Not sure if this has been mentioned yet but temperatures are set to drop tonight all over the UK and so frozen handbrakes should be expected tonight and over the next few days.

Hair driers to the ready

I dont have a turbo

Shabba??

porto owners???

It felt as if it was going to freeze, so left my handbrake off in preparation

This is the official start to ignoring my handbrake until the warmer weather next year now

Only problem is and what I've had to face tonight and have had to put up with the last couple of years, are the stupid door handles freezing up

I have to admit I left the handbrake off tonight, Im sure it wont freeze, no point kicking fate in the balls however if there is no need.

I went to collect the misses tonight, I was going to go out in the bravo but it was frozen solid, I took the coupe, oh the irony...

Oh it will freeze

I took great pride of being very aware of the problem and made sure the cables and rubber boot, springs, etc were all greased up, to help prevent freezing.

A couple of years ago, mine froze on, while I'd been in work. It was midnight, so it was dark and cold and I just wanted to get home.

I tried deicer on it and it didn't work, so decided to drive home with it stuck on. I only live about two and a half miles away, so took a chance


This is what it was like when I got home

Toasty!

Baz

Mines is stuck on this morning! Whats the best cure?

Leave the car running to warm through, although don't leave it unattended as it could get pinched, although with the handbrake on it won't go too far!

FCCUK Frozen Handbrake FAQ

Grab your spare keys, use one to open and start the car, then get out and lock the car up with your spares. Go and enjoy a cuppa.

Do *not* follow this advice if you wish to remain a law-abiding citizen.........

Thats Truffs not mine

both locks and fuel cap frozen, handbrake ok though. Should have filled up last night 40 minutes to fuel up, then the flap would not shut. Why did I sell my Merc

ooh really? how come? I did that a few times with my 16vt back at uni when i worked at Yates bar and would come out at 3am to a frozen solid car.

Except replace a cuppa with a pint of the black stuff....


Bovril

Book him Stanno

Oh dear, at work i HAVE to park with the handbrake on. Not looking forward to 5pm tonight.

Handbrake was fine, passenger door was solid...better get the lube out tonight

park with it in gear?

congratulations "Dezbhoy81" first reported handbreak frozen of the year, you win a can of de-icer, hammer and a pint of swear words to use first thing on a dank Monday morning when your car will not move

my two are looking sorry for there selfs, the bravo much more than the coupe though!

Because it was boring?

I wish I'd read the forum in the last few This morning was my first frosty day with the coop. Couldn't even get the keys in the locks. Took me 15 minutes to get into the car, then the missus decided to open the boot using the lever. Obviously this meant the boot opened slightly but was frozen shut. I didn't fancy driving off in case it suddenly decided to open on the way to work.

Probably a daft question, but what's the easiest way to open the doors when you can't even get the key in the lock (remote locking doesn't work)

Snap! I had same experience this morning although to be fair didnt make a difference having remote locking as the actual locking mechanism wasnt working too good either mine wouldnt actually unlock at first i could just hear a slight click. What a nightmare and it will get worse no doubt! Ive seen something before about putting something on the door seals and the felt bit to stop it freezing shut,anyone know what that is?

oh and i forgot to say robcal to un freeze my locks i poured barely warm water over the door edges and over the lock and that un stuck things within a couple of minutes

A liberal coating of petroleum jelly on all door seals will help stop them freezing

A liberal coating of petroleum jelly on all door seals will help stop them freezing [/quote]

He's dead right, bit of the ol' vaseline on the door seals, helps loads

I should have read all of this topic. Fine and dandy about the handbrake, the issue was getting into the car! I'm now educated in the art of petroleum based door lubrication. Got funny looks off my mates when they got in the car and saw zed lube product

My handbrake was OK Fri AM but the passenger door was frozen. When I went to unlock the car off the fob the central locking would not work? Had to open with the key.
To be fair the handbook does state (Page 95 I think!) if theres ever a component failure on the door locking system (including a frozen one!) the central locking system stops operating for 2 minutes. Sure enough later in the door once the door lock had thawed all was well again!