[200q20v] Help with frozen locks

[Phil & Judy Rose]

Mike & Tanya Atkisson wrote:
> 
> What can I do to keep the locks from freezing up??
> 

If the key will insert, then a cigarette lighter applied to
it (the key) for a few seconds will do the job of defrosting
the cylinder. But naturally it's not a useful method for
keys with plastic handle, or if you keep cigarette lighter
_inside_ the car. :-(

There are small cans of lock anti-icer spray which allow you
to spritz inside the lock, and these also seem to work
pretty well.

You've evidently tried pulling on the door handle to
activate the lock heater, which I gather you conclude you
don't have on that car? Does that mean you _also_ don't have
the heated sideview mirrors? I wonder why the German-spec
cars would not have these nice cold-weather features. It's
not as though Germany has mild winters. But Europeans do
seem to pride themselves on watching their pennies
(pfennigs?). I guess even the ones who can afford a $40K
sedan. 

Phil