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Frozen door handles

Discuss the problems with your X5 (E53).
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Themoog2
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Frozen door handles

Post by Themoog2 » Sun Dec 05, 2021 10:30 pm

Does anyone else suffer with frozen door handles? If it's icy mine either cannot be lifted or if I do manage to open the door then the latch inside the door sticks and won't allow the door to latch shut.
Several times I've had to get my heat gun out and thaw it out just so I can use the car.. Bit of a nuisance I reckon.

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X5Sport
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Frozen door handles

Post by X5Sport » Mon Dec 06, 2021 6:55 am

Yes, frequently and with all of our cars!

I regularly spray the door/bonnet/boot latches with a bit of Duck Oil, however dry graphite powder may also help (but I have run out).
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

Leslie
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Frozen door handles

Post by Leslie » Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:27 am

My e70 would open but failed to latch so you couldn't drive in the winter until you had heat in the car, some copper grease in the latch helped, our focus is tortured with this no matter what you do the the latch should be sprung but doesn't seem to be and in the frost the pivot must contract so it's no longer free moving and you have to wait for car to warm before you can close and latch the door :headbang:

Themoog2
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Frozen door handles

Post by Themoog2 » Thu Dec 23, 2021 5:06 pm

Interesting. I always thought it was just X5’s.
Saying that, my mini r50 is poor too when it comes to iced up windows as they won’t drop the 10mm automatically when opened so then the doors won’t shut correctly. Our Range Rover has no problems at all with ice. And it’s got a heated front screen..

Leslie
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Frozen door handles

Post by Leslie » Thu Dec 23, 2021 8:34 pm

Every car should have a heated screen they are epic 8) , I thought it was only ford but i guess ford owned them for a few years ,our focus has it and why every car doesn't for all it would cost I just don't know :? They can still own any patent now surely ?

mikeaj
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Frozen door handles

Post by mikeaj » Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:22 pm

Silicon lubricant with a straw did it for me. Remove the little oval access plug in the end of the door and with the straw give it all a good soaking. Do upwards to the outside handle too. You can also get to quite a lot through the outside handle.
This not only lubricates the mechanism, but stops the condensation that causes the problem.

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Frozen door handles

Post by Leslie » Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:54 pm

Thats interesting there is a little rubber plug on the e70 too but it fells like the problem is in the actual latch the hook doesn't click in the frost so it seems to me its whats inside the actual latch has stuck.Its very annoying as it takes a good 15 mins outside work till there is enough heat in the cabin to feed through into the door to unsieze it.
I see you can buy a new latch for 90 quid for an e70 or a secondhand one about 15 quid to have a look inside see whats happening :thumbsup:
Its pretty annoying if you have several days frost in a row :headbang:

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