Welcome back, Readers!
After my 'posting blitz' the week of Thanksgiving, I had to think carefully about what I would share with you next. Then a few flurries hit the Cincinnati-area, and several customers started complaining about stuck car doors (even though they were unlocked). Aha! I now had my inspiration for this next edition.
Even if you leave your vehicle's doors unlocked overnight - and I'm betting that you must *really* trust your neighborhood environment if you can do this without much concern - you may discover that you can't open the driver's door in the morning. Why? The common explanation is 'it's frozen shut'. Well, that's only half-way accurate. The door itself is not frozen, but there are two parts of it that may have icing-over issues: The hinge(s), and the seal/weatherstrip.
Here's a quick low-down on why this happens, and what you can to to prevent it.
Weatherstrip
The seals around your door (one on the door itself, one one the 'door frame') are made of rubber, right? Think of all the weather conditions they face (hottest summer heat to coldest winter temp's, plus all the rain/snow/sun). Anything made of rubber will eventually dry out, just like your skin will. Dried-out rubber no longer seals correctly, and when it gets any moisture on it, the rubber will cling onto it instead of repel it. Hey, it craves moisture! Rain/snow that is caught between the two rubber seals will create an 'ice sandwich' with them overnight, which is why you fight to open the door in the morning.
How do you prevent this? Go to your friendly neighborhood parts store (or hardware store) and get a small tube of Sil-Glyd - a 4 or 8 oz tube (like a toothpaste tube) will be good for now. Sil-Glyd is a silicone lubricant, meant especially for use on rubber pieces like weatherstripping. You can apply it by hand, put it at least on both parts of the driver's door weatherstripping, and don't be afraid to be generous. You can always wipe off any excess and use that on the next door you choose to treat. You may want to reapply the Sil-Glyd during winter, if additional coats seam to be warranted. (Winter can be more brutal in some locales than others, so use your own judgement on how often to reapply.)
NOTE: Be sure to use a clean, dry rag to wipe any moisture off the door seals first, so the lubricant has a better chance to penetrate.
Hinges
Door hinges are just as exposed to the elements as the door seals, so they are also likely to misbehave. But, hinges - and the 'pins' or bolts that are the working pivot-point on them - are made of metal, not rubber. So, a different lubricant is needed for them.
The problem solver this time: sprayable white lithium grease (or W.L.G.). It comes in both a tube (like the Sil-Glyd) and the can, but you definitely want the can. Trust me!
You may be familiar with WD40, and wonder why I recommend something else. WD40 is a good, general purpose lubricant, but it has its limitations. It is petroleum based (like fuel and oil, but more diluted), and by nature is just as likely to ice-over. I learned this one the hard way ages ago, so please learn from my mistake.
White lithium grease is (as you might guess from its name) lithium-based. I'm no chemist by any stretch, but I can tell you that greases containing lithium have a 'soap' base - check out the containers of bearing and chassis grease, which mention 'lithium #2 soap base', if you want to see for yourself. For whatever reason, the lithium-based lubricant tends to penetrate deeper, stick around longer, and repel future moisture better than the petroleum-based lubes do.
Just like with the door seals, I recommend wiping off excess moisture with a clean, dry rag before applying the W.L.G. Then, spray a generous coat on the hinges, from top to bottom. Let it set a few seconds, then swing the door back-and-forth (but not necessarily all the way closed) to let the lube work itself into the nooks and crannies. Reapply as needed, as directed on the can's instructions. Repeat process with remaining door(s)
More Helpful Hints
Since the driver's door is used the most (unless you do the climbing-over thing for random reasons), it is also the one most likely to 'stick' on you. Make sure you pretreat the seals and hinges *now*, to avoid being literally 'left out in the cold' this winter.
Remember to also treat your trunk/hatch door seals and hinges. If you need to pack up the trunk for a trip to see family and friends for Christmas, you don't want to be without easy access to your cargo area. (Or, should you get a flat tire, you would need access to your spare tire, jack and tools - which are usually in the trunk.)
Consider treating the hood latch with a generous coat of W.L.G.. The hood latch is at the very front-and-center of your vehicle, generally hiding between the 'grille' and the radiator. Think of all the weather it literally faces daily, head-first. It is the most rust-prone part on just about any vehicle on the road. Whether your car is overheating (and needs coolant), or you just want to check the fluid levels on the family van, the hood latch is your only access method to all of that. Keep it working nicely with a periodic treatment of W.L.G..
Alright, Readers, I think that should be enough for this edition. Next time we meet, I hope to bring you my own 'Winter-Weather Essentials Kit' list, maybe even with a photo. We'll see how the photo part goes.
Until next time, remember to take care of your vehicle as well as you want it to take care of you.
PPM
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