When the car... freezes

Winter, which was late this year, came only at the end of December. Some snow fell and the ambient temperature dropped a few bars below zero. It's not yet very cold, but if we park the car under the notorious cloud, we can already be surprised at its sight after a cold and snowy night. Therefore, it is worth reading a few tips that will help us get inside and "reactivate" our four wheels for everyday use.

Ice block = frozen castles

After an intense fall of frozen snow, which, even worse, turned into such a state directly from the rain, the car will take on the appearance of an uneven block of ice. Wet snow will freeze over the entire body of the car, clogging both the cracks in the doors and all the locks. So how do you get inside? If we have a central lock, then we can probably open it remotely. However, before this, ice should be removed in all gaps connecting the door to the seals. How to do it? It is best to knock on the wounds of the door on each side, which will cause the hard ice to crumble and the door to open. However, the situation is much worse when we cannot insert the key into the frozen lock. In such a situation, it is best to use one of the popular defrosters available on the market (preferably alcohol-based). Attention! Remember not to use this specificity too often, because its side effect is to wash out the grease from the mechanical parts of the lock. However, freezing the castle is not enough. If we manage to turn the key in it, then we must try to open the door very carefully. Why is it so important? These are gaskets that stick to the door when it freezes and can be damaged if the door is pulled too hard. After the door has been opened, it is worth thinking about the preventive lubrication of the seals with petroleum jelly or special silicone. This will prevent them from sticking to the door after another frosty night.

Scrape or defrost?

We are already inside our car and here is another problem. The frosty night caused the windows to be covered with a thick layer of ice. So what to do? You can try to scratch it with a glass scraper (preferably plastic or rubber), but this will not always be fully effective. If there is a thick layer of ice, you will need to use de-icer or washer fluid - preferably straight from the bottle. Experts do not recommend the use of aerosol defrosters, as they are ineffective at low temperatures. Until recently, drivers supported the process of defrosting the windshield by turning on the engine and adjusting the airflow to it. However, now such activities in the parking lot are prohibited and punishable by a fine. In such a situation, the only way out is to turn on the electric heating of the windows, naturally without starting the engine.

Thorough snow removal

So we can turn the key in the ignition and be on our way. Not yet! Before starting the engine, prime the entire body. In this case, it's all about safety: snow rolling down from the roof onto the windshield can dramatically reduce visibility when maneuvering on the road. In addition, there is a fine for driving in a snow cap. When removing snow, you should also check if the wiper blades are frozen to the windshield. In extreme cases, attempting to start them could result in serious damage or even fire to the motors driving them. The next problem usually occurs after starting the engine. It's about fogging windows. In the case of cars equipped with air conditioning, this can be solved quickly, worse if we only have a fan. In such a situation, it is better not to put it on a high temperature, because the problem will only worsen, and not disappear. To speed up the drying process, you can use any of the drugs available on the market, but their effectiveness is not always %. Therefore, it is worth being patient and, by adjusting the air flow from cooler to warmer, gradually eliminate the annoying evaporation of windows.

Added by: 7 years ago,

a photo: bullfax. com