Car Encased in Ice!

We've had over 24 hours of freezing rain interspersed with sleet. My Jetta is encased in ice that's as hard as concrete. To make matters worse, the temperature is set to plunge tomorrow into the teens, which should further harden the ice. I have to drive the car Thursday, but I'm not sure I'll be able to get the ice off. Anyone have any de-icing methods to share?

Hair dryer or carefully with a blowtorch? At least enough to get the door open so you can start it, then put it on defrost and let it sit for a bit.

I thought it was harmful to let a cold TDI idle for a long time (this is BAD ice, and I've seen some nasty ice storms down South).

You could always try to find a source of running hot water to melt the ice, too.

The only problem is hot water freezes quicker than cold water and the chances are it'll freeze rather than melt if it's that bad. Maybe you could try and crack a bit down the bottom somewhere and see if you can pull chunks off but just be careful of the mirrors etc. The ice wont stick to hard to the car bodywork itself I wouldn't have thought because there's not really a good surface for it to cling to.

I'm afraid of breaking the window glass. I tried Rain-Ex de-icer fluid earlier today -- it did nothing. Using a scraper is just about useless. Craziness.

I second the warm/hot water. If you can't get it on a hose then you will have to pail it to the car.

Just had a thought. Rather than a hair dryer, how about one of those heat guns that are used for crafts or to soften paint. IIRC, they blow hotter than a hair dryer, anyhow. That should melt through the ice pretty quickly.

Yikes, tough situation. I'd be cautious trying to forcibly de ice with tools if its really really thick. I dont think a hair dryer would work if It were in the teens.
I'd wait it out if possible. If not, try to convince AAA to give me a tow to the nearest heated service garage and offer to pay for a nights use. If I couldn't get it somewhere warm I'd rent a portable propane heater and use a tarp to direct it at each of the four sides of the car. Tons of people must be in your situation so maybe learn from their success or failure tomorrow? The idling the car idea isn't bad, it would just take forever. I don't think the hot water idea would work well for large areas If it is that cold out. Heat gun good option compared to torch I'd say.

Seatman said:

The only problem is hot water freezes quicker than cold water (snipped)

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No it doesn't. Thats a myth.

May seem silly but how about some sidewalk salt? They make a de-icing agent in a spray can. Might be able to locate it at Wal-Mart or Home Depot. We get it in bulk cases at work from a supplier.

rubber/plastic mallet along the top edge of door seams?

"No it doesn't. Thats a myth. "

Yeh it does

http://library.thinkquest.org/C008537/cool/freeze/freeze.html

nicklockard said:

No it doesn't. Thats a myth.

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x2

I cannot imagine how that would even be possible.

Get's popcorn.

Carry buckets of lukewarm water from the house and pour over drivers door. Do it enough times to get door open. Get engine started and put on vent with recirc button on. No problem letting engine idle. Maybe sit in it and hold revs at 2000 to get heat building a bit further.

If you can run an extension cord to the car, a hair dryer will work. Slow, but it does work.

Get it done before the temps drop super low.

Don't try to chip the ice. You'll beat up the car and be mad at yourself in the spring.

And to the others, warm water does not freeze faster than cold. Only instance where it does is in an ice tray in the freezer, the warm water melts into the frost and then heat transfer is enhanced. Otherwise, no. Remember when freezers had frost??? whew. getting old.

"x2 I cannot imagine how that would even be possible."

Thats what the guys with big brains say, read the link.

Sorry about the slight off topic/hijack jbright.

Seatman said:

"x2 I cannot imagine how that would even be possible."

Thats what the guys with big brains say, read the link.

Sorry about the slight off topic/hijack jbright.

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Hot water COOLS at a faster rate. That doesn't mean it reaches a lower temperature before a colder temperature. It is impossible.

The link is bunko.

On topic: I second the towing suggestion. Many of the other options are risky to damage paint finish or door seals.

I had my car encased in 6 inches solid ice in the 2008 winter. It was nuts.


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nicklockard said:

Hot water COOLS at a faster rate. That doesn't mean it reaches a lower temperature before a colder temperature. It is impossible.

The link is bunko.

On topic: I second the towing suggestion. Many of the other options are risky to damage paint finish or door seals.

I had my car encased in 6 inches solid ice in the 2008 winter. It was nuts.


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Thanks for the sanity check here Nick. When I read the hot water freezes faster I was going to wave the Bravo Sierra flag, but ya beat me to it! I would recommend using a heat gun to melt the ice from around the drivers door. Should be your fastest bet inside to start it.

oh, and we need to see PICS!!!

bump the heat gun, if you have a cord long enough, make sure its a heavy gauge, heats guns suck lots of current.....on a side not , today i had to use my blow torch to melt the ice off my mirrors...in colorado its almost 20 below tonight.good luck be safe

nicklockard said:

I had my car encased in 6 inches solid ice in the 2008 winter. It was nuts.

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People, if you have more ice on your car than you can scrape off you're probably better off not driving

greengeeker said:

People, if you have more ice on your car than you can scrape off you're probably better off not driving

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Seconded... the roads can't be much better than your car.

Methanol... just don't light a match. We use it at work all the time to thaw frozen pipes, valves, and whatever else.

greengeeker said:

People, if you have more ice on your car than you can scrape off you're probably better off not driving

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That day I stayed home. But it took days for the ice to melt to a manageable level so I could enter the car.

Try the hot water vs cold water thing. Hot water does freeze faster.

back to topic.

Although we only occassionally have such weather here in southeast Kentucky as described by the OP, when we do it's not much different than what you are experiencing in Indianiapolis.

My #1 aid is one gallon jugs of hot water (about 120F-130F). I use it sparely working on the parts (top of door jam down the sides to the handle, etc.). Yes, I do dump it on the windshield...........haven't cracked one yet!

Once I get the driver's door open, I start the car and put the heat system on defrost with the fan on low................then I let the darn thing idle. That's all a bunch of bull$hit that your TDI engine is being destroyed by letting it idle.

Case in point 1: In the winter of 2003-04, I was TRAPPED in a traffic back-up on I-75 for over 6 hours......snow, blowing snow, and 23F. My car idled the entire time.
Case in point 2: On cold mornings if my wife is riding with me, I start the engine and let it idle as much as 15 to 20 minutes.
Case in point 3: We love to rumble thru yard sales. Each year there is a yard sale on Highway 127 from Chattanoga to Cincinnati in the month of August. We take in about 100 miles of it each year....... With the AC on, I never shut-off the engine!

Now at 280k miles and running strong.......... is my engine in trouble? I seriously doubt it!

Rest my case!

At temps around -20F to -30F (non windchill temp) you take warm water toss it in the air, it will hit the ground and shatter. It's a common test to see if it's cold or really cold out on top of Mt Washington. If you toss cold water, it won't shatter.

Give it a try.

As for the ice on the car, I'd give the hair drier a try, it that doesn't work, I'd use warm, not hot water, and pour it slowly over the the gasket of the door. It may take several gallon jugs, but it'll work.

Also silicone spray on your gaskets keeps from ice forming in the gaskets.

jbright said:

I thought it was harmful to let a cold TDI idle for a long time (this is BAD ice, and I've seen some nasty ice storms down South).

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I think the 2009s have a 1 KW electric heater coil in the heater box that activates below a certain coolant temperature when the heat is on high. (I wish my '04 had this). This may solve OP's problem if the engine fast idles for about 20 minutes with the heat on.

If you have a 1500 watt electric heater I'd run an extension cord to the car and put the heater in the car IN A SAFE MANNER, as not to cause a fire.

--Nate

Seatman said:

"x2 I cannot imagine how that would even be possible."

Thats what the guys with big brains say, read the link.

Sorry about the slight off topic/hijack jbright.

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I read the link, I was a chemistry major, and I STILL do not believe it!

--Nate

PDJetta said:

I think the 2009s have a 1 KW electric heater coil in the heater box that activates below a certain coolant temperature when the heat is on high. (I wish my '04 had this). This may solve OP's problem if the engine fast idles for about 20 minutes with the heat on.

If you have a 1500 watt electric heater I'd run an extension cord to the car and put the heater in the car IN A SAFE MANNER, as not to cause a fire.

--Nate

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The 2009 and 2010 do have a 1 KW eletric heater. If the water is to hot it could crack the window.Water will soften the ice then give the ice light taps then it will start crack off.Good luck

Be PATIENT HERE:
Use a hair dryer at the bottom rear corner of the door. As the door skin heats up you can move up slowly to the door handle and on to the top. Once the door opens, Start the car and let her run till it's clear enough to drive safely.