The best way to open an icy door?

gearhead4

I hate when that happens.
Pouring HOT water on the galss could crack it. But if you start with lukewarm water, there will be a less dramatic difference in the water temperature, so the glass won't crack. A garden hose is a good choice because as long as there is water flowing it will ultimately melt the ice.
Most Subaru's have no frame around the door glass, so freeing the glass from the seal will be alot easier. My approach would be to pound on the door galss with your fist. Start at the corner where the door glass is closest to the top of the roof and keet ponding around the edge of the window. If you are worried about hurting your hand, you could use a rubber mallet, but not a steel hammer.
If the pounding doesn't work, they try the garden hose.
Good Luck!

Pause

Your fears about the Hot water method are wrong.

The glass on automobiles have been tempered to prevent them from breaking because of the elements. Unless you take a bat or rock to them, they will not crack because of the temperature difference.

George A

I live in WV, so we have similar winters. Hot water WILL NOT be a problem. You are not using it anywhere around the glass any way.

For starters:
- You are using hot TAP water, not water that has been heated to boiling on a stove or microwave.
- You will be pouring the water over the area where the door and body of the car come together- away from any glass & if it does come into contact with any glass, it has cooled to the point that it is no longer even lukewarm & cannot damage the glass (hot water freezes faster than cold water- look it up).
- The glass of cars are made to withstand extreme temperature variations. If the claims of those same posters are true about hot water will cause the glass to break and/or crack, then every single car in America that are in snowy areas would also suffer the same problems when it starts out raining, then goes to freezing rain, sleet, snow & ice (Like happens just about every winter in PA & WV)

And yes you can damage the weather seals if you pull the door open when it is frozen shut.

If you don't want to do the hot (or cold) water- get some silicone & spray or apply lightly (it doesn't take very much at all) on the door & to the weather seal where it comes in contact with the door. Go all the way around the entire door/weather seal. This is what I do now & only use hot water if I forgot to apply silicone before winter sets in.

This will keep the door from freezing to the weather seal. It will not keep the snow or water from icing over the crack between the door & car body, but you can use your ice scraper to knock that little bit of ice out of the crack.

UCANTCME

Use the garden hose because the water will be cold and will not hurt anything, I would not rip open or kick the door at all.

yorkie

to prevent the door from freezing again, apply a thin layer of white grease or even vaseline to the door rubber.

not much help now, but it saves a lot of trouble next time

the lock man

being a locksmith i run into this a lot- a small soft rubber hammer - but not on the glass- tap around the door to break the ice- do not use hot water-will break the glass

Sarah W

chips in shield will turn into cracks with hot water,,no way round doors freezing unless you park in a garage,or maybe under a cover of some sort,

Leigh O

I used to always pour hot water on my doors when I lived in Minnesota. Never a problem. You should dry the inside/side of doors to prevent it from happening again though.

Good luck! Stay warm.

kevin

The hot water is true and the best way to open an iced over door would to bang around were the door is and then open it.

joliesoleil

Maybe try a blow dryer? I really don't have any idea, but definitely do not rip the door open. You could break off your door handle and/or ruin other things. If you have remote start you could use that and let it warm up from the inside.

Good luck!

Joshua S

i just ripped my car door open this morning

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