this is to be expected. Continue to press into the door frame with more voracity, which should cause the entire vehicle to begin to rock. It is at this critical point when one must consider the rule of diminishing returns. If the door does not seem to be loosening at all, or if you have not heard any ice cracking then you must proceed to the next vital step in this process.

If the initial "FLR" fails, do not be discouraged. It took your car longer than 2 minutes to become frozen solid, so it stands to reason that it might take a few minutes to get it back to its friendly, welcoming state. The next step in this process is the "Pound Around". This is a step that is often forgotten or even unknown to many people, when it comes to entering a frozen vehicle. It is not a hard step, but it can be quite dangerous if not performed correctly. After slightly modifying your "FLR" stance make a fist with your dominant hand (usually the right hand) and proceed to bang it against the door frame, making contact with the door with the bottome (pinky side) of your fist. Proceed to pound around (hence the name) on the door frame at all possible point of contact with the vehicle frame. This will potentially cause the frozen connections to become loosened.

After performing the "Pound Around" to personal satisfaction, proceed to re-initiate the "Frozen-Lock Rock". This cycle may need to be completed several times before the vehicle is freed from its ice bondage and thus allowing you entry. If there are no signs of progress after several attempts, you will need to attempt to enter through another door, which may also require the use of these techniques.

Well, I performed the FLR" and the "Pound Around" for nearly 25 minutes before I finally got the door open. I couldn't go in through another door, because the passenger side lock was frozen completely in the locked position. I headed back inside to change and get ready for work. Fourty five minutes later I was back out on the parking lot attempting to get into my car. Fifteen minutes later I gained entry through the passenger side.

I turned on my radio and was told that the temperature outside was 8 degrees with a windchill of negative 4. Yep, I'm pretty sure it was unhealthy for me to spend 40 minutes outside pounding on two frozen cars this morning. But I survived, and have finally thawed out enough to feel my toes and fingertips.

Two days ago it was almost 70 degrees out, and today the high will be around 22.
You just have to love ST. Louis weather.
I do. No, really I do.

I just don't like having a frozen car(or two).