Vocal Voices

because that I certainly am not.

You know I've complained about my car door freezing shut; well lots of googling and looking on car forums and getting advice on here, said I needed to give the actual locking mechanism hidden behind the panel a good clean and re-lubrication. So, when I had my nails done on Saturday, Tony (the OH of Alex who does the nails) very kindly helped me take the panel off the door so I could do all this. So now fingers crossed I'll be OK for the winter. BUT..... when the panel was off we noticed that the plastic membrane that is usually in a car door was torn away; only a tiny thin strip was stuck in the top corner, otherwise you'd forget there should be a membrane. A few years back the window winding mechanism failed so I suspect that when that was repaired the membrane was torn and never replaced.

I'm trying to think back to the timing of the window issue and the car problems, so wondering - could the lack of the membrane be the cause of all this grief I have, not only with the lock freezing but also the incredible amount of condensation that builds up during autumn and winter. It's so bad that I have to scrape ice off the inside of the windscreen as well. If yes, does anyone know how easy / expensive it is to have the membrane replaced?

What make/ model of car is it/ Is it only one door which is affected? Do you have a sun roof/ Is the window manually or electrically operated? Are the seals round the window in good condition.
Have you seen this web site which may be of help. www.vw-resource.com/plastic sheet
Hope you get it fixed. I am not not a car mechanic but have picked up some knowledge since I started driving in 1960.

Ria, I have no idea how you "washed" the lock mechanism but it should have been with something like kerosene or turps and a brush. A WD40 spray with the tube nozzle fitted should have been used to relubricate it by poking it into any nooks and crannies and through the outer door lock cap. The linkages inside the door should also have been sprayed with WD40 then a silicon grease.

The membrane is not much more than a dust shield: it does not hermetically seal the door and keep water vapour out.

Condensation on the inside of the windows could indicate a couple of things: door seals, inc boot, or window seals leaking.

To check door seals make sure that they and the area where they sit on the bodywork inside the door frame are perfectly clean. Smear a light oil on the rubber seal (WD40 again) and shut the door as normal. When the door is open look for places inside the door frame where there is no oil mark. Check out the seal itself for tears, cuts and blisters. Any of those and new seals might be needed.

Seals on fixed glass - windscreen, rear window - can leak between the seal and glass or seal and bodywork. A light dusting with talc can help show you where. Makes sure they are perfectly dry inside then spray the outside. Any water will darken the talc. On moving/sliding windows if you spray the outside you should be able to see any runs inside. And if you have any of those clip-shut rear windows that trick with the door seals also works.

You should also check carpets and seats for damp and if any is found you need to investigate further.

The membrane is just to stop the backing of the door trim getting wet and spoiling. It is usually made of hardboard.

thanks all and apologies for not replying yesterday - internet at home was down and I couldn't be bothered trying to unplug and reboot routers

Cruiser - it's an 02 reg Seat Ibiza, the older model of that year. And it's both front doors that are affected, but the drivers door definitely is the worst - the passenger door only occasionally. The two rear doors have never given any problems.

Frank I was given a spray called G8 which apparently is a cleaning and lubricating spray. We didn't get very far with it as we couldn't really make out what to spray. I'll check the door seals on Sunday when I'm home and it's daylight. I had the car at a garage a few years back and they sprayed it and looked for leaks but couldn't find anything apparently. They tried to dry it out as much as they could during the day but that evening when I collected it it was as bad as ever

But... the lady who does my hair lives a few houses down from me and she and her OH collected my tumble drier yesterday and I mentioned about the car as he's a mechanic. He said he'd also have a look for me next week sometime and replace the membrane to see if that makes a difference in any way. If nothing else, it will protect what it's meant to protect