Had something really weird happen to my 2011 tonight. It is quite cold out, is supposed to hit
-3F before morning, and there is a substantial wind chill effect. Came out of restaurant unocked the car and got in the driver's seat and closed the door. The open door icon came on, and sure enough it hadn't closed. I kept trying to close it, but it wouldn't latch. I checked and the seatbelt was not stuck in the door nor was snow/ice, it just wouldn't latch. Hitting lock/unlock in the car or on the key fob mutliple times had no effect, nor did the lock out button change anything. Finally I held the door shut, and using the pull out (real) key, physically locked/unlocked a few times. It stayed shut, but now the door was locked shut and wouldn't open. Hit all the buttons again but nothing worked, including the pull out key. I had to crawl over the passenger's seat to get in. I thought maybe it would work when the car warmed up a bit, so while my wife was in a store (the passenger door worked fine) I tried it a few times, but still it wouldn't unlock. Of course, I am 2500 miles out of warranty, so now I am getting worried. Took my wife to another store and this time while she was gone I put down the window and held the button on the exterior handle. It beeped rapidly, and suddenly I was able to open the door. It almost seemed like something had reset. Anyone have anything like this happen?

Last winter this happened to me too. So I decided to spray some silicon inside. Problem solved! Then this winter, it happened twice only. I guess I have to spray more silicon.

My Issue for the past winters is the passenger side hood latch. I am 100% sure it is the cable that is binding when it is very cold outside. The front hood won't pop open last winter. It opens when I park in a garage after 15-20 minutes when the temp in the garage heats up. This winter it is the opposite, I can open the hood , but the passenger side of the hood will not lock. I had to manually pull the hood latch cable's head in order for the latch to grab the hood.

I take it you spray the silicon into the keyed lock on the door?

meanie wrote:I take it you spray the silicon into the keyed lock on the door?

Yes and few in the latch. Would you be able to verify if your physical key inside the remote works for the key slot outside the driver side door?

I did ask this before in the forum, but no one answered. Mine does not work at all when I tried to use the key (same key for the glove box) for the driver side door key slot. So what is the driver side door key slot for?

Yeah, it was the use of the physical key that finally allowed the door to shut, but then it stayed locked. It was the first time I had used that key.

I just went to my local dealer today due to hood latch not latching on the passenger side, unless I manually pull the cable on the hood latch side to keep the hood shut. I have to come back since they just ordered the whole latch mechanism. The car just hit 73k miles and still under extended warranty (Bought from New Jersey lady). Service adviser said they will replace both side.

I also mentioned the driver door does not lock or unlock using the blade (metal) key. He said they also ordered the lock assembly in the door. Really? I have the EX35 since Sept. 2008 and my blade key is unusable at all in case of emergency...

Just a warning guys, make sure you check your blade key and see if you can physically open your driver door manually.
Once your warranty is out, I do not know if they can fix this for free.

Also, the peeling on the steering wheel bezel is not covered by the warranty. Guy said this is cosmetic issue, but most G37 forum members had their steering wheel replaced under warranty due to bezel peeling. I guess this depends on the dealer.

Ok to answer your initial question why doors tend to stick close on cold days , is due to some water freezing up inside the door lock mechanism. I read from other forum not to wash the car when it is negative outside, preferably 30+ F degrees.
Some water droplet will get into the door and freeze up right away and this moisture will stay inside for a while.

About frozen doors and locks. Here is what I learn from my mishap with my door handle not working, and me opening the doors panels and window assembly.

accessing-inner-driver-door-t596766.html

Firstly, when it is cold outside and water enters the door, via the window or otherwise, it can drip down the latch assembly, on either of 2 rods or a cable. When the water enters there and then freezes, two things can happen.

-the metal rod connecting the key mechanism to the door lock, or the other rod connecting the handle mechanism to the door lock can freeze and either one can "pop out" of their anchors, at either ends, because the ice expands and pushes them out. I saw it myself yesterday when I fixed my door handle. It is a very easy fix. Just reconnect the end of the rod to the mechanism by inserting it in the right place and using a tie wrap. The video in the treat above shows it clearly.

-The wire that attaches the door handle to the lock may not slide properly. One of its end can "pop out " of its anchor and detach and the handle won't work anymore. This is exactly what happened to me: I wash my car and right after I drove it in -30c weather. The cable froze, I then activated the handle by later opening the door when the car rested outside all night, and the end of the cable detached.

I opened the door inside panel, disassembled the whole window assembly, reached the various locking mechanisms, and now fully understand its workings. It wasn't a long but yet an easy fix. I could see some ice already forming on the rods and "pushing" their ends out of their "sockets". In my case, it didn't do anything yet but it could have (my problem were the cables, not the rods). I spray rust prevention liquid all over.

Lessons learned: don't wash your car in freezing cold weather as it may not only freeze the door, it's lock, but also the inside mechanisms.

Good to know. In my case I hadn't washed the car in a shamefully long time. So it wasn't that. Since it began to work when the car warmed up I assume it was frozen but nothing had popped off yet. I have to get some de-icer to keep in the car, but given your experience will be careful when I wash it.

meanie wrote:Had something really weird happen to my 2011 tonight. It is quite cold out, is supposed to hit
-3F before morning, and there is a substantial wind chill effect. Came out of restaurant unocked the car and got in the driver's seat and closed the door. The open door icon came on, and sure enough it hadn't closed. I kept trying to close it, but it wouldn't latch. I checked and the seatbelt was not stuck in the door nor was snow/ice, it just wouldn't latch. Hitting lock/unlock in the car or on the key fob mutliple times had no effect, nor did the lock out button change anything. Finally I held the door shut, and using the pull out (real) key, physically locked/unlocked a few times. It stayed shut, but now the door was locked shut and wouldn't open. Hit all the buttons again but nothing worked, including the pull out key. I had to crawl over the passenger's seat to get in. I thought maybe it would work when the car warmed up a bit, so while my wife was in a store (the passenger door worked fine) I tried it a few times, but still it wouldn't unlock. Of course, I am 2500 miles out of warranty, so now I am getting worried. Took my wife to another store and this time while she was gone I put down the window and held the button on the exterior handle. It beeped rapidly, and suddenly I was able to open the door. It almost seemed like something had reset. Anyone have anything like this happen?

Thank you, man! Your post just saved me a visit to dealer! Ice rain plus freeze at night and here you go, I couldn't open driver's door. Fixed it the same way as you did: warm it up then press and hold unlock button from inside.

Got to wonder how many others have had this issue ? Winter may be nearing its end but i'd be worried over the next few that it may be my turn...
You'd think there'd be some sort of recall on this ??

Ha! Glad to know it has not only happened to others, but the same method worked to resolve it. I have to find some de-icer to keep in the car next winter.

Chelsea John wrote:Got to wonder how many others have had this issue ? Winter may be nearing its end but i'd be worried over the next few that it may be my turn...
You'd think there'd be some sort of recall on this ??

I think some silicon sprayed into the lock preventive could help to avoid that issue. Will do that next winter before freezing temperatures.

dognil wrote:

Chelsea John wrote:Got to wonder how many others have had this issue ? Winter may be nearing its end but i'd be worried over the next few that it may be my turn...
You'd think there'd be some sort of recall on this ??

I think some silicon sprayed into the lock preventive could help to avoid that issue. Will do that next winter before freezing temperatures.

Temperatures have dipped again here. Think I'll do this this weekend.
Appreciate the feedback. Cheers...

To remove the ice buildup on the lock, try applying alcohol, heating the key, using a hairdryer, or spraying lock defrosters. These straightforward techniques usually work.