Car door lock frozen in Toronto?
A frozen lock, a door frozen shut and a fob that died in the cold feel the same at seven on a January morning: you cannot get in. They are three different problems, and two of them you can often fix yourself.
From $95. You hear the full price on the call and nobody sets out until you agree. Open daily, 7am to 10:30pm.
Is it the lock, the door or the fob?
- The key will not go in, or will not turn
- The lock cylinder is frozen. Water got in and froze, usually after a thaw or a car wash followed by a hard frost.
- The lock clicks but the door will not move
- The door is frozen shut. Ice has glued the rubber seal to the frame. The lock is fine.
- Nothing happens when you press the fob
- The fob battery is weak, and cold drains it further. There is a metal key hidden inside the fob for exactly this.
Safe things to try first
Try these in order, and stop if anything starts to bend.
Warm the key, not the lock
Hold the metal key in your hand or against a hot travel mug for a minute, slide it in gently and wait a few seconds before turning. Repeat a few times.
Lock de-icer
A small can from a gas station sprays into the keyhole and melts the ice in a minute or two. Keep it in your coat, not in the glovebox.
Push the door, then pull
For a door frozen shut, lean your weight into it to crack the ice along the seal, then pull. Try the other doors and the hatch as well; one is often less frozen than the rest.
Three things that make it worse
- No hot water. It runs into the lock and the seal and freezes again, often worse than before, and on a very cold day it can crack the glass.
- No forcing the key. A cold key snaps easily, and then you have a broken key stuck in the lock.
- No prying with an ice scraper. It tears the seal and chips the paint.
What if the fob is dead?
Slide the hidden metal key out of the fob and use it in the driver's door. The keyhole is often under a small cap at the end of the handle. Once you are in, hold the fob against the start button to start the car. A new coin battery costs a few dollars.
That keyhole is hardly ever used, so it is often stiff or frozen itself. Warm the blade first.
When should I stop and call?
- The lock will not turn after de-icer and a warm key
- The technician opens the car through the door frame with lockout tools, so the frozen cylinder does not matter. You start the engine and let the heater thaw the rest.
- The key snapped in the lock
- Stop and keep both pieces. In most cases the piece can be drawn out, and the door is opened another way in the meantime.
- Only the seal is frozen
- Then you probably do not need a locksmith. Push to break the ice, try every door or wait for the sun. If you are stuck, call and ask.
Car plowed in on a side street? Leslieville covers which door the technician works from. Frozen out in your own driveway with the house keys in the car? See Scarborough.
Frozen locks: cost and prevention
How do I stop my car locks freezing?
Spray a little lock lubricant into the keyholes before a cold snap, and wipe the door seals with silicone spray so they do not stick.
Will the fob work again once it warms up?
Often, if the battery is weak and not dead. Replace it anyway, or the next cold morning catches you out again.
How much does it cost to open a frozen car?
It is priced as a car lockout, from $95. See what the price depends on.
Does roadside assistance cover a frozen lock?
Some plans treat it as a lockout. Ask how long the wait is, because in a cold snap roadside queues get long. See who to call.
Still frozen out?
Say whether it is the lock, the door or the fob when you call.
Open daily, 7am to 10:30pm