Frozen car locks and dead fobs: what to do this winter

Ohio’s first hard freeze usually lands in early November, and our phones light up the same week.

Frozen door locks

Don’t pour hot water on a frozen lock, because it refreezes in minutes. A little graphite or lock de-icer in the keyhole does the job. Never use cooking oil or WD-40, which gum up in the cold.

A fob that suddenly stops

Fob batteries die in cold weather first. If your remote works from three feet but not thirty, replace the battery now. It’s a few dollars at the shop, and we’ll do it while you wait.

Spare key

If you have one key only, make a spare this month. A spare is far cheaper than a lost-all-keys call. And keep the spare out of the car.