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Windows sticking in cold weather


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it's very cold in Vermont today, and this morning when i went out to the sube all the doors were frozen shut! The windows were sticking to the seals. I didn't dare pull too hard for fear of tearing something... fortunately one of the rear doors gave & I was able to climb over the seatsbacks to get into the drivers seat.

 

What's the best stuff to put on the seals to prevent the windows from sticking to them in frigid weather?

 

thanks!

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it's very cold in Vermont today, and this morning when i went out to the sube all the doors were frozen shut! The windows were sticking to the seals. I didn't dare pull too hard for fear of tearing something... fortunately one of the rear doors gave & I was able to climb over the seatsbacks to get into the drivers seat.

 

What's the best stuff to put on the seals to prevent the windows from sticking to them in frigid weather?

 

thanks!

 

i used armourall before the winter season on all the door seals. Keep in mind if the weather conditions ar right, noting is going to give you a 100% guarentee of getting in the car, any car. What also works is to have a can of windsheild deicer in the house and at work. ive used that to get in a frozen car.

 

 

nipper

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There normally seems to be some rubber residue that sticks to the glass in the weatherstrip area. Removing the residue with a razor blade and some glass cleaner will help the windows go up and down in all weather. Some sort of silicon on the rubber is probably best. If the windows are still stuck, run an electric heater inside the car for an hour before trying to unstick the doors.

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i used armourall before the winter season on all the door seals. Keep in mind if the weather conditions ar right, noting is going to give you a 100% guarentee of getting in the car, any car. What also works is to have a can of windsheild deicer in the house and at work. ive used that to get in a frozen car.

 

 

nipper

 

This time, the problem was that it was in the 40s and RAINING Saturday before it started snowing, and got VERY cold... So the remaining water froze the doors shut. Had a hard time getting in my Saab today too.

On the Sub, deicer, or maybe a hair dryer will defrost the windows to gasket connection. Certainly these gaskets can and will tear... Although I haven't had that problem yet!!

Usually pulling firmly, but not jerking, will start to release, then carefully work around.

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There normally seems to be some rubber residue that sticks to the glass in the weatherstrip area. Removing the residue with a razor blade and some glass cleaner will help the windows go up and down in all weather. Some sort of silicon on the rubber is probably best. If the windows are still stuck, run an electric heater inside the car for an hour before trying to unstick the doors.
how do you get inside?
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it's very cold in Vermont today, and this morning when i went out to the sube all the doors were frozen shut! The windows were sticking to the seals. I didn't dare pull too hard for fear of tearing something... fortunately one of the rear doors gave & I was able to climb over the seatsbacks to get into the drivers seat.

 

What's the best stuff to put on the seals to prevent the windows from sticking to them in frigid weather?

 

thanks!

 

same thing happened to me a couple days ago here in pittsburgh. the right rear opened and i had to go in and kick the door open. i ain't scarred

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I'll say this once about Auto starts and command starts. DON'T USE THEM.

 

I've had half a dozen cars come in my shop this winter where the auto start FUCT the car up. burnin up alternators, wasting batteries.

 

The problem with auto starts is that they are splice jobs done by some pothead kid who can't get a job any where else. Yes they do hide all the wires and stuff, but 14+ wires cut and spliced into your ignition WILL cause trouble. Especially if you have a stick shift. They splice a sensor to your parking brake, clutch pedal, dome light, power windows, power locks etc.

One short in this will cost you some money.,

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I'll say this once about Auto starts and command starts. DON'T USE THEM ... they are splice jobs done by some pothead kid who can't get a job any where else.

 

Well, in MY case the installer was a 62 year old EX pothead adult ... ME. Works just fine, thenkyewverymuch.

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Well, in MY case the installer was a 62 year old EX pothead adult ... ME. Works just fine, thenkyewverymuch.

 

Time well tell. Its common sense. YOU DONT SPLICE INTO FACTORY WIRING ON A NEW CAR. Yea its fine to hack into a 1980-90s EA82 wiring harness because the market value is crap. But to be doing it on the newer generations is just plain stupid. They ruin your car.

 

Quit being lazy, walk outside and start the thing. I live in one of the coldest places in the US. Never had an autostart, never will. Its not that big of a deal to take 15 seconds out of your day and walk out and start your car. Yeah -60F sucks, but when it comes down to it, and something burns up to the autostart, it'll start to make sense

 

The way I see it, Autostarts are for FAT PEOPLE!

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OK, thanks for the diatribe and calling me fat. Anyways, I am 36 and was a professional installer for 10 years until I grew up. It's been in the car since 1997 and not a single problem. I've even got one in my 1987 GMC 2500 plow truck, and my 2003 Grand Caravan and again, not a problem. In my state (Massachusetts) it is illegal to install in a MT car, besides dangerous. I have 3 kids. They appreciate the warmth.

 

 

FYI

6'2" 260lbs, so I guess that I am fat to some people... ;-)

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it's very cold in Vermont today, and this morning when i went out to the sube all the doors were frozen shut! The windows were sticking to the seals. I didn't dare pull too hard for fear of tearing something... fortunately one of the rear doors gave & I was able to climb over the seatsbacks to get into the drivers seat.

 

What's the best stuff to put on the seals to prevent the windows from sticking to them in frigid weather?

 

thanks!

 

Soak an old piece of cloth with silicon spray and wipe it on the window opening surround weatherstrips. Silicon grease can also be used but it has to be applied sparingly because it'll make a big GD mess and being "greasy" it will also attract dirt if you use too much.

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Soak an old piece of cloth with silicon spray and wipe it on the window opening surround weatherstrips. Silicon grease can also be used but it has to be applied sparingly because it'll make a big GD mess and being "greasy" it will also attract dirt if you use too much.

 

Whew, back to our regular programming.

 

Thanks mwatt, this usually isn't a problem, since our Leg is in a heated garage, but there have been times coming out of the theater or like when we find the windows frozen.

 

I just happen to have a can of silicon spray sitting right by the garage door. I use it to spray the rotor and throat of the snowblower when throwing heavy wet snow ... helps avoid 'Tootsie Rolls' of compacted snow.

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