The first properly frosty day of the winter and I can't get into the car - both doors sticking and the window motors straining so hard I can see the doors flexing. :-(

A liberal soaking in de-icer and a 5 minute wait and I was in, but I don't fancy a repeat performance of that every day for the next 3 months or so...

I can't be the only person who has suffered this - has anybody got any advice or can point me at an appropriate old thread?

 

Put some silicone on the black form door liner. It will repel water and keep it from rotting out. I dont' have enough garage space for all the cars so I give them this treatment to keep the liner fresh.

 

I don't drive this car in the winter, but I've had other cars where I would carry a little cloth with me to dry off all of the seals every night. If is nice and dry, then it won't freeze shut. I've seen people tear out the rubber seals when the doors froze shut. Not fun, and for these cars, not cheap. I would also make sure there is no ice on the bottom of the window, scraping anything that happens to be on there so that the auto windows don't have to fight anything.

 

As Gary mentioned, rubber silicone treatment is just the ticket for this problem. Wipe it thoroughly into your door seals all the way around them. I remember using it during an abnormally cold winter here many years ago on a car whose door seals would freeze up if you just looked at them wrong. Worked like a champ all winter long....

 

EINSZETT - GUMMI PFLEGE STIFT - RUBBER CARE STICK. | eBay

 

Looks good...

Personally, not just for this issue but for general maintenance, I use Autoglym vinyl & Rubber on all my door seals / rubbers.

A great product available at most stores, also for use on all vinyls / rubbers / dash etc and will not give of an oil residue or shine.

 

Cheers - I've ordered one. Got to be cheaper than replacing a burned out motor... :-)

The problem is mine's parked on the road opposite a field, so I get the wind/rain/fog blowing across and the Jag's right in the way. I'd like to put an all weather cover on her but the local ******* will probably slash or nick it, and my missus reckons someone will drive into the car in the fog unless its covered in reflectors...

Of course, ideally I'd put it in the garage (won't fit with the bikes in there) or on the drive (her Megane RB8 gets that space), 'cos parking her on the road every night is crap. :'(

 

Obviously, it won't solve the "frost on window" problem, but I use it on the rubber seals on 3 cars, and it does a good job. The built-in sponge applicator is fine for larger seals but I have occasionally pulled the top off and used a small brush to get into less accessible places. I don't have a garage, so have the same problems as you.

 

+1 for Autoglym's Vinyl & Rubber Care. Works great in the engine bay too.

 

EINSZETT - GUMMI PFLEGE STIFT - RUBBER CARE STICK. | eBay

This has worked a treat. I applied it around all the rubber areas on both doors and window seals and in spite of some serious frost I haven't had any problems getting into her. Thanks again for the excellent advice guys.

Getting traction down the frosty road, now that's a different story. Lots of ABS flashing and slithering about, but that's the joy of living off the beaten track! :-)

 

may try wd 40 also