I have now returned the caravan and did not experience the same reversing issue, I.e. The handbrake released and it was a lot easier to reverse the van up the same slope.

I have discovered that my car is as eyorkshire mentions and that I can drive off with all doors open and no seatbelt on and the handbrake releases. Contrary to the instruction manual.

I also now have a burning plastic smell coming into the car through the air vents and my right drl keeps going on and off so I think possibly some wiring fault but have no idea so will call dealer tomorrow. Luckily all witnessed by my wife so I don't feel like I'm being paranoid.

EYorkshire wrote:

When you get time could you check again Mav, I know what it says in the owner manual but mine is different

As you know you have to put your foot on the brake pedal to manually release the handbrake or just press the accelerator pedal for automatic release.
It makes no difference at all to mine if one or all doors are open as I can press the accelerator and it will happily release and drive away, also without the belt buckled

I experienced something similar with my FL2, I was reverse parking up a slope, when there was a strong burning smell in the car. It turns out that it was a problem with the rear differential. It would have been a £600 at my local Land Rover dealer, but it was (fortunately) done under warranty.

best


Johnny

Mav, your right, it is a function when first starting the car. Just tested mine and it is as you suggest. Cars going in on the 28th to the dealer so will see what they say.

Hope its not the rear diff. I dont have any weird noises, just smells.

I have reversed my 'van on the flat with no problems. However, yesterday I had to reverse (without a 'van, just Mrs I and a few plants in the back) up slope into a neighbours driveway and it didn't like it

I hadn't set the parking brake but when I pressed the accelerator to move nothing happened for a while and then as I pressed harder it took off suddenly so I had to brake. I had to do this three times to get up the slope.

Does anyone know if the footbrake holds on for a while when you release it? GONE - '07 TD4 GS manual Zermatt Silver
LONG GONE - '55 Norton Dominator 99 SS cafe racer

Depending on how steep the slope is the Hill Start Assist function will kick in and hold the brakes on for up to 3 seconds to assist you in restarting on the hill.

Thanks, I had assumed it was doing something like that but I wasn't sure for how long. I'll give it a bit longer next time  GONE - '07 TD4 GS manual Zermatt Silver
LONG GONE - '55 Norton Dominator 99 SS cafe racer

Update.

Car now back from dealers. They have re-calibrated the electronic hand brake. The dealer said that they have had other people in with the same issue and the advice they are giving is to drive forwards to release the hand brake and then reverse.

Apparently the car can struggle to reverse release the handbrake but works perfectly when going forwards. The discos are suffering the same issue but worse symptoms.

So in real speak, 'the electronic handbrake is poo'.