The sliding doors on my 2004 Toyota Sienna minivan keep freezing shut in the winter. How do I prevent this?
Christie from Durango, CO
I was advised to wipe the rubber surrounding the door with silicone. It is sold as a liquid at the drug store.(not the type in a tube for plumbing etc.)
Every winter before temps drop to freezing, I spray the tracks and all around the inside of the doors where they seal with WD40. Works like a charm. No more frozen shut doors. You need to respray upon occasion to keep them from freezing. After having frozen shut doors several times one winter, grr. someone mentioned WD40 and out of desperation, plus I had a can on hand. I tried it. I have now been using it for several years. By the way, it doesn't hurt your paint either:-)
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How do I unfreeze my doors to get them open?
Do you have an electrical extension cord and hairdryer?
heat the key with a lighter.
I pound all around the perimeter of the door to "break" the ice. It usually works. The best thing to do is prevent this freezing if you can before a storm, by spraying the edge of the door and the frame all the way around with a silicone spray. The spray is available at auto supply stores. WD40 sprayed around the doors will also work, although I don't like the odor.
