'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

[Paule]

For years opportunist thieves have pinched cars from outside schools, shops, parked in driveways and petrol station forecourts.

Now they've cottoned on to the idea of hanging around driveways, or where there is on-street parking and waiting for motorists to leave their engines running while they defrost the car.

The owner pops back into the house to get warm - maybe grab a quick cuppa and unknown to them the thief is away before anyone has noticed.

Don't assume that the car is ok because there is someone further down the road scraping ice from a windscreen - as most people are hidden by big coats and hats, it could be an opportunist thief, making sure you don't get suspicious, rather than your neighbour, defrosting their car.

[WendyB]

Re: 'Frosting' A warning to car owners this winter

Good advice Pk.

Why are you ****ed off?

[Guest]

Re: 'Frosting' A warning to car owners this winter

It is good advice and further, should you lose your car this way, be prepared for a battle with your insurance company as the only way the thief was able to take the car is because the keys were in it and as a result, it was not secured.

Almost all car insurance companies will not pay out if the keys have been left in the ignition.

[stevokenevo]

Re: 'Frosting' A warning to car owners this winter

NOT the frosting i had in mind then, how disappointing :snowlol:

[Delta]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

And this is why, when himself has to defrost at 5.30 in the morning he just goes out with a bucket of very tepid water, hurls it over the car, brings the bucket back in, grab his keys and butty box, is in the car and off.

Mind you, 3 hours later when the kids are going to school.... the drive is like an ice rink courtesy of aforementioned bucket!

[stevokenevo]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

ive done something similar delta, and by the time i got to work, the water had ingressed the door locks, and frozen. I was stuck in the bloody car. Had to phone out, get someone to come out with the kettle and pour it on th door lock. Got out. By the time i finished work, lock had re-frozen and the cycle started again. So, i NEVER use water to thaw the car anymore.

[WendyB]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

I'm also guilty of using water, I just get it in a bottle or jug and pour from the edge of the roof downwards over the front screen, do it twice otherewise it freezes back on again. Driver and passenger windows get the same treatment, just trickled down, rather than chucked at, that way there's less chance of it getting in the locks. Fortunately my car is parked on the road at the moment, with a very handy drain, so I don't cause any ice-rink hazards.

[thephoenix]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

I leave it to her indoors to scrape the windows while I stay in the warmth with a lovely cuppa coffee.


Then 1/2 hour later I start the school run..... on foot, in the cold. brrrrrrr

[Tempty]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

ive done something similar delta, and by the time i got to work, the water had ingressed the door locks, and frozen. I was stuck in the bloody car. Had to phone out, get someone to come out with the kettle and pour it on th door lock. Got out. By the time i finished work, lock had re-frozen and the cycle started again. So, i NEVER use water to thaw the car anymore.

LMAO
i've done exactly the same thing ...... only problem was there was no one to get me out at the other end........ had to drive to nearest garage and get them to spray the lock with de icer to let me out LOL... will NOT make that mistake again :snowlol:

[Tools]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

Little tip to save locks freezing/seizing up at any time of the year.

Once a month take a can of WD40 or similar ( usually supplied with a thin straw ) and spray liberally inside the locks . This is something necessary anyway as many cars have remote central locking and the actual `key in the lock` very rarely gets used. A new lock set , due to seizures , can work out quite expensive , whereas a can of WD40 costs very little in comparison.

I also use warm water to defrost the screen but as Wendy B says pour slowly from the top. Don`t forget to do your mirrors too unless you are white van man or a taxi who never use them anyway

NEVER EVER use boiling water as the rapid expansion of the glass can cause it to shatter or crack

[Glenn UK]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

I dont know what all you lot are on about, my crash helemt lives in the cupborad upstairs overnight so never gets frost on it and the bike lives in the garage!

My wifes car doesnt need defrosting, well at least by me, as i dont drive it, ROFL

[stevokenevo]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

NEVER EVER use boiling water as the rapid expansion of the glass can cause it to shatter or crack

I had a bit of an issue, with this, well, not an issue, but it made me think.

I know water expands when it freezes. it was on macgyver, it must be true!

So i did a bit of googling to try and find out wether the windscreen expands or contracts when its icy.

Havent got to the bottom of that one yet, but, i did 'come across' this bit of info which i found very interesting so i thought i would share it

BBC - Gloucestershire Weather - Hot Stuff makes an Ice Surprise!

[Tools]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

What they also failed to mention in that article is that hot water will dissipate heat faster than cold water as the molecules are moving faster. Amazing what you remember from school.

The answer to your question is that glass expands with heat and contracts when cold. Glass also becomes more brittle when cold .

Your car windscreen is actually made of two sheets of glass with a thin sheet of plastic sandwiched in between. This is for safety reasons to stop splinters of glass detaching into your face etc when you get a stone chip for example. It also adds strength and on many cars the windscreen forms part of the body shell`s rigidity.

If you pour boiling water onto your windscreen the outer piece of glass will expand at a greater rate than the inner piece . The differing rates of expansion in such a short period of time can lead to damage.

Any more fag packet science classes needed?

[WendyB]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

So is the ice cream theory the reason why I have to do the warm water on my windscreen twice because the first one freezes up straight away?

[Paule]

Re: 'Frosting' (leaving your engine running) A warning to car owners this winter

BUMP

Car thefts rise as temperatures fall



Greater Manchester Police is issuing a stark warning to drivers to take care when defrosting their vehicles, after 30 cars have been stolen since the start of the year with six taken just this morning.

The vehicles have been stolen in the early hours when drivers have left the keys in the ignition and engines running while defrosting them to go to work.

As the cold weather is set to continue, police are urging motorists to ensure that they are not the next victims to be caught out by simply staying with their vehicle while de-icing them on frosty mornings.

Chief Inspector Haydn Roberts of Greater Manchester Police’s Traffic Network Services said: “People can be tempted to leave their car engine running on a frosty morning while they keep nice and warm inside their house. However, it only takes a few seconds for a thief to steal a car when the keys have been left in the ignition.

“It is not only high-powered vehicles that are targeted and so our advice to all drivers is to stay in their vehicle when defrosting and if at any time they need to leave the car, to make sure they lock it, remove any valuables and take the keys with them.

”Motorists should also remember that insurance companies may not pay out if vehicles are stolen after being left unattended with the keys in the ignition.”