Locks and seals in winter

In the winter season, much attention must be paid to door seals and locks. Only systematic lubrication will allow us a trouble-free door.

Winter this season came very late, and some drivers were already hoping that it would not come at all. The first snowfall and the drop in temperatures below zero forced many drivers found the car with frozen locks and seals. They wouldn't have such problems if they spent a few minutes on service. Drivers who did this operation before the winter season should also remember about lubricating the locks, because a one-time service for the entire winter season is not enough.

Locks should be lubricated with special grease, which can be purchased at any auto shop. Using, for example, WD-40 or a similar agent is pointless, since this measure will not protect the locks.

Not only at the door

 

The lock in the car door is not only an insert in the handle into which the key is inserted, but also a separate mechanism inside the door. Both parts must be lubricated. The lock insert is particularly susceptible to freezing as it is directly exposed to the elements. After rain and night frosts, it can freeze, especially if it has already been used and is partially damaged (for example, there is no latch that closes the lock after the key is removed). Also, the lock on the door may freeze and, despite turning the cylinder with the key or unlocking the bolt with the remote control, it will not be possible to open the lock.

In cars that are several years old, lubrication alone may not be enough because they are very dirty. the castle can still freeze. Then you have to disassemble the door, remove and clean the lock, and then lubricate it. Such an operation is effective in most cases and should save us from freezing locks.

You should also remember to lubricate the trunk lock, and due to the heavy contamination of the rear of the car, this operation must be performed much more often than with the doors.

Also, we must not forget about the filler neck lock, because when refueling, we can be unpleasantly disappointed. Ford owners have another lock to work with - opening the engine cover.

 

Watch out for seals

Opening a lock is not the same as opening a door, as there may be frozen door seals in the way. To avoid such a surprise, you need to lubricate them often, for example, with silicone. There is no hard and fast rule as to how often this action should be repeated. This depends on the weather conditions and should be done more frequently if the temperature changes from positive to negative. Also, after each wash, thoroughly dry the case and lubricate the seals and locks.