Frozen door locks, doors won't close
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 41
Likes: 2
From: Montreal
Frozen door locks, doors won't close
During the past few cold nights, my AR's driver door won't close. It just bounces back when trying to close it. The mechanism appears to stay stuck in the open position and doesn't stay clasped down onto the door frame pin.
I've sprayed a ton of silicon lube (Jig-A-Loo) into the key hole and I've removed the driver side door card, trying to spray the entire mechanism as best I could. It seems the only thing that works is to wait for the door to warm up (15+ minutes with heat full blast.) To me this is unacceptable.
I know this is an all too common issue with many VW/Audi cars, but I'd like to know if there are any suggestions for resolving this annoying issue. Are there any penetrating oils or lubes that would work any better? Would replacing the lock mechanism improve things?
It's not even really cold outside yet, and I'm forced to drive around with bungie cords and my passengers holding my doors! Help!
thanks,
danzero
I've sprayed a ton of silicon lube (Jig-A-Loo) into the key hole and I've removed the driver side door card, trying to spray the entire mechanism as best I could. It seems the only thing that works is to wait for the door to warm up (15+ minutes with heat full blast.) To me this is unacceptable.
I know this is an all too common issue with many VW/Audi cars, but I'd like to know if there are any suggestions for resolving this annoying issue. Are there any penetrating oils or lubes that would work any better? Would replacing the lock mechanism improve things?
It's not even really cold outside yet, and I'm forced to drive around with bungie cords and my passengers holding my doors! Help!
thanks,
danzero
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
Need to get the moisture out first
I had this problem on my old golf. It is possible you have moisture in the door and it is condensing on the lock assembly when the temp changes. You need to get rid of the residual moisture before solving the problem.
In my golf, I had a clogged drain in the so I was carrying around water in the door. Being in Virginia at the time, it got cold at night but warm enough during the day to have evaporation, condensation in the door. Stuck lock followed.
Good luck
In my golf, I had a clogged drain in the so I was carrying around water in the door. Being in Virginia at the time, it got cold at night but warm enough during the day to have evaporation, condensation in the door. Stuck lock followed.
Good luck
During the past few cold nights, my AR's driver door won't close. It just bounces back when trying to close it. The mechanism appears to stay stuck in the open position and doesn't stay clasped down onto the door frame pin.
I've sprayed a ton of silicon lube (Jig-A-Loo) into the key hole and I've removed the driver side door card, trying to spray the entire mechanism as best I could. It seems the only thing that works is to wait for the door to warm up (15+ minutes with heat full blast.) To me this is unacceptable.
I know this is an all too common issue with many VW/Audi cars, but I'd like to know if there are any suggestions for resolving this annoying issue. Are there any penetrating oils or lubes that would work any better? Would replacing the lock mechanism improve things?
It's not even really cold outside yet, and I'm forced to drive around with bungie cords and my passengers holding my doors! Help!
thanks,
danzero
I've sprayed a ton of silicon lube (Jig-A-Loo) into the key hole and I've removed the driver side door card, trying to spray the entire mechanism as best I could. It seems the only thing that works is to wait for the door to warm up (15+ minutes with heat full blast.) To me this is unacceptable.
I know this is an all too common issue with many VW/Audi cars, but I'd like to know if there are any suggestions for resolving this annoying issue. Are there any penetrating oils or lubes that would work any better? Would replacing the lock mechanism improve things?
It's not even really cold outside yet, and I'm forced to drive around with bungie cords and my passengers holding my doors! Help!
thanks,
danzero
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
I had this problem on my old golf. It is possible you have moisture in the door and it is condensing on the lock assembly when the temp changes. You need to get rid of the residual moisture before solving the problem.
In my golf, I had a clogged drain in the so I was carrying around water in the door. Being in Virginia at the time, it got cold at night but warm enough during the day to have evaporation, condensation in the door. Stuck lock followed.
Good luck
In my golf, I had a clogged drain in the so I was carrying around water in the door. Being in Virginia at the time, it got cold at night but warm enough during the day to have evaporation, condensation in the door. Stuck lock followed.
Good luck
This looks like the right way to go! Door drains are key not only to avoid rust/rot, but for making sure that your door internals will function properly and continue to function.
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 23
From: Honeoye New York USA
Your problem sounds like it's in the latch. There's a U shaped piece of metal that's supposed to swing when it hits the door frame pin. Spray the mechanism with penetrating oil and work the U shaped piece with a Phillips head screwdriver. I sprayed from inside the door and sprayed toward the latch pin from the outside. After a while it should start moving freely. I find that an aerosol can with a small red tube to be handy.
After everything is working, squirt everything with real oil and work it a bunch of times to work the oil into the pivots. Penetrating oils will free up mechanisms but don't lubricate for long. You might want to finish it off with white lithium grease in a aerosol can.
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Ann Arbor, MI
+1 for the white lithium grease at the end of the job. Great for squeaky/frozen door components once you get them loosened up again. WD-40 or Rust-Eater might be good penetrants to start with as it displaces water if you think that's the issue.
AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Just got my 2009 CTS 4 months ago.When its cold out my driver side door lock freezes & sometimes doesn't shut.I have to warm up the car & eventually the door shuts.This morning its feels like -3 out & my driver side door wouldn't even open this morning. I had to go in from the other side & open it from inside.But all efforts went waste then my colleague infirm me about HOLLYWOOD LOCKSMITH.They are adorable.They are skilled tradesman who install, adjust and repair commercial, residential and automotive locks and security devices.
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