I cant open my door..
 

Alright so I went to work today no problems. As I was leaving to get into my car to go back home the door doesnt budge. I hit the unlock button again and no dice. I walked around and got in through the passenger side and drove back to my office to collect my stuff and let the car warm up.
Driver door still wont budge. The locking mechanism I assume is frozen (20 below zero with the windchill). So I go to open passenger door, nope that somehow froze. So I am trapped in my car. I honked at a coworker to help me out and eventually I just told him to open the hatch and climbed out.
I gave it ten minutes before I left again and I had to use the hatch to get back in. I have a 40 mile commute home and had the heat blasted to try to thaw everything out. The passenger door now is fine. But the driver door still doesnt budge. Even if I jam into the manual unlock button by the handle it does not budge in the slightest bit. So the question is, do you think this is just frozen or do I have another problem?

50/50, go to the dealer to have it checked out. That's not safe brother

Well I guess for now ill leave her running with the heat on and have a hair blower aimed at the lock and hope I get lucky because I have no time to get it checked out tomorrow. The closest nissan dealer is kind of far.

Assuming it is just frozen and you can get it un-frozen with a hair-dryer or whatever at least temporarily this evening, maybe squirt something into the lock (into the latch while the door is open, and into the keyhole) to help keep it from freezing again? Maybe some kind of light oil, or spray in WD-40. Anything that might leave an oily residue in there and keep ice from adhering well.

Ive never used the key to unlock the door but it wont turn to the right at all. It turns to the left and I dont know if this is locking or trying to unlock the door but it makes the noise like the lock is moving but the button on the inside of the door still doesnt budge. I think ill have to cancel plans tomorrow morning and head to the dealer

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If I remember correct the key hole only unlocks.

Damn that's crazy u had to climb out/ in from hatch seems almost impossible. Good luck with doors hopefully it is just temp related.

Hmm well sounds to me like maybe the mechanism is broken and its stuck in the lock position.

How does the dealership go about removing the door panel to replace the lock if the door wont open?

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It locks too, you can roll the windows up that way

I think you actually can remove the inner panel with the door closed. It would suck to work on with the seat in the way, but I don't think it's impossible.

Looks like im about to get bent over by the dealership. 55 dollars just to look at it. Im expecting it to be at least 200 bucks at this point

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:iagree:

Alright problem solved, the dealership said it was just frozen. Amazing how I couldnt thaw it out after leaving it running for two hours and having a hair dryer on it for a half hour. Im just glad they wont charge me and nothings wrong.

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Awesome!

What did they do? Heat it from the outside?

Im not sure, I didnt get to see it.
I asked the guy when I got to the dealership how they would get the panel off if the door is stuck shut and all he said was I dont know im not a mechanic. They'll figure something out. I had a nightmare scene going in my head that they would tear my panel apart without my consent and then charge me for the price of a new panel.
But I assume this all started from the carwash. I have one of those monthly unlimited carwash passes. Water probably got into the lock and door and it froze shut.

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^ Yup, that's a pretty safe bet. Lucky the expanding ice didn't break anything in there.

op- did you wash your car recently? :icon17: water does get inside the door (as designed). i usually dont wash my dd when i know crazy temps are on its way.

or op was having affair with mustang and Z caught him. :shakes head:

I did wash my car before the workday started. I dont like salt covering my Z lol. But I guess its either salt or frozen doors.

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yah, if you keep your car dry the dry caked on salt itself wont do too much damage. it's when one adds water corrosion seems to accelerate exponentially. :eekdance:

i guess turn your driver side door towards the sun to keep it warmer. :D

JT6 that bad boy!

Also, holding the unlock button on the key FOB should open the windows.

...unless they're frozen too! :icon14:

If this happens again, is there any reason why you couldn't lower your window and climb out that way?

yeah brother!! pure Dukes of HAzard style:tup:

The windows did open. I just found it easier to get out the hatch than the window.

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no dukes of hazard? :(

frozen door lock.

i think you're onto something, mr.alcheng. :icon17:

Is he always this insightful?

it happened to my passat before, not even after a car wash, just parked overnight on the driver way and next thing happened was I opened the door than it couldn't close... :icon14:

eventually I have to drive another car to work... then move the passat into the garage.


that night I came home the door works like a charm.



yup.... german engineering... :ugh2:

Wet weather and then extreme cold means frozen doors. I like to keep the salt off my cars in the winter, but if it is going to get below 10 degrees, I wait until it gets warm before I wash the car. I don't have any problem with my "Z" in the winter. I park it in the garage until spring.

damn, glad i live in CA

Same Problem
 

I had the same problem, it was about 10 degrees F but my car had been in the heated garage all weekend. I locked it and unlocked it about ten times and still nothing. Then, in desperation, I locked it three times and heard a click in the door on the third lock and unlocked it and it opened no problem. This has happened a few more times to me also and this trick seems to always work for me.... Hope it helps!

Lesson learned, if your going to wash your car when it's witch nipple cold, park in a heated garage over night to dry the car, not outside.

Also get some lock de-icer.

You may need to turn up the heat in your garage a little...lol