Would she still be smiling if the cold of this Johnsburg winter was enough that her car doors were frozen shut?

It was years ago, and the young man in Johnsburg was trying to open the trunk of his now-classic car – a 1973 red Plymouth Duster sportscar. The problem is that it was winter and the temperature was below zero and that trunk simply did not want to cooperate. 

Seeing him struggle, a passerby offered to help and started pounding on the trunk (deck) lid. Our young man from Johnsburg quickly hollered, “STOP!! I don’t want to get it open that bad.” But what if it was the driver's door that wouldn't open and he did want to get in the car ‘that bad?’

How did the trunk (deck) lid freeze shut? 

Moisture had frozen between the rubber of the lid and the trunk opening. A crowbar would not have opened it. And pounding wasn’t going to help, either.

This is not something that is limited to trunk (deck) lids and trunks; it happens to car doors, too – the car doors we use to get in and out of our vehicles.

Car doors also have rubber gaskets, and those gaskets can freeze to the metal when temperatures drop low. Someone may not need to get into the trunk of their car, but it can be an entirely different story when talking about getting into the car to go somewhere.

When the car doors are frozen shut, we’re talking a potentially serious inconvenience or worse. Imagine if there’s an emergency and you have to get a loved one to immediate care. Maybe it’s not as serious as that and you only need to get to an appointment or the grocery store. 

If the car door is stuck, it’s likely you’re equally stuck. But what can you do about it?

One thing you can do is wipe down the doorjambs and the rubber gasket (wipe down the rubber gasket carefully so you don’t do anything to damage or tear the gasket). Use a safe cleaner that will clean the surfaces well and will dry without leaving any unwanted residue.

On the other hand, you can apply something that WILL leave a residue and intentionally so. In this case, you want to apply a protective film that will help to avoid freezing between the two surfaces, such as a special lubricant.

Also, if the gaskets are torn or damaged, have them replaced.

Winter is tough enough in Johnsburg as it is. Don’t let frozen car doors add to the negative side of the experience.