1996 XJ 2 door Sport, manual locks and windows.

And I just shot everything in that door lock with white lithium grease.

Anyway, this AM my driver's side door lock was frozen. I pounded around it with my fist until the key would work the lock. Then pounded some more until the thumb button went in. Opened! But, door would not latch closed.

Went to tinkering around for a while and then the door still would not latch closed. Slammed the door and it stayed closed. And locked. Now the lock switch will not go to the fully unlocked position. The key feels like it engages unlocking (or something), but inside door switch doesn't move.

Neither inside or outside handle will open door. They don't feel like they are engaging anything.

 

I found using Ballistol works better that white lithium. My drivers door lock would not work with the key, (found out when key fob battery died) and used Ballistol to clean the mechanisms and lockset. Worked so well, I sprayed all of the doors and mechanisms...

 

The challenge now is to get the door open to be able to do any of that.

 

I don't know about the door on a 2 door or the front door on a 4 door
but I was able to pull the door panel on a rear driver's side door that
would not open from the outside or the inside.
It was awkward and I think I had to remove the bottom of the rear seat
for the door panel to clear but got it done so.......

 

With the red straw tube, press that between the window glas and the rubber wipe on the bottom and spray as much as you would like. Move the straw from left to right and spray the lock mechanism from the key entry point and around the push button on the exterior handle. If you can get inside the Jeep and roll down the window you would have better access to the door mechanisms to spray.

I would spray it and give it a few moments to "soak" and then try to unlock and gain entry. Might take a few attempts.

Of course, this is assuming that nothing inside the door is broken of fell apart, that it is just "cruded" up.

 

Turns out I just need to get that door in the sun and it thawed out, after I had the inside panel to the handle and lock off. Went back through all the locks and weatherstripping with silicone spray.

 

In the locks themselves I recommend this:

https://www.acehardware.com/departme...bricants/10716

I use silicone on my weather stripping too.
I never do anything with the buttons on the door handles though.
Wondering if trying to spray some white lithium grease behind them might be a better idea.

 

White lithium grease is what I just sprayed in the locks a few days before getting the high-teens temps.

 

In the locks where the key goes?
Cause I am thinking that is not the best idea.
Like I said. The Lock-Ease in the locks themselves.
Wondering if the white lithium would be good for the button on the handle though.

 

Mechanism in door edge and in where key goes is where I sprayed the WL, and it seemed like everything in there was frozen except the key cylinder, which was stiff. Went back over all with silicone.

 

I had the same issue with my front passenger door. I simply took the majority of it apart and lithium greased it all and put it back together. no problems yet in about a year....

 

Let me rephrase a little... I didnt take it all apart and have door mechanisms laying all over the place. I did the best I could to only unhook clips, latches or just move something around. Nothing came out of the door... but like I said I just sprayed everything as best I could if I could get to it to take it apart, and if I couldn't take it apart, I made sure to spray it real good and work the door handles and locks so the grease could make its way into tight spots before I put the inner door panel back on.

 

I was just going to say... what about ambient temp... when I used to live up in the "real" cold country... it was not uncommon for door locks to freeze solid overnight.... a cup of warm water will work in a pinch...I always tended to use graphite instead of any gel type lube... worked better in the really cold winter days/nights/mornings/you get the point lol...

 

Had to do that to all 4drs and hatches on the XJ and Blazer Christmas Day. Got in but of course they froze back up in short time.

 

yeah... that's why I said in a pinch.. it's a very short-term fix to get you into your vehicle when the locks are frozen solid......kind of about as much time you have to remove one's tongue from a metal flag pole before it freezes on for good. lol
Key in the lock... apply warm water... turn go.... then if you keep the heat on long enough inside the car should keep the locks thawed enough to work. Just be patient and dont get ticked and slam a door..... or you'll find out the hard way why that's a bad idea...