 Poster: A snowHead
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I’ve had the handbrake freeze on one wheel on a 2013 VW Golf last year. Some might call it old... Indoor parking didn’t help, presumaby as still freezing. I’ve resorted to leaving the handbrake off and in gear. So far so good.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Fridge03, just diesel
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Baby wet wipes left in the car overnight aren't much use for wiping bums the next day
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @Fridge03, just diesel |
Ah ok cool. Hopefully they will give me a petrol then! But if not do most stations sell winter diesel? From what I've read, if I get some near the mountains it should be ok to -15/20? Or should I be looked for the premium diesel to be sure, like total excellium?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
I just think as old farts we were driving cars in the old days that had an external cables that were liable to freeze
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Well, my handbrake freeze was about 7 years ago - Fiat Multipla. Not exactly "the olden days". The mechanic knew instantly exactly what it was, and clearly thought I should have known better. He laughed at me, but when I went back to pick up the car he didn't charge me - said it hadn't taken long to sort out - so I forgave him.
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Mine froze on at New Year, brand new Modeo. Some nice Cloggies helped me out.
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@pam w, so was my mates a Fiat Multipla I seem to recall, but one of the very first ones.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| musher wrote: |
| Mine froze on at New Year, brand new Modeo. Some nice Cloggies helped me out. |
did they drive a taxi.....thought not.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Diesel only 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Spoon wrote: |
Cat litter in an old ski sock can reduce condensation in the car. |
How old does the ski sock have to be
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You know it makes sense.
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Diesel only
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Apparently it was -10 at Carrbridge last night, and -11 at Banchory.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Handbrake sticking is a bit of circuitous explanation now.
From the time they removed asbestos from brake materials the pads have had much more metal components within them. Unlike before, the pad and disc share the wear during usage due to the component set that works without asbestos.
The pads are also much more conductive, as such they have properties which appear on the galvanic scale at different point to the ferrous material in the disc. Now if you add electrolyte (salt in water solution) it activates the chemical reduction of the ferrous component. Basically it tries to electroplate the iron onto the pad. This results in the clamped pads effectively bonding to the disc, hence you being unable to release them. The longer they are left the more it'll stick ( until it exhausts the chemical reaction) but with a really good salty bathing they'll do that overnight. Categorised as galvanic corrosion.
When you move the car they'll have to break that bond, in cars with rear wheels not driven it may just drag the wheels without having enough torque to break it free.
After this happens, you can often see an imprint of the pad on the disc face where the surface had been etched. In severe cases after this the brakes may be a bit "lumpy" and it can even trigger ABS warnings if the system sees a variable signal from that wheel.
If you use them more harshly straight away then they'll usually clear off the surface and be ok but you'll still see a witness mark, looks a bit like a ring you'd get on a coffee table but in the shape of the pads. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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On the works minibus they are still drums on the back. When seized on stick a metal bar through the wheel against the drum and hit it with a lump hammer usually frees it.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Fridge03 wrote: |
I was just thinking about winter fuel today. We are hiring a car from Lyon and driving up to La Tania next week.
Is it just diesel that can have this issue or does it effect petrol cars as well? Won't know what we get until we arrive next Saturday. |
Neither will have any issues. I've driven both in and around the alps for (ahem) 25 years+ and left cars and vans outside in very cold temps and never had issues with fuel, batteries, hand brakes (but I always leave it off), door seals, locks. Fuel sold in the area (in fact, across Europe in my experience) is fine down to alpine temps.
If you get snow on a warm car you'll get ice on the windows by the next day, you'll want a decent scraper for that. A brush is very handy for clearing snow of the car, your equipment and your feet.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Are there no winter additives that you can buy here and add to a tank full? Something along the lines of those bottles of diesel injector cleaner you top up with?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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As someone who should know better, I am ashamed to say that about 14 years ago ( not long after we moved out) I managed to let the anti-freeze freeze in the radiator of my '87 landy 110 it was 2am and the car had been parked up in the exposed open air Carpark in Avoriaz for 30 hours in minus 20 and change.
And just last week I got the the filling station with a very empty tank on my 2017 Duster just to find that the lock on the fuel filler cap had frozen and would not open.
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@ski3, thanks for the explanation - I returned off a four day snow delay and 3 flights from Japan to a car in the airport car park with exactly that problem last week. Dragged the rear wheels about 15 yards along the gravel and nothing.
Thankfully there was a friendly man with a big hammer employed by the car park for just such an eventuality. He was not shy with the hammer. Eventually they pinged free, but I was amazed at the beating it took.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yep...we do this..and have done for years
Winter tyres
Silicone grease or silicone polish on all the door seals
Fill up with diesel in the mountains to get winter diesel
Driving up to resort and for last few miles with the heater full on and windows open at the top to really dry the car out - stops condensation which can freeze horribly inside - don’t leave wet rags or half-empty cups of coffee in the car - these also can cause annoying frozen condensation
Don’t use handbrake
Use high concentration screenwash
Put small plastic bags under windscreen wipers
Don’t park where your car will be snowploughed - have seen this happen
Spray wd40 or gt85 in all locks if you still use keys - put a new battery in your electronic key - a weak one can cr”p out in the cold
Don’t try to open electric windows if they are frozen shut - can wreck the mechanism or break frozen window seals
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Followed most of the advice above , but...
Modern cars have batteries in odd places mine are both in the floor pans under the seats - Great until parked on snow for a week or so without moving.
Once it was repatriated and the total electrical failure diagnosed due to the freeze thaw of the batteries 
Moral: make sure you give the car a run every 3 days or so.. and don't leave parked ontop of snow and covered in snow for over a week!
Needless to say I always try and park it in a garage these days
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@boredsurfin, there are odd things like that to catch out the unwary.
Friend has battery in boot, completely flattened, boot has electric release only had to rig jump leads to main + on starter motor and - on engine block to get it to cooperate.
Batteries are mutch more temp tolerant when fully charged. When completely flat the acid is much more straight water, and freezes at higher temps. They should not be charged at all if frozen as risk exploding. Didn't someone on here with a Merc experience that?
Good point on opening frozen windows @valais2, many are moved by cable and motor systems that often run on plastic guides etc. They SHOULD reach over torque on motor if stuck, but sometimes they'll break one of the plastic component when in cold temps. It usually ends up with the window dropping open.
If it's your own car, you can when warmer open the windows and spray the tracks with silicone spray to stop water absorption and henceforth freezing.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We're picking up our hire car in Milan, will they be using winter diesel there, or is it just the mountain areas. We're going to Courmayeur, so it's only 1100m don't think the temps will drop really low there, and we're planning on going to both La Thule and Pila for a couple of days, so the car will be used daily.
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You know it makes sense.
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| geoffknight wrote: |
| We're picking up our hire car in Milan, will they be using winter diesel there, or is it just the mountain areas. We're going to Courmayeur, so it's only 1100m don't think the temps will drop really low there, and we're planning on going to both La Thule and Pila for a couple of days, so the car will be used daily. |
Bad plan, the temps can drop plenty low enough at 1100m, and it matters not if the car is used each day.
Get some additive, it only costs a tenner, put it in your luggage, then add it to the fuel when you get there.
It just isn't worth scrimping on £10, and you are hardly gonna be on the breadline if you go skiing.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I remember HellsBells having a major problem with diesel waxing - bought in Italy. Car had to be towed. Use the additive! Cars hired in Milan are unlikely to have winter tyres - though they will presumably provide chains as this is required by law on the motorways into the mountains. Check you have chains and, if it looks like being snowy, make sure they fit and you know how to fit them - with summer tyres even a small gradient can become impossible with an inch of sleety slush.
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Poster: A snowHead
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You were lucky that it actually started because putting the additive in after the diesel has waxed up and the engine is not running generally does not help, as if the filter is blocked the fuel pumped up from the tank will simply return.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
Cat litter in an old ski sock can reduce condensation in the car.
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How do you stop the litter falling through the holes?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| johnE wrote: |
| Quote: |
Cat litter in an old ski sock can reduce condensation in the car.
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How do you stop the litter falling through the holes? |
Tie a knot at both the open AND toe end obviously.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry, might be a silly question, but does the handbrake advice apply for automatic cars? Enterprise gave us one instead of the manual we asked for (and are used to).
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| denfinella wrote: |
| Sorry, might be a silly question, but does the handbrake advice apply for automatic cars? Enterprise gave us one instead of the manual we asked for (and are used to). |
Most (all?) modern automatics will engage the electronic handbrake when you put it in park/take the key out/turn off the engine. There’s normally a button/lever somewhere (my one is under the dashboard next to the bonnet lever!) to manually engage it.
I’ve only used the “actual” handbrake on my automatic when I change my wheels.
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@ChrisKernow, I'm not scrimping, I'm asking advice, we've booked am Audi Q5 4x4 with winter tyres ( same price as a Fiat 500L with winter tyres, seems too good to not go for it) I'll take some additive with me and put it in at the airport.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
I'll take some additive with me and put it in at the airport.
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Every day hundreds of deisel vehicles drive up and down the mountain. Many park up there every night. Most (the vast majority) will not use any extra additives. Unless they are trying to start at -25 and below most will be fine. I've never used any additives, always use my handbrake and apart from sometimes spending hours diggging out have always been fine.
@geoffknight, You have got a good deal on the car. The 500L is just about the cheepest car on the rank. Almost anything is better
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FAQ
) and they warm up any connected components . . . which will probably be covered in snow and slush . . . which then melts and dribbles all over the hub and its systems . . . and freezes!
