Frozen door handles any tips

Why, why, why does a a vehicle built for the worst scenerios suffer so easily from frozen door handles, after eventually accessing and egressing via the boot, I have left my p38 with the engine running and the heating on full.... does anyone have any tips or mods how this can be avoided!!!!!!

Keep a can of De-icer in the house not the car, and treat all the locks/handles to a bit of WD40! I find the rear boot button the worst for it, although the front drivers wouldn't open the other day, after I'd opened the window and the snow got down inside the door!

MSX150 said:

Why, why, why does a a vehicle built for the worst scenerios suffer so easily from frozen door handles, after eventually accessing and egressing via the boot, I have left my p38 with the engine running and the heating on full.... does anyone have any tips or mods how this can be avoided!!!!!!

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its not just land/range rover,all cars suffer from this,i took the door cards of my defender and sprayed all the mechanism with wd40,so far i havent suffered with frozen door locks for while now

I had same problem this morning (including frozen central locking), I usually give the locks/handles a quick spray with WD40 the night before ... shame I forgot to do them last night:doh:

MSX150 said:

Why, why, why does a a vehicle built for the worst scenerios suffer so easily from frozen door handles, after eventually accessing and egressing via the boot, I have left my p38 with the engine running and the heating on full.... does anyone have any tips or mods how this can be avoided!!!!!!

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I had the same problem this morning, but the crap boot button gave up with the frost and stuck in causin a really anoying clicking sound as it was trying to unlock all the time, had to spray wd40 down the side of the button to make it pop out again. then i had to tackle the door handles... feckin anoying, but in weather like were having at the mo what do you expect...

I expect to be able to jump in my 4 x 4 and drive it any weather... it would help me justify the cost of the damn thing , had to abandon the rangy and fire up the ford fiesta.... wheres the logic in that?????, anyway on the plus side just emptyed a can of wd40 into every available orifice (door wise) the went through again with white spray grease... all opening and closing fine..... so thanks again forum users

Is it the handle or the locks that are frozen? On the Classics, from 1991 onwards on Vogue SE’s the front door locks are heated – but you have to hold the handle open to heat them up so they thaw! Another idea is to carry a lighter around - just warm they key and that usually frees the lock up.

No idea on a P38 I’m afraid, I guess it’s the handle frozen as they have remote central locking. You would have thought during their extreme winter testing they would have come across the problem and sorted it?

If you think that’s annoying, try a BMW 3-series coupe (E46) – the windows are ‘pillarless’ to when you pull the handle, the window drops slightly to clear the wind-deflecting metal lip. When frozen, the window doesn’t drop so when you open the door the glass bends past the metal lip, which isn’t too bad! However, when you then shut the door the glass can’t clear the lip – if you’re lucky it makes a horrible sound and doesn’t shut. If you’re unlucky, you shatter the window all over your lap!!

Does WD40 really help then??

Just had similiar but passenger door was stuck and every time you opened central locking it relocked nearly straight away had to be quick to catch door and open it happened last year as well very annoying:Cry:

Apparently smearing WD40 round your door seals stops them sticking (and potentially tearing them) too.

Must remember to do mine sometime.

MSX150 said:

I expect to be able to jump in my 4 x 4 and drive it any weather... it would help me justify the cost of the damn thing , had to abandon the rangy and fire up the ford fiesta.... wheres the logic in that?????, anyway on the plus side just emptyed a can of wd40 into every available orifice (door wise) the went through again with white spray grease... all opening and closing fine..... so thanks again forum users

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Ok il give you that 1, when you put it like that you do have a point lol...

I wonder how a hand warmer would do wrapped around the handle. Would that warm the bugger up you think?

It's the water that's got inside the handle that's frozen - that's the problem.

Given that the handles are plastic, I imagine it would take a while for any external heat to reach the frozen bits. Best bet is WD40 before they freeze to drive any moisture out.

kooky_guy said:

Apparently smearing WD40 round your door seals stops them sticking (and potentially tearing them) too.

Must remember to do mine sometime.

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Silicone grease is better

Datatek said:

Silicone grease is better

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Doesn't it leave a white residue over everything?

Pouring warm water on them gets you in easily enough.........then freezes again

kooky_guy said:

Doesn't it leave a white residue over everything?

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Electronic grade certainly doesn't, I've used it on my MR2 as recomended by Toyota for 25 years. Only needs a very thin smear, stops the rubbers degrading too.