Big frost?Don't do it with your car!- Automotive at INTERIA.PL
Low temperatures are not good for all elements made of plastic. For this reason, you should not wrestle with frozen door handles or seals. The probability that plastic will break faster than ice is - unfortunately - high.
That is why it is worth lubricating the seals and locks in advance with, for example, technical petroleum jelly or silicone spray. Replacing a door seal or door handle will rarely cost less than PLN 500!
The principle of avoiding or - more precisely - limiting force solutions also applies to getting rid of snow from the car, and in particular - "knocking" snow overhangs that often form after driving. Good advice - it's best to do it right after driving, when they are still "fresh" and the car itself is warm. After a night at a temperature of -15 or 20 degrees Celsius, they will turn into hard blocks of ice, which "clogging" can damage delicate, brittle from the cold, wheel arches! Contrary to appearances, especially in new cars, this can mean surprisingly large expenses.
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We should also remember that in many modern cars such elements as eg front fenders are often made of plastic. Too strong kick in the block of ice hanging from the wheel arch, maybe - it's not a joke! - end up breaking them! Then, in addition to replacing the fender and wheel arch itself, we will also have a visit to the paint shop!
In winter, a lot of problems can be caused by the braking system, and more precisely - the freezing hand brake. Contrary to appearances, this does not only apply to older vehicles, in which moisture accumulated in damaged casings protecting the cables often freezes. Then unlocking the applied brake becomes impossible until the frost eases. Much younger vehicles equipped with an electronically controlled brake may also have a similar problem. Here, in addition to damaging the shells, there is also the risk of moisture penetrating the so-called "kurs" (gaskets). Regardless of the culprit, the effect will be exactly the same, i.e. a forced stop. It is no coincidence that "old-school" drivers do not use the parking brake at all during the cold season!
A practice that allows you to save up to several hundred zlotys is also... not opening the windows during frost. A seemingly trivial activity, which we unconsciously perform when ordering food, paying for a parking lot or a motorway, can cost us up to several hundred zlotys! It is worth noting that the so-called clips, i.e. elements connecting the glass pane with the mechanism of lowering it, in almost all new cars are made of - unfortunately of poor quality - plastics.
The element withstands significantly less forces than the mechanism itself and becomes very brittle during frost. If we add to this that the glass itself can be frozen to the seal, we have a recipe for disaster! Half the trouble when we hear a crack and the glass remains in place. Worse when it falls, and - a damaged mechanism - will not be able to lift it. A trip to the mechanic with the window open at an ambient temperature of minus 10 or 15 degrees Celsius is definitely not the most pleasant!
