Texas Volkswagen Driver Tries To Get In Car During Winter Storm. Then Her Door Handle Breaks Off

"God just protected you."

Texas Volkswagen driver tries to get in car during winter storm. Then she realizes her door handle broke off due to it

Photo by: jenniferdaniel859 & BEN ELLIOTT

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Jan 27, at 6:00pm ET

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A woman tried to get into her Volkswagen during the Texas winter storm. Her efforts failed. But now she regrets even trying.

In a brief video, Jennifer Daniel (@jenniferdaniel859) reveals what happened to the Volkswagen that prevented her from going anywhere. The TikTok went viral with over 9.5 million views as of this writing.

In it, Daniel reveals that the outside of her vehicle is completely covered in ice from Winter Storm Fern. She tried to get into her car but realized the door handle had broken off.

"Texas winter storm: 30 minutes in… My door handle broke off," the on-screen caption reads. The clip shows the handle hanging off the door. "You gotta be kidding me," Daniel says.

After the ice melts, she’s obviously going to have to head to her mechanic.

Was The Broken Handle A Sign To Stay Put?

Winter Storm Fern gave us plenty of examples of what not to do when bad weather hits. Drivers got caught in the storm, took unnecessary risks, and learned the hard way why folks from colder climates urge people to just stay home during winter weather.

Many who commented on Daniel’s post suggested there was no need for her to travel anywhere during this storm.

"That's your spirit guide’s way of telling you to get your ass back in the house and stay there," one offered.

"God just protected you. Things happen for a reason. You don’t know what could have happened on the road," another added.

Others gave her the benefit of the doubt, suggesting she was just getting something out of the car.

"The way y'all in these comments just assume she was trying to drive somewhere. You know people really go retrieve things out of their vehicle without going anywhere," one said.

"I think some people forget that people have things in their cars that they may want," another agreed.

Some, however, suggested it was a bad idea to try to open the door in the first place.

"You saw all that ice and thought it was a good idea to try to open the door?" one wrote.

How Do You Open Your Car Door When Frozen?

Replacing an exterior car handle can range from $150 to $500, CarParts reports. So knowing how to open a car door in winter conditions could save you a few hundred bucks.

First thing to note is not to yank the car door open, AccuWeather reports. Yanking the car door can damage the handle and even break it off, as Daniel found.

What to do instead is to firmly push the door in, then gently pull the handle back, AAA reports. This motion may need to be done a few times to start breaking up the ice. After a few goes, the ice seal should break, and you should be able to open the door.

The next method involves a de-icer. (Take note to keep the de-icer in your home and not in the car.) A de-icer can be purchased at any auto parts store, or you can make your own by mixing 1 part water with 3 parts vinegar.

Another method to unfreeze the car door is to pour warm water on the door handle. But remember to use warm water, not boiling hot, as this can shatter your windows.

You can also try heating up your car key—if your vehicle has a traditional key. This can be done by using a match or lighter and directly placing the flame at the end of the key. Once heated, this key can thaw the frozen door. If your keys are electronic or have chips, do not use this method. Open-flame heat can damage electronic components.

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Additionally, J.D. Power shares that a remote smart, ice scraper, or hot air method may also work to unfreeze the door.

Motor1 has contacted Jennifer Daniel via TikTok direct message and commented on the post. We’ll update this if she responds.

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