Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Car locks and cold weather

Any suggestions on how to keep car locks working well in the cold? Both of my older cars locks are stiff. Haven't broken a key off yet but close.

aalf is telling you right

I've used the graphite. Works o.k. Hasn't been great though.

Spray some dry lube aerosol into the lock. Silicon or teflon type, not graphite. Or commercial lock de-icer spray.

They also make electric/battery lock deicers. Check amazon or Google or local auto parts store.

One of the best uses for old style car cigarette lighter if you still have one.

+ 1..... That stuff helps.... I also have some of that de-icer in the spray can that has the little tiny nozzle that allows you to get it inside the lock mechanism. But do it now BEFORE the lock freezes and you probably will be all set. My semi-retirement job involved lots of outdoor locks that sometimes froze up. Once you get the innards loaded with de-icer or graphited lock fluid your problems were usually over for quite some time. I even carried some of those utility lighters with the long necks for adding heat in stubborn cases. BIC makes one called "Sure Start" and Scripto makes the "Aim 'N Flame". When lock fluid & De-Icer fail it's time to use fire. You can even hold the key with pliers, get it good & hot, and try that in the lock. Tricks of the trade in the frozen north. P.S. You can even get the tiny nozzle of a WD-40 spray can to load up the insides of locks and that also helps prevent freeze-ups.

Any issues with putting graphite, etc in the ignition?

WD-40 in a lock is a short term gain. It gums up a lock. Best to stick with the lock ease, or dry powdered graphite.

My igintion lock was difficult to operate, put Lock-Ease on the key insert in lock and operate several times. It may take a few applications before the optimum result is attained, but no harmful effects.

The ignition switch is a two part arrangment. The lock section and the actual switch it turns, behind it. Don't get it sloppy wet or just stick to the dry powder, and you should be ok. Keep liquids out of the switch section.

I found a silicon lube works best to keep the lock from freezing up, tri flo etc. A good dose at the beginning of winter seems to do the trick. The spray de-icers and heating a key with a torch does the trick on a badly iced lock.

Thanks all.

Careful of those with chips......

First, clean the lock with brake (or if you prefer break) cleaner or carb spray.

A lotta times they are just gummy.

Liquid Wrench Silicone Spray stopped all my ice problems cold after quite a few years of frustration.I spray the door surfaces, rubber gaskets and locks every few months. No more problems.

Haven't had an issue with the chipped keys because the door opens with the push of a button.

Don't lock it.

I had pretty good luck with Hormady One Shot. The cleaner, not the stuff for resizing brass.

It was down around zero the other night and when we got home from somewhere and headed into the house wife asked if I had locked my truck. Told her I never do in this weather, locks might freeze.

“They’re electronic now, did you forget “

“What if the battery ‘s dead in the morning?”

“When’s the last time you had a dead battery?”

“1984.”

Sometimes I think she married me for what she sees as the entertainment value.

yes and no. Wd-40 is by far the best to use in my cold wet part of the world. Graphite will cake up and cause way more problems than doing nothing at all. This was learned from my years as a locksmith using WD-40 to flush out graphite in car door Locke. In dryer parts of the country graphite works. Lock-Ease is better left on the store shelf everywhere. ALOA member 7545.