Frozen Locks?

[MrMarquis]

Alrighty, I'm not sure if this is an issue of cold weather freezing the locks shut or an electric lock malfunction?

It took me three hours to get into my car after work this morning. Not the thing I need after a 12-hour freezing-my-balls-off third-shift.

Both front door locks, the key would go in, but wouldn't turn. Tried heating up the key with warm to almost scolding water as well as a lighter. Both made the key turn slightly to the lock position, but no more.

Got some de-icer and lube. Made the key turn all the way to the lock position, but would only slightly turn to the unlock position.

Finally got into the car with a slim jim and went to the electric lock. Unlocked the rear doors only. Climbed in the back seat, reached around front to the handles. Doors wouldn't open at all, and only unlocked after rapidly pressing Unlock and then holding it down. They work fine now.

If it's because of the cold weather, I can't put up with it again, and need to know how to prevent it. If it's the electrics fouling up, I'm fucked. The locks have frozen before, but never this bad, even in single digit temps.

[CheeseSteakJim]

It could be the cold, or it could be the lock actuators. For some reason the front ones like to go more often than the rears. They're ~$60-70 per. I have to replace mine in both front doors, but they're expensive little sonsabitches.

[86VickyLX]

The rears in my mom's car froze up not too long ago. It was really cold that morning. That afternoon, when it warmed up a little, the locks worked.

[86GmLsCoupe]

It's likely just the a result of the lock actuators and cylinder being really cold or having ice in them, I can't really see an electrical problem. If the actuators were bad, they'd stay bad. But after you got into the car and had it warm they got better. I will say the actuators, NOS and Ebay cheapies alike can be sorta weak out of the box. The rears have less wear on them so I wanna say that's why they ended up opening if that makes any sense. I've had this happen a few times and use the lighter method. The only things I'd suggest are lubricate the cylinder and linkages like crazy, and always be careful turning the key or it'll snap. I finally got a remote start system back in my car so my thinking is if I can get the car warming up some, it's less likely it'll happen.

[gadget73]

I'll vote for water in the lock actuators freezing up. The condom on top of them cracks, and they get water in them after a while.

[mrltd]

Time to rip the power lock solenoids out....

Heck my wifes manual lock hyundai hack the door latch freeze the other day also....Getting darn cold here...

[nitroracer]

I remember yanking the lock actuator in one of my cars. I'd rather have a manual lock that works than an electric one that hates me.

My problem with the probe is the door handles are so small and delicate I feel like Im going to break one off when its gets icy and shitty out.

[OldBlue1981]

Who needs power locks??? Go manual.

[gadget73]

Mercury owners need power locks. Have you ever tried to use the manual lever in a Grand Marquis? Besides, "fixing" things by ripping them out is not fixing them. Manual locks and windows in a full size sedan is a pain in the dick. Nobody wants to walk around the car closing windows and locking doors on a regular basis. tap a button, done.

[mrltd]

I only removed the drivers door one, so I could actually LOCK the car. Until it ended up being a pretty much strip only car that was parked in a shop nightly I removed them all. That car only got a max of 50 miles a week...

Just a FYI, the advance auto replacment that was 60 bucks is a universal and doesn't work as well. I've got one in the wagon and and getting very tempted to take it out.

[gadget73]

thats a bit different. stripping down daily drivers to "fix" stuff is a bit too butcher-like for me tho.

[gabegt90]

Mercury owners need power locks. Have you ever tried to use the manual lever in a Grand Marquis? Besides, "fixing" things by ripping them out is not fixing them. Manual locks and windows in a full size sedan is a pain in the dick. Nobody wants to walk around the car closing windows and locking doors on a regular basis. tap a button, done.

I'm use to it lol

[85crownHPP]

the 3 ebay cheapies Ive used so far are doin good

[boXman]

Don't lock it when it gets cold.

[Enigma]

on mine, the latch assembly inside the door would get wet and freeze up.
(the door window channel drains right onto it)
I made a cover for it, and since then have had no problems with freezing.