I don't think this topic has been addressed before....but today we had about 3 inches of the white stuff..it's about 25 degrees right now, but man, does my F-150 go in the snow!!! Anyway, about this time of year, I am always concerned about the door locks freezing, especially after washing my truck. I always dry my truck completely(sometimes I even fire up the air compressor and blow the water out of the locks) but there are times, when it gets really cold, that the door locks just don't want to turn. I do not have keyless entry. Since I just got my first F-150 two months ago, I obviously have not had this freezing problem on this particular truck. But, I certainly had many problems with my previous one(OK, I admit, it was a MAZDA 4x4....there, I said it...a rice burner!!! Great little truck, though...10 yrs. old when sold it...121,000 miles and not a lick of problems...looked like new, too)

I digress...anyway...anybody with suggestions on how prevent this frozen lock thing?? Or...what is best to use once the locks do become frozen...???

Help!!

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2000 F-150,XLT,Bright Red Clearcoat, 4x4,ORP,SC,4-speed auto., 5.4L, 3.55 LS,Tow Package, Ford factory Tonneau cover, Cab Rails, Lund Bug Shield, Mudflaps, Tennatoys 18" antenna, Pendaliner bedliner. Asking Santa for K&N air filter and Superchip

 

Heat up your key with a cigarette lighter and stick it on in there

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BigBunnell

98 F150 4X4 XLT flareside V6 5sp K&N Flowmaster and some other goodies

 

mooner, you might want to squirt some wd-40 in the keyhole. it prevents the water from freezing. and heating the key with a lighter works great...

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1999 F-150 XLT Sport Styleside 5.4L Triton V8 4-Speed Auto 3.55LS
Silver Clearcoat Metallic
Dark Graphite Interior 6-Way Power Driver Seat
P275/60R17 OWL 4Wheel Disc/ABS Remote Keyless Entry Tow Package

 

Hi Big and JetD,

Thanks for the info...JetD, I have used WD-40 when I had my Mazda 4x4, and it worked OK until it got really cold outside. The WD tended to freeze also at very low temps. Any other ideas???

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2000 F-150,XLT,Bright Red Clearcoat, 4x4,ORP,SC,4-speed auto., 5.4L, 3.55 LS,Tow Package, Ford factory Tonneau cover, Cab Rails, Lund Bug Shield, Mudflaps, Tennatoys 18" antenna, Pendaliner bedliner. Asking Santa for K&N air filter and Superchip

 

Wouldn't heating up the key with a cigarette lighter damage the chip that's inside of it ????? (Passive theft systems that are built in some of our trucks)....

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1999 F150 4x4, dark blue, 5.4l auto, Manick brush guard, KC Hilites, tinted windows, K&N air filter without airbox, Gibson side swept exhaust, bedliner, toolbox, Uniden CB with whip, and now, an appointment with Dr Ford for open heart surgery (to replace a Piston Slap'in Engine)...

 

Well if your at home and have a hair dyer and a long extention cord you can use that warm up the lock so it can open or use a lighter. Be careful not to break your key in the lock trying to force it open.

 

Move to southern AZ or CA.

 

The locks freeze when there is ANY kind of liquid in the lock - oil, WD-40, water, etc.

Just lubricate the lock with powdered graphite - comes in a little tube at most auto parts stores. Works great.

When I lived in Colorado, I used a butane lighter that had an extendable probe to thaw my door locks. I got both the lighter and powdered graphite AFTER my wife twisted off the key in the drivers door of my Alfa GTV.
No problems after that.

Good luck.

 

I was going to suggest silicone spray?

But for lubrication, J-C already got the best answer, graphite. Most locksmiths seem to frown on WD because it eventually collects dirt on the oil residue left behind and gums up. They use graphite, both spray form (the carrier evaporates) and powder.

However is this really going to help his frozen lock problem? I assume there is water in there and it is freezing? Disolving the and melting would need to take place in this case huh? Prevention of moisture would be first choice but barring that you would need a solvent that evaporated quickly and melted the water. A propellant only with this property would work. I can only think of trying canned air right off hand?

Hey I got it! Leave the key in the lock the night before and double your insurance! Sorry, couldn't resist.

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97 F-150 SC Lariat, Styleside, White over Gold, 4.6L (Windsor), Automatic, 3.55 rear end, electronic 4X4, w/ every option of Lariat and ORP packages except the 17" wheels (I even got the OR decals now!), MOD's so far: K&N air box mod, Gibson Super Truck, clear Bugflector II, Leer TSC 600 hard cover, Bridgestone Dueler OWL ATP 265/75 R-16's, TrailMaster Invader N7 shocks, Smittybilt step bars, Ford moulded mud guards, "White-white" head lamps, Cloud Rider Design's SS Grill and bumper opening "Summer Grill's", Bosch platinum + 4's.