Winter Weather (things that can happen to our iMiEV's)

[FrostyCanada]

We had a lot of freezing rain yesterday which caused an unexpected situation.

I couldn't open the hood to add washer fluid.

One if the benefits of owing an iMiEV which has no traditional hood is that the snow and freezing rain generally doesn't collect on the front windscreen.

So the freezing rain we got yesterday just slid down the windscreen, but it collected Around the headlights, and at the bottom part of hood.

It was sealed tight.

Popping the hood did nothing (I think the spring lacks sufficient force to pop the hood open).

I tried to bang the ice off, but I was afraid of damaging the vehicle.

Warm water finally worked, but it would have been tricky if I wasn't close to home.

Brian

 

[rkarl89203]

During an ice storm last year my L1/L2 charging port cover on the car froze. Had to use a hair dryer to get it to release. Was funny actually.

 

[sandange]

Kind of had the same problem with the freezing rain, - not only with the L2 charge port door and hood but getting the passenger doors open.

I ended up carefully banging on the hood and charge port door with the palm of my hand. This works better when another person is pulling on the release lever as you bang on it.

The doors I just preheat really well and tug on the handle jerking it.

With the diesel heater I pop the hood to refuel regularly so mine didn't freeze up so badly.

 

[tigger19687]

So far (knock on wood) I have not had that issue. I park in my covered (3 sided) carport and the garage at work.

I DO however have that issue with the doors on the Truck. Thankfully the bottom of the doors on Pickup trucks does NOT have any other piece of metal/plastic so I just open with the handle, hook my hand under the bottom of the door and yank.

There is a can of something that you can use for that. Can't remember if it is just for the door locks them selves or if you can use it for doors and hinges too.


BTW, Shhhhhh, Spring is here.... yes that is what I am telling my self and not thinking of cold Winter anymore !

 

[PV1]

I've had the charge port (both outer and inner doors) freeze up on me. If it's the outer door, I can usually tell by the feel and sound of the handle that it didn't open. I've been able to just repeatedly pull the handle and have the door pop open, but sometimes I have to hit the door to break the ice free, then it opens. Once I had the lock on the J1772 freeze up. I couldn't unplug the car :lol: . Since, then, if we get freezing rain or snow around 32 F, I wrap a small bit of bubble wrap around the connector. It fits right into the opening in the car. Works like a charm.

The design of the top seal on the doors works pretty well at preventing the doors from freezing shut, but like others have said, preheating helps.

Before I had the i-MiEV and was driving the Cavalier, we had freezing rain come through and encase the car in 1/4 inch of ice. Took me forever to get the door open.

The other morning, we had freezing rain. It wasn't too bad traction-wise, but the problem was that after a mile or so, the windshield kept freezing, even though it was water when the rain hit the windshield.