How to open a frozen car door in Canada

To open a car door that is frozen shut, work with something that melts ice gently: coat the key in hand sanitizer for a frozen lock, scrape a frozen handle, or use a commercial lock de-icer. Do not pour hot water on the door or the lock, and do not force the key.

Freezing rain, a car wash followed by a sharp drop in temperature, or a night parked outdoors can all leave a door or lock locked in ice. Firestone Complete Auto Care says a small amount of water can freeze inside a lock after a car sits in the cold or is washed just before the temperature falls. With winter arriving across much of the country, drivers who know the safe fixes can avoid a broken key, a damaged lock or a long wait for help. The steps below combine advice from Firestone and from the driver-education company Aceable.

1. Work out what is frozen. If only the handle is iced over, the problem is simple. If the lock will not accept the key, the water is inside the lock. If the handle and lock move but the door will not open, ice has likely sealed the rubber seal to the frame. Each case has its own fix.
2. Free a frozen handle with a scraper. Aceable says an ice scraper works only when just the handle is frozen, not the door seal or the lock. A credit card can stand in for a scraper if you do not have one.
3. Thaw a frozen lock with hand sanitizer. Firestone says to coat the key in hand sanitizer, then insert it gently into the lock without forcing it. If the key will not go in, wiggle it until it slides in. Leave it for 30 seconds so the alcohol can do its work, then turn the key and open the door. Firestone said the ethanol and isopropanol in sanitizer lower the freezing point of water.
4. Try a commercial lock de-icer. Aceable says a spray lubricant or lock de-icer, sold at most auto shops and big-box stores, can melt ice in a lock. Follow the directions on the product label.
5. Pour lukewarm water over a frozen lock or door frame. Aceable suggests filling a pitcher with lukewarm water and pouring it over the frozen lock or the frame. Water can refreeze in the cold, so try the door soon after you pour and dry the area once you are inside.
6. Use a hair dryer with care. Aceable says a hair dryer can melt ice around a lock or door seal if you can reach it with a battery-powered model or an outdoor-rated extension cord. For a lock, it suggests placing a toilet paper tube between the dryer and the lock to funnel the warm air. Keep any cord and plug away from snow and standing water.
7. Do not use hot water, and do not force the key. Firestone says hot water is only a short-term fix because it refreezes as it cools, and boiling water can damage the lock. Aceable adds that hot water can crack a windshield because of the sudden temperature change. Forcing a key risks snapping it off inside the lock, Firestone said.
8. Call a professional if nothing works. If the lock still will not budge after the steps above, or if a key has broken inside, contact a locksmith or your roadside assistance provider rather than continuing to force it.

Prevention is easier than thawing. Aceable says the best protection is to keep the car out of the cold, in a garage if you have one or under a cover if you do not. Its fallback for a car left outside is to rub alcohol, hand sanitizer or petroleum jelly on the key, put the key in the ignition and jiggle it. If you use petroleum jelly, wipe the key afterward.

Drivers who get stuck often need more than an open door. Our guides on how to defrost a car windshield, how to clear snow and ice off your car, how to jump-start a car in cold weather and how to build a winter car emergency kit cover the rest of a cold-morning routine.

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Sources: Firestone Complete Auto Care, “How To Unfreeze Your Door Lock”; Aceable, “Unfreeze a Car Door: Hot Tips and Life Hacks”.