Painter's tape to keep doors / windows from freezing
 

Thought I'd try something to keep my doors from freezing in the next few days because we might be getting some more freezing rain and temps going down to 8*F:

http://i.imgur.com/U4zrKVB.jpg

So perhaps I'll try putting some painters tape over the window and door creases, and then applying WD-40 on the painters tape to keep ice from sticking:

http://i.imgur.com/xCyFHr5.jpg

Does anybody think this might work or have any suggestions let me know.

Ok need to add to this, I'm going to put a couple extra layers of painter's tape down, and then cover it with Gorilla Tape (which is slick and waterproof) and then wipe a layer of Ballistol multi purpose sportsman's oil (mineral oil) over that.

Does anybody want to leave me any caution or warning before I do this.

*edit* did

http://i.imgur.com/dvRrqZJ.jpg

This seems like a much bigger annoyance than just dealing with the windows freezing.

Last week we had freezing rain / sleet which froze my car with nearly an inch of ice accumulation, and I couldn't get my doors open for two days.

In that case try anything lol

You could always get some barely warm water and pour it on those spots. Takes practically no time, plus it's free lol

Not a solution to keep window jambs from freezing. That could cause them to crack.

Well that's what I've done when I needed to, and never had a problem with it. That's why I make sure it is just barely warm and not scolding hot.

But sounds like tape will work. Let us know how it goes.

I'm pretty sure if you have an inch of ice accumulation on the car you shouldnt be driving anywhere anyway. :lol:

It has gotten down to -14 with my car covered in ice and I was able to get in and drive.
I just expect the window to go into fault mode every time I get in the car.

if it's just "normal snow" I DO try to scrape the window up one inch every time I get in the car to try to get the ice off so it doesnt tear up the seal.
I thought I'd get a little ice scraper as a keychain, but I never have to get my keys out so thats not going to work. :)

If you're getting enough ice accumulating that the door itself is getting stuck this won't help, but otherwise make sure you have the window freezing TSB complete if you have a 2013.


Keep your ice scraper in the trunk instead of behind seats like a lot of people. Open trunk, scape windows, get in. I don't have any window freezing issues doing this after having the freezing window TSB completed. Before the TSB it was a nightmare.

cant you remove the fuse so the windows dont open when you open the door???
when i got my windows tinted, i thought i remember the tinter saying he removed one of the fuses

Scraping anything on this car = eeek

I've yet to hear of an ice scraper scratching windows. Paint yes, but not glass. Just don't be careless with it. Otherwise you're waiting an awful long time before you've got windows clear enough to drive with.


My window stabilizers? Those are what scratches my window.

Why don't you just get a car cover?

It only snows / sleets / freezes 1-2 times a year here, so buying a car cover that protected against snow would be kind of a waste. I think car covers might scratch the paint. Also if its sleet / freezing rain then moisture will get through it then it'll just glue the cover to the car.

In for results.

DO NOT use WD-40.

That stuff is bad for anything plastic, i.e. all of that weather sealing around the windows/doors.

I second just using hot water much easier and you don't have to worry about tape residue being left on your car. I've had thick ice on my door before just kinda of used a little bit of force to pull them open

Please don't listen to the hot water on iced over glass advice. It can and will crack eventually. That's just plain physics.

Scraper in trunk is your best bet, as mentioned before. I've never had too much difficulty getting into the trunk, even with an inch of ice over it. Just have to be careful chipping the ice along the door seam below the glass, but there shouldn't be all that much ice there comparatively speaking.

Having lived in the frozen north, I was getting in and out of my car in -10* temps with the windows faulting only once so far. All this preparation is more work for no real results. I do give you credit for trying to be creative, though!

And as far as the ice, What I have done that works pretty well usually is find a part of the car (usually around the b-pillar, where the window meets it) and just hit it with medium force right along the pillar. There is enough flex in the car materials, but not the ice, so the car will flex under the ice, and the ice will crack, and you can start working at it from there. You won't break the glass unless you start whaling away with a hammer or other heavy object.

Side windows, at least in the US, are tempered glass and a lot more resistant to thermal shock. You want to avoid doing this on the windshield, however, as it is much more likely to fracture, especially if you use boiling water. If you read back, people are just recommending using "slightly warmer" water, which if you used 50-60* water, I doubt you will induce thermal shock.

Boiling water or not, it's dependent on the temperature difference. Enough temperature difference and even 'cold' water will crack glass. Granted, the glass would have to be really frickin' cold then ;)

Either way, if it ices over when you're out, ice scraper is still the answer :) Worst ice storm I've had to 'break' into the car with I was parked so far away at work, warm water wouldn't have survived sans a good thermos.

Well I don't pour hot water on the glass I pour it down the door jams usually for me anyway the rubber seals freeze on the inside of the door.

If your rubber seals are freezing you need to put silicone spray or shin etsu grease on them. They're dried out.

It's only happened after I go through a car wash or frozen rain and water freezes in the door jams its only happened twice tho

Semi-on topic, have any of you had the upper seal start to rub and end up getting pinched between the window and seal? I am guessing it just needs a little lube, but not sure what to use that wont end up streaking all over the glass.

I also use the prestone deice spray. Works great, and the can version comes with an integrated scraper.

We didn't get as much ice as I anticipated, but it worked well. The layer of gorilla tape that I put over the masking tape cut right through the ice when I lifted it up. Some blue painters tape got left over however and I had to peel it off later that day or when some of the ice melted.

There's some adhesive left over from the painters tape, which I'll be able to easily remove with turtle wax adhesive remover.

:bow::bow::bow:

THIS has worked wonders for me this last winter, probably went through a bottle and a half.

anyways... if you're getting nearly AN INCH of ice over your windows, how would you be able to get into the tape to peel it off.. Think about it. You still wouldnt be able to get to that tape for two days. It, to me, seems like its going to be more of a hassle. Just get a bottle of that ^ goodness and keep it in your trunk. spritz spritz and it works on the spot. Try it OP!