Has anyone worked out a way to prevent the tailgate release lock from freezing in the cold weather ?
-7 last night and despite covering it with 4 layers of old towel it was still frozen this morning on the commercial and last week at -3 on the car.

How do our cold country contributors cope? 2009 Grey HSE Auto
Gone;
2006 Black FL2 SE manual
2007 Silver FL2 GS commercial manual.

Not experienced it personally, but try Silicone Spray as that's a lubracative agent that does not freeze, so it may insulate too - worth a go anyway  Gone - TD4 XS Auto, Sumatra Black, Mud flaps and side strips, clear indicators, private plate, privacy glass

Thanks.
Not sure where you could spray as when it is frozen the rubber cover is solid and so is the button behind it. 2009 Grey HSE Auto
Gone;
2006 Black FL2 SE manual
2007 Silver FL2 GS commercial manual.

Allan wrote:

Has anyone worked out a way to prevent the tailgate release lock from freezing in the cold weather ?
-7 last night and despite covering it with 4 layers of old towel it was still frozen this morning on the commercial and last week at -3 on the car.

How do our cold country contributors cope?

I cant really understand how and why your tailgate gets frozen Although normally my FL2 spends the night in the garage it has been down to -11C several recent nights and when she is parked at the mountain cabin at 1000 meters above sea level for several days on end in temperatures down to minus 15 C, I have never experienced anything like that
Maybe you washed the car recently before leaving it out in freezing temperatures Then I could understand that maybe

Anyway - the norm for COLD weather here is to coat ALL the rubber door seals with Turtle Wax Silicon Fluid (directly translated) a special silicon liquid especially made for the use, and regularly if it is gets very cold, but always BEFORE if you must wash the car in freezing weather. Also a graphite lock oil to prevent freezing or a normal (thin) lock oil spray to unlock frozen locks. NEVER use warm water to release a frozen lock unless you can warm the whole car up to dry it out afterwards - the locks may not open or close if you do. Unfortunatly I have no suggestion as to how you can solve your FL2 problem you mention apart from non-washing in cold weather or get the car garaged if possible. 2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Thanks.

No I had not washed either vehicle the day before.
Not sure how the silicone spray would help as it is not the door seal that freezes to the bodywork.
The actual rubber cover over the release button is solid, as is the button behind it. 2009 Grey HSE Auto
Gone;
2006 Black FL2 SE manual
2007 Silver FL2 GS commercial manual.

does the rubber cover come off? in order to allow the inner workings to dry on a nice day?

The similar catch failed on my fl1 I ended up fitting new springs on it as the originals had corroded but it was a lot older than any fl2 can possibly be At work
At home

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Allan wrote:

Thanks.

No I had not washed either vehicle the day before.
Not sure how the silicone spray would help as it is not the door seal that freezes to the bodywork.
The actual rubber cover over the release button is solid, as is the button behind it.

Allan wrote:

Has anyone worked out a way to prevent the tailgate release lock from freezing in the cold weather ?
-7 last night and despite covering it with 4 layers of old towel it was still frozen this morning on the commercial and last week at -3 on the car.

How do our cold country contributors cope?

?????????????

What? I do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Didn't even know this was a problem, or even consider it to be a potential problem.

But silicone is the only mean I can think of. Many use that in doors and windows on old cars where the rubber is rotten.

But I cant really understand you should do anything at all. 2008 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Automatic, Caspian Blue, Alpaca, Moon roof, Exclusive pack.

It is not the rubber cover that is frozen, it is the button behind it.
Both vehicles are at the dealers this week to have the new heaters fitted. I will see if i can talk to someone and get their thoughts 2009 Grey HSE Auto
Gone;
2006 Black FL2 SE manual
2007 Silver FL2 GS commercial manual.

Sounds like moisture has got in somehow and frozen the mechanism - needs to be thoroughly dried out and warmed up indoors - bet when you get it back from the service it will be just fine, but some lubrication may be necessary, but how to do that I can’t help with  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Or quite posible that the switch has jammed  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

It appears to me that you are the only one having this problem. As AndyC says, when you get it back from repair, the problem will probably be gone.
Anyhow, you should'nt have to do anything. 2008 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Automatic, Caspian Blue, Alpaca, Moon roof, Exclusive pack.

I have had the same problem, namely the rubber cover appears to be solid, but this morning (-7 degrees when I switched on!) the rear tailgate "rubber" felt like it was full of crushed ice and I could hear it crunching as I opened the tailgate.
So I guess that water has got into the internals and it is this, when frozen, that gives the solid feel.
I find that it is the UK climate, i.e. very wet then occasionally freezing that causes most of this sort of problem. In Scandanavia or the Alps, it is a dry continuous cold which makes life, in these respects generally much easier Don`t drive faster than your angel can fly!

looks like your not alone as RRSport are having a similar problem

http://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic12674.html?highlight= Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis