Doors wont close

[Brother]

This morning I went to get into my car and the door was tough to open. I sit down and pull the door closed and BOUNCE. The door wouldn't close. I couldn't make the latch mechanism lock over in the closed position. It still moved but it wouldn't stop.

Had to hold it closed on the way to work and back. ( I live within a half mile of work and no speeds over 30)

I get home, kick the dog for peeing on the back tire of my Toyota again, and put the Porsche in the garage. While I'm going to get a portable space heater so I can work on the door, my dog and his magic elf friend must have fixed or defrosted the door. It closed like usual when I got back.

What's up with this?

What tool is required to remove the bolts holding on the striker plate?

Is there something worn that would prevent this in the future? It was probably 20F this morning.

[Paulporsche]

Maybe your dog peed on the lock.

Seriously, was the trigger frozen in position? If so try spraying in some lock deicer and/or graphite. If you are lucky that's all you'll need. If not, then you will have to open up the door and check for wear, or at least a clean and relube.

[Brother]

No, the porsche was parked outside. the latch moved; it just wasn't holding in the closed position. Consequently the door was frozen shut a few weeks ago.

[TerryH]

If you see ice crystals on your door handle, put your tongue on it to warm it up. Maybe your dog will come by and help you free it later. Then again, most likely he won't.

Above message from the SPCA......

[Rot 911]

I have had that happen on lots of cars. The latch mechanism just freezes up until the car gets warm enough to thaw it out. My MGB used to do it every winter. Get the car in the garage and let the heat dry the latch out. The spray it with some dry graphite. Should fix your problem.

[Want to be]

i always carried a small can of (lip stick size) de-icer in my jacket pocket. My 911 did this all the time when i used it for a daily driver.

good luck

jpc

[Brother]

I used a whole thing of deicer the night that I walked home. I leave the frozen hinterland in 17 more days; hopefully, never to return.

[ckissick]

That's funny, that never happens to me here at the beach in California. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[JeremyD]

What's deicer?

[Brother]

For you socal tofu eating weenie roasters, EAT ME!

Just kidding. (not really) Never ever come up North. Stay near a coast and the sun. Support global warming by getting less than 10 mpg. North Dakota could afford to warm up by another 15-25 degrees on average.

And for the sake of Colarado, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, and most other states --Stay in California. (Sorry couldn't resist)

[randywebb]

You want to use a dry lobe like graphite on your doors. I would do it repeatedly. It helps if you can park away from any precip. - snow will fall into crevices and then thaw then freeze again as ice.

BTW, some interior parts of the continents may actually get colder due to "global warming." It will alter circulation patterns, so high pressure areas may no longer keep arctic stroms out as much as they do now. Small consoloation right now I know.

[B D]

What's up with this?

Karma, stop kicking your dog.