Not read the manual but does it not say you should apply the handbrake and put it in gear?

Had a friends sister with a brand new A3 which rolled into another car when she parked it with just the handbrake. Audi would not accept any blame as the manual clearly stated to put it into gear when parking.

Personally I've never left any of my manual cars in gear unless parked on an incline. Once you've tasted GREY you'll never go back!

Unless visiting a cold climate country you should always park using both in-gear AND handbrake on, as jules1967 and Gambba suggest. Anything less than that would be foolish to say the least.

Any suggestion of pouring warm water over frozen brakes (or anything else for that matter) would be best forgotten as I know from experience this is foolhardy.

If our FL2’s have a “drum type” handbrake similar to my previous drive (BMW), then freezing is much more likely. I once washed the car on a mild winter day and parked in the garage before going on a 5-week sunshine holiday. When I returned in full winter temperatures I found that the handbrake could not be released by any simple method as it had frozen solid. 2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Had a look today, and I have to agree with Avtur the handbrake appears to be a drum brake inside the disc hub I like the idea it has got to be better than disc based handbrakes for the reasons mentioned earlier.

Pouring hot water on a frozen brake is OK as long as you then drive the car, to warm up and dry the brake again. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

[quote="jules1967] Not sure how range rover electronic ones work, maybe they're better.[/quote]

It's a small electrically powered winch that pulls on a wire...................... The Defender also should not be parked in wet weather or after deep wading with the Hand Brake on otherwise it corrodes very quickly (even overnight is short enough time!) onto the prop shaft that it acts on. Been there, done it, got several teeshirts too! How can carbon have a footprint, it has no feet?
Now driving - RRE Coupe Dynamic Lux Auto with Plus pack, Fuji White, Ebony, SD4 with tow pack
Gone - 2010MY FFRR TDv8 Stornoway and Ivory, Privacy - the pace of a TDv8 RRS, the incomparable grace of a Range Rover
Gone but will be missed- RRS Tdv8 HSE Stornoway Grey with Ebony Leather
Gone (only a little missed) RRS Tdv6 2.7SE Giverny Green/Aspen
Defender 90 County HT in Epsom Green

Handbrake and second gear for me regardless of the way the vehicle is facing. I've seen the result of cable snapping and it aint pretty. I'm talking historically of course as my current car is Auto. Good to see so many people leave their motors in gear. A lot of people at work moan at me as they shoot forward when they try to start it, but the clutch should always be dipped to start any manual engine and in the case of the FL2 manual - you have no choice!!  Gone - TD4 XS Auto, Sumatra Black, Mud flaps and side strips, clear indicators, private plate, privacy glass

Years ago I was also told that as I used to leave my car parked up for 5-6 months at a time, with a manual I should leave it with 2nd or 4th selected and the HB off. Something to do with the linkages in the gear selector mechanism rusting up. It's not so much of a problem now as my cars get driven when I'm away. How can carbon have a footprint, it has no feet?
Now driving - RRE Coupe Dynamic Lux Auto with Plus pack, Fuji White, Ebony, SD4 with tow pack
Gone - 2010MY FFRR TDv8 Stornoway and Ivory, Privacy - the pace of a TDv8 RRS, the incomparable grace of a Range Rover
Gone but will be missed- RRS Tdv8 HSE Stornoway Grey with Ebony Leather
Gone (only a little missed) RRS Tdv6 2.7SE Giverny Green/Aspen
Defender 90 County HT in Epsom Green

philsh wrote:

A lot of people at work moan at me as they shoot forward when they try to start it, but the clutch should always be dipped to start any manual engine and in the case of the FL2 manual - you have no choice!!

Porsche seem to encourage you to leave it in gear as you need to depress teh clucth in order to start the car. I can't understand why all manual cars wouldn't have this as a feature.

In Holland many people I found simply park in gear with no handbrake  Once you've tasted GREY you'll never go back!

No hills to roll down in Holland could be the reason Gamba................................... How can carbon have a footprint, it has no feet?
Now driving - RRE Coupe Dynamic Lux Auto with Plus pack, Fuji White, Ebony, SD4 with tow pack
Gone - 2010MY FFRR TDv8 Stornoway and Ivory, Privacy - the pace of a TDv8 RRS, the incomparable grace of a Range Rover
Gone but will be missed- RRS Tdv8 HSE Stornoway Grey with Ebony Leather
Gone (only a little missed) RRS Tdv6 2.7SE Giverny Green/Aspen
Defender 90 County HT in Epsom Green

On every manual car I've ever had (or use) I always park in 1st gear with hand brake on - and I've taught my wife and son to do the same.

On my auto D3 however I only use the EPB on a significant slope - normally its just in Park - this is my defence against the cr*ppy EPB on the D3 and its propensity to 'squeal'  Steve N | 21MY Defender (on order) | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)

"propensity" eh fancy words make my brain hurt  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Tim in Scotland wrote:

No hills to roll down in Holland could be the reason Gamba...................................

But the roads do sink so you could come back to find you're on a slope

Actually I put it down to just being lazy.

The Dutch can be very odd about things especailly when they feel like they don't have time for things, such as red lights...this is eaxctly the reason that the red light camera was developed, because it was a major problem in Holland and still is.

I stand back now and let the clog wearing memebrs come and abuse me  Once you've tasted GREY you'll never go back!

chicken george wrote:

Had a look today, and I have to agree with Avtur the handbrake appears to be a drum brake inside the disc hub I like the idea it has got to be better than disc based handbrakes for the reasons mentioned earlier.

Pouring hot water on a frozen brake is OK as long as you then drive the car, to warm up and dry the brake again.

Maybe in UK winter temperatures BUT NOT in a cold climate - pouring hot water, using a hairdryer, building up the revs and releasing the clutch to release a frozen hand brake - WILL HAVE NO EFFECT in really cold temperaturs. The drum type hand brake when really frozen is a B D to release. 2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.