How are people preventing their door latches from freezing? My 1998
A4 2.8 Quattro was perfect until this winter, when the driver side
doors decided to start freezing open, preventing the doors from
latching shut when closed. The dealer says to spray WD-40 in there,
which I am reluctant to do because WD-40 attracts dirt, so what are my
alternatives? I have a spray de-icer I could try, or a teflon spray,
or perhaps just get a white lithium grease lube job?

 

xymergy@suds.com <xymergy@suds.com> coughed up the following:

> How are people preventing their door latches from freezing? My 1998
> A4 2.8 Quattro was perfect until this winter, when the driver side
> doors decided to start freezing open, preventing the doors from
> latching shut when closed. The dealer says to spray WD-40 in there,
> which I am reluctant to do because WD-40 attracts dirt, so what are my
> alternatives? I have a spray de-icer I could try, or a teflon spray,
> or perhaps just get a white lithium grease lube job?

I think you were being clear headed in avoided wd-40. I don't know about
the door latch issue in particular, but I can tell you that in every other
place I've used it I've ended up with horribly gritty situations.

I think your teflon spray is what I'd try first.

 

Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
> xymergy@suds.com <xymergy@suds.com> coughed up the following:
>
>> How are people preventing their door latches from freezing? My 1998
>> A4 2.8 Quattro was perfect until this winter, when the driver side
>> doors decided to start freezing open, preventing the doors from
>> latching shut when closed. The dealer says to spray WD-40 in there,
>> which I am reluctant to do because WD-40 attracts dirt, so what are
>> my alternatives? I have a spray de-icer I could try, or a teflon
>> spray, or perhaps just get a white lithium grease lube job?
>
> I think you were being clear headed in avoided wd-40. I don't know
> about the door latch issue in particular, but I can tell you that in
> every other place I've used it I've ended up with horribly gritty
> situations.
>
> I think your teflon spray is what I'd try first.

Think its because the door handle's are flat on our's, flushed in line with
the door, maybe thats why they changed the design on 2000 cars to rounded
handles.

WD40 might attract dirt, but its easier to clean the car then it is to
replace the door handle's I've noticed mine does stick a bit when really
cold outside, but have had no problems as of yet, I think it's common
problem though.

Ron


--
www.1337hosts.com
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xymergy@suds.com wrote:
> How are people preventing their door latches from freezing? My 1998
> A4 2.8 Quattro was perfect until this winter, when the driver side
> doors decided to start freezing open, preventing the doors from
> latching shut when closed. The dealer says to spray WD-40 in there,
> which I am reluctant to do because WD-40 attracts dirt, so what are my
> alternatives? I have a spray de-icer I could try, or a teflon spray,
> or perhaps just get a white lithium grease lube job?

woops I read it wrong my apologies, you mean the actual mechanism, WD40
should be fine as you don't get much dirt there anyway as its inside the
door, and make sure the catches are greased well, it should be done on the
service but inevitably they forget these things

Ron


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www.1337hosts.com
Cheap Reliable Web-hosting

 

xymergy@suds.com wrote in message news:<l1ov20p5q98ove5b95iagjd083f8v9153o@4ax.com>. ..
> How are people preventing their door latches from freezing? My 1998
> A4 2.8 Quattro was perfect until this winter, when the driver side
> doors decided to start freezing open, preventing the doors from
> latching shut when closed. The dealer says to spray WD-40 in there,
> which I am reluctant to do because WD-40 attracts dirt,

Actually, WD-40 eventually evaporates and you're left with no
lubrication at all.

> so what are my
> alternatives? I have a spray de-icer I could try, or a teflon spray,

Rashly assuming that Audi hasn't changed these latches too much since
the early '90s, you should dismount the door latch from the back side
of the door and lube the hell out of it (the latch, that is, not the
hole in the door) *inside*. Work it well and, when it's fairly free,
reinstall it. It's a closed assembly that doesn't get much dirt into
it, so WD-40 works fine. It will *lose* lubrication long before any
dirt it accumulates can mess it up. Jim Blau, of Blaufergnügen,
recommends doing this annually with all door latches. I find it bears
doing about half that often (every two years), at least on the
most-used doors. It's not too difficult a DIY job.

> or perhaps just get a white lithium grease lube job?

You think *WD-40* attracts dirt? Wait'll you see what *this stuff*
will hold, aside from the odd passing cockroach ...

Nonetheless, it would work fine in this application. It's what Audi
didn't use enough of.
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there; done that)

 

xymergy@suds.com wrote in message news:<l1ov20p5q98ove5b95iagjd083f8v9153o@4ax.com>. ..
> How are people preventing their door latches from freezing? My 1998
> A4 2.8 Quattro was perfect until this winter, when the driver side
> doors decided to start freezing open, preventing the doors from
> latching shut when closed. The dealer says to spray WD-40 in there,
> which I am reluctant to do because WD-40 attracts dirt, so what are my
> alternatives? I have a spray de-icer I could try, or a teflon spray,
> or perhaps just get a white lithium grease lube job?

I use a light silicone spray. Once a year, in the fall, I squirt just
a little on all the bits. Late fall, I use the same spray on the door
seals. Works pretty good so far. The latch mechs don't attract much
dirt anyway, but WD-40 is more a solvent than a lubricant.
--
Jonesy