Why is this car awful when it freezes - windows?!

mj2k · Post by **mj2k** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:25 pm

Had my wife’s car a few years now, but whenever it freezes overnight, the car is a complete **** to get into as the windows don’t drop when the handle is lifted.

Ridiculous design, it’s not as though they don’t have cold conditions in Germany & I’ve imported a car from a hot only climate.

Used gummy pfledge or whatever it’s called, but only a temporary solution. Until the windows can move up and down, if you force it open, you can’t shut it afterwards.

No other cars I’ve had have ever been this terrible. Tried drying the seals, clingfilm etc. Just seems a design cock up, having to even entertain the idea of preventative measures to get in your car in this day & age. Finnish folk must just give up the will to live if they owned one!

Rant over.

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:30 pm

mr wilks · Post by **mr wilks** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:40 pm

Short term solutions , smear with vaseline / olive oil or buy a roll of gas tape & simply apply over the area that freezes & remove daily .

MACK · Post by **MACK** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:57 pm

The curse of modern cars with frameless windows on the doors unfortunately. I use a pre icer de icer on the window the night before. Does the trick and then wipe off with the rubber blade side of an ice scraper

Mr Tidy · Post by **Mr Tidy** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 9:02 pm

MACK wrote: ↑Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:57 pm The curse of modern cars with frameless windows on the doors unfortunately.

Not a modern car issue - it afflicts any car with frameless windows.

Many years ago I had a Vauxhall Cavalier Sportshatch with frameless windows and had the same problem with that - mind you it also had a Webasto sunroof and that and the front screen used to ice up on the inside, so it could be worse!

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 9:08 pm

Glycerine (aka glycerol) on the top seals. (Almost anything on the bottom seals will smear, of course.)

csm180 · Post by **csm180** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 9:32 pm

I have invested in a frost cover with sides. Seems to work so far.

Busterboo · Post by **Busterboo** » Mon Mar 19, 2018 12:14 am

Sounds like a good option. How much was it?

Derby Z4 · Post by **Derby Z4** » Mon Mar 19, 2018 2:45 am

What I usually do when it is freezing weather,just before getting out of my car,I just tap the window down button so it drops the window a couple of mm's.
I had the same problem getting into my E85 a few years ago.I ended up opening the roof with the key remote to get in the car...

mj2k · Post by **mj2k** » Mon Mar 19, 2018 7:08 pm

Sorry was busy sorting out the wife's car this morning - yes E89.

My minis have all been frameless, but the E89 seems to specialise in a particularly large overhang of roof where the window goes up into.

I'd forgotten all about how annoying the thing is until this recent cold spell & snow, as the last one the car didnt move on.

Oh well, meant to be spring soon!

Lazza · Post by **Lazza** » Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:49 am

My Mrs has a 2016 TT and a friend has a 2015 TTS and both of those suffer the same problem of frozen windows, except with those, if the windows don't close properly, the sensors tell the car the doors aren't closed properly and it doesn't let the e-brake release.

mcbutler · Post by **mcbutler** » Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:34 pm

leave it in the garage or leave the windows open

obewan · Post by **obewan** » Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:12 pm

A light smear of washing up liquid also works

Apologies for off topic

Mr Tidy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 18, 2018 9:02 pm
MACK wrote: ↑Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:57 pm The curse of modern cars with frameless windows on the doors unfortunately.
Not a modern car issue - it afflicts any car with frameless windows.

Many years ago I had a Vauxhall Cavalier Sportshatch with frameless windows and had the same problem with that - mind you it also had a Webasto sunroof and that and the front screen used to ice up on the inside, so it could be worse!

Me too - loved it!

: Cavalier SH a.jpg (173.95 KiB) Viewed 1349 times

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:32 pm

The daily was well frozen up this morning. I didn't even bother trying to open the door. In a bit of a hurry, so out came the Zed and off to work, roof down, a few seconds later.

The Garage:.......... a wonderful invention.

Maniac · Post by **Maniac** » Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:42 pm

I’ve tried every solution over the years.

The best result? Fine glass paper on the seals, the rougher rubber doesn’t freeze like the smooth worn rubbers do.

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