Hi all,

I've had my freelander 6 months now and only done 2000 miles in it. I do a 10 mile round trip to work 5 days a week. Do you think the battery will be getting an adequate charge? Also, when it comes to winter, when starting the engine from cold, when pressing the start button do the glow plugs warm up in an instant? Or is it better to not depress the clutch with the start button and let the ignition come on and then hit the clutch and press start?

Thanks all!

I do half mile to work and back and a few miles through day, about 10k per year

Only had one flat battery, that's was due to not finishing a phone call before getting out, which led to the phone system not closing down and flattening the battery Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

I do a 10 mile round trip to work 5 days a week, never suffered any battery failure in any of my LR cars.
As for the glowplugs, the electronics won't allow the car to start until they have warmed up so when it is really cold you might notice a slight delay in you pressing the start button and the car starting.

Personally, I wait for the glowplug light to go out before I start the car, again that is just a personal choice  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

The glow plugs on Freelander 2 are automatic. If it is really cold then there will be a delay between you pressing thestar butt.on and the engine actually starting. This delay is the glow plugs warming up so all you need to do is start the normally.

Your 10 mile round trip is more than adequate but during cold snaps, several hours trickle charge on the Sunday before work should ensure starting.
Even so, during cold weather I'd keep the HRW/HFS and blower use to a practical and safe minimum.

The glow plugs are preheated by a delay when you press the stater button during low temperatuers.
It has to be very cold before the delay is noticable.
Hope this helps. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

Worth reading this topic too.
www.freel2.com/forum/topic7357.html
DiscoGeorge had raised a quite real problem, so, as DiscoGeorge in that thread and Pegleg here said, a complete charge from time to time is not a bad thing to do, despite the quite performant FL2 charging system that can keep the battery up and running several years.
Mine, for example, is 4 year old and still alive and kicking.
And the average distance is just around 11.000 km (7000 miles) / year.
Never had a flat battery and never gave it a separate charge.

Quote:

Only had one flat battery, that's was due to not finishing a phone call before getting out, which led to the phone system not closing down and flattening the battery

Had the same here.
Drove down to London 250ish miles, parked in the hotel car park, rang the Mrs before retiring to the bar, phone call went on a bit so I turned the engine off, chatted "a bit" more then went to bed via the bar.
Came out next morning battery was as flat as a kipper - no starter, when it tried the clocks died.
LR assist said that the blue tooth keeps looking for the phone if you kill the ignition before the call. Never had a dead flat battery since, and have ALWAYS finished the call before turning the engine off. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

Well that's irritating...the amount of time I'm on my phone I'd never get anything done if I have to finish the call before switching off the ignition and leaving the car!  Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County