Engines, transmissions, automotive cooling and air conditioning systems, and anti-lock brake units all have something in common, other than being located in most modern vehicles. They have their own lubrication sources. But what about all the other moving parts of your auto? Especially the ones exposed to our less than friendly environment. What, if any lubrication do they require? And who should be doing these jobs? And with what type(s) of lubricant?
Most car owners have experienced the frustration of trying to unlatch a fuel-cap door, or pop the hood, or unlock a door with a key, only to be met with the solid resistance of a seized or rusted set of works. While many diligent automotive service techs and lube bay attendants do their best to keep all your vehicles’ moving parts lubricated, they simply don’t have the time to check and service everything. So if your daily driver is more than a few years old and sees the worst of our four seasons, taking a few minutes every few months can help keep you from having seizures when something on your car seizes.
Don’t get locked out. Door and deck-lid lock cylinders are now the most underused and under-maintained parts of most vehicles, thanks to remote entry systems. No one ever uses their hard keys until the car battery or sentry system fails and then they find out the hard way about the need to lubricate lock cylinders. The best lubricant for this job is found in the small bottles of lock de-icer found at any auto-parts store and most gas stations. Spray greases such as lithium are a no-no as they can get thick and sticky in cold weather. Treat your locks to a small squirt of de-icer every three to four months.
Door, hood, and deck-lid or lift-gate hinges and latches can withstand a slightly heavier lubricant such as spray lithium (sold at all auto parts stores), but don’t overdo it. As this lubricant seldom wears away, regular treatments will cause a buildup. A small shot every three or four months is enough, but use a cloth to wipe away any excess. Keep in mind on many four-door vehicles, the rear door hinges are exposed when you open the front doors, and it’s quite easy to stain your clothes when getting in or out. For those opposed to using aerosols, many of these lubricants come in hand-pump bottles or squeeze tubes. Avoid using petroleum-based lubricants, as many door latches contain plastic and resin parts that can be damaged by contact with oil.
Rubber and plastic parts provide their own set of problems. In cold weather, rubber door seals can freeze a door shut, as they are porous enough to get water in them and then freeze to the metal door frame of the car. Silicone lubricating compound can prevent this and, unlike most lubricants, it won’t stain clothing or auto interior fabrics. It’s also useful to lube plastic latches such as the ones found on gas-cap doors. It will extend the life of rubber door seals by preventing weather-cracking. If your vehicle’s doors have double seals (a seal on the door and on the door opening), spray both. In colder weather, doing this monthly is not overkill.
Silicone spray can also help protect vehicle wiring from moisture contamination and spraying the frames of the wiper blades with it can lessen their tendency to freeze on winter mornings.
For those of us still cranking manually operated windows, they can be returned to one-finger operating ease with a shot of silicone lube. It’s best to use the plastic straw accessory that attaches to the spray button on top of the can. Then spray the lube into the channel that the glass runs up and down in, making sure to treat the area of this channel where it runs down into the door. It will also prevent the glass from freezing shut allowing you to avoid any drive-through embarrassment.
Slow retracting seatbelts might seem like a good target for a shot of lubricant, but the main cause for their lethargy is often a buildup of dirt, lint, dust, and other assorted grime. Applying a lubricant won’t do much to solve this. If you’re a handy DIY type, you can remove the plastic trim panel covering the belt recoil mechanism to vacuum out the grit, but many of these units now contain an explosive recoil device and are best left to the pros.