with the chrome door handles. It may look pretty, but I sure as hell think it's a design flaw. The sun shines down on my door handles and they become too hot to touch, much less actuate.

I'm going to add some foam or rubber, or something, on the innermost part of the exterior door handles to provide for some insulation when opening the doors.

What's the best material to use? Is 3M adhesive good enough?

Have you guys also been through this? How have you gotten around it?

 

I live in the desert and also have a black car with the chrome door handles, so this is a familiar problem. I've never done anything about it and have just learned to be careful of how to handle the metal bits when they've been in the sun.

Some things that come to mind that might be options.

1) Carry an oven mitt everywhere you go.

2) Paint them. You'd probably want body color and since it looks like your car is dark, this may not really help much.

3) Plastidip. Gives a satin finish and insulates you from the metal so will conduct the heat to your hand more slowly. Spray on and reversible too, if it doesn't come out how you like.

4) Vinyl wrap material. Lots of options for color. It's plastic so shouldn't burn as much. And I've used it on some engine plastic parts (coil pack covers) so it can handle the heat. Easily reversible if you don't like it.

 

I actually want to keep them chromed. So that rules out plasti dip, the paint and the vinyl wrap.

I have to wonder, where can I store an oven mitt on skinny jeans? Not a problem when I'm wearing shorts or carry my backpack.

My thoughts were, since when I'm opening the car, my fingers only touch the back of the door handle, if I could add an insulating material to the back of the door handle, I'd get to keep the stock chrome look, I wouldn't burn my hand nor have to carry an oven mitt.

Besides, I know to be careful; usually using my shirt as a heat buffer, on the other hand, sometimes my pals don't. Today I had parked in the shade so I didn't think it would be too hot, but lo and behold, I burned myself. I've actually got some swelling and discomfort on my finger tips as a result.

 

Look for some peel n stick window/door insulation in a roll at a home improvement store.

 

What?

 

Sorry, I misunderstood and thought you meant the outside burned you.

Maybe something like this to cover the inside and out:

A plastic buffer might slow the incineration a little.

It's clear, so should be invisible-ish, cheap and probably something you could find at your local auto parts store.

 

That looks like a step in the right direction. Just a couple of questions. That looks like it's to be applied on the door handle depression on the door, not on the door handle itself, so, how would that solve the problem? Also, is it likely for that plastic to melt?

My problem is that the chrome door handle gets too hot to touch. I tend to open it by sticking three of four of my fingers to the underside of the door handle and pulling upwards. Although that area of the handle is not directly shined upon by the sun, the properties of chromium, being a metal, means it will transfer heat easily.

 

True, that under the door handle as a scratch protection is the intended use. I was just thinking that you could use the same urethane film on the door handle itself for burn protection. Would need some cutting and fitting, but for a few dollars, it might be worth a try. The melting temp of polyurethane is around 200C, and if your door handle is that hot, you've got bigger problems.

Yep, the metal handle will conduct the heat to your hand in a hurry. Some kind of buffer between you and it that is less conductive is the way to go.

 

Haha, yeah, 200Cº... I know this island can be hot at times, but it is a far cry from the furnace from hell. There's no way the chrome will get that hot. I guess that film is an option. Do you think AutoZone sells it?

This solution almost sounds like arts and crafts.

 

It may sound like a hassle by adding an extra couple of steps to open your door on a blistering hot day, but the easiest solution may be to keep an old hand towel in your trunk. Pop your trunk, grab the hand towel, open your door with it, toss it back in the trunk, close the trunk, and you're on your way....

 

Uh...maybe a simple pair of driving gloves would do the trick?

 

Why not try a thin piece of cork, cut to the right shape from a sheet and fixed to the underside of the door handle.

Cork has excellent heat resistant properties.

 

Wait, you wear skinny jeans?

The cork idea will probably have the most positive effect on the heat- a thin piece of insulation would also have a positive effect. The issue would be making it look good or hiding it.

 

Something like this..




Install on the underside of the handle.

 

Ah, I understand now, Tommy.

I am liking the cork idea.

dsnyder, yes, I wear skinny jeans; why not? I'm a young (20 year old) athlete that measures just barely a hair over 5'3". Being so short and having an athletic body, skinny jeans give the illusion of height. I don't wear them skin tight, just slightly tighter than a slim fit jean.