I recently purchased a 2004 Toyota Sienna. the winter weather is freezing my sliding doors shut. I dont think it's the locking mechanism freezing Because that opens when I push the unlock Button. what can I do to prevent these doors from freezing? I do not have electric doors
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1Welcome to Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair! Do you believe it's the seal which is sticking keeping it from opening? – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2♦ Nov 14 '18 at 19:16
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1Confirm you have electric doors (edit your question). What do you mean theyr'e frozen shut if pressing the button opens them? – mike65535 Nov 14 '18 at 20:22
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the button will open the lock, but the door will not open when I pull the handle. this happens after a cold night. soon it will be very cold night and day so I must resolve it. I live in Canada. winter is very cold – Terry Nov 14 '18 at 22:14
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Does the handle move easily, then the door sticks, or is it hard to get the handle to unlatch? – GdD Nov 15 '18 at 10:20
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yes the handle moves easily, and the door sticks. – Terry Nov 15 '18 at 11:28
When I had this happen, I cleaned and dried the seals and then sprayed a light coating of a silicone spray on the seals - worked well, but only a light coating is needed.
Edit, I am in Switzerland and although not as cold as Canada, -10 Deg C in winter is enough to give me the same issue as the OP...
answered Nov 14 '18 at 19:19
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1WD-40 works well, too, due to it's water repellent properties. As you say, "light coating" is all that's needed. Good call. – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2♦ Nov 14 '18 at 19:23
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I'm with the silicone option, but if you can't find silicone lube (a tube versus a spray works just fine as well, apply it with a cotton swab) then Petroleum Jelly works too, it's liquid down to -45C. – GdD Nov 15 '18 at 10:19
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I purchased some and sprayed one sliding door so I will know if it works. if one freezes and the other doesn't then I will consider it effective. now I'm just waiting for the untreated door to freeze. – Terry Nov 21 '18 at 14:27
