If I go away, does anyone have any past experience or know how long the car can sit and still be able to be started? (1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks...?)
If I go away, does anyone have any past experience or know how long the car can sit and still be able to be started? (1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks...?)
I'm thinking 2 weeks. If the battery was healthy at the outset, it'll probably still be ok. Might sound a little reluctant, the first start up. I think our son did that scenario once, at an airport. Is that your case, are you parking in an airport? If it's a longer stretch consider a solar 12 volt charger. Also, when the car's off the 12 volt outlets don't have power, so that might be a factor in how you hook it up: you need to ensure you're actually getting electrons to the battery. If the car's at home and garaged, just hook an intelligent charger, low amperage, the kind that can be left on indefinitely.
This is a very difficult one to answer. Turning off the SKS will extend the period but it depends on battery condition, and this can vary greatly on the same age car. Two weeks should be ok and even four weeks is not unknown, but the safest option is two weeks. However if the car is being left outside "at home or at an airport" the best option is a solar panel charger connected direct to the battery, and left in the most sunny position inside the car. The car can then be left for an extended period. Alternatively disconnecting the 12 volt battery should extend the period to months, but the difficulty is opening the rear with the battery disconnected to reconnect the battery. If the car is left inside at home a battery minder will keep the car happy. John (Britprius)
2 weeks is the maximum amount I time I would let a car sit if I knew nothing about it. When the battery is new, it can last 4 weeks or more. iPhone ?
it depends on the health of the battery, and where you are leaving it. i have left all three of my pri in my attached unheated garage every year for unto 6 weeks in the winter and never had a problem. but they were never older than 4 years and the 12v had never been run down.
Wouldn't there be more cause to worry about the traction battery pack than the 12 volt? I haven't really read over the warnings with my new. Prius, but my Civic hybrid had a sticker under the hood that warned about not driving the car for periods more than 10 days could damage the life of the IMA battery.
I left mine at an airport for four weeks last summer. Car was 10 months old with 20 000 miles at that time. Didn't turn off the SKS. Didn't notice any loss of charge in traction battery, no problems when started.
Just for the record, there's no sks off switch on third gen hatchback, likely not on v wagon either. The OP needs to clarify his circumstance, basically: where the car is going to be for this down time, at home in a garage, on the street, at an airport, and so on.
In the Prius v setup menu under vehicle settings there is an option to turn off the "key system with electronic key".
Why does it matter where the car is parked? I left it on the street where temp is about 80 degrees during the day and about 60 at night. I left a friend with the key and am debating if I should have him run it if I'm not going to be back for 3.5 weeks.
So for 3.5 weeks parked on the street when the day temp is 80 degrees and the night temp is about 60 degrees, should I have someone go by and start it and let it run for a while? The car is a 2012 with 26k miles and once I left the dome light on for a couple of days and had to get it jumped.
If for example it was garaged stored you'd have access to electricity, could plug in a charger. What you've said above fills in the picture. And I'd say yes, it would be good to have your friend start it up, maybe just use the car for a day, once at least, or twice, through that 3-5 week stretch.
It's getting confusing with your double posting, lol. Oh well, no turning back now. Anyway: Yes, get a friend to start it up, and maybe just use the car for an errand, once or twice, is a good idea. Just sitting idling for a few minutes is better than nothing, but might be a net depletion of the battery. Also, if you've run it down once, and just relied on a jumpstart and the car's charging system to maintenance it since, it's likely a bit compromised. You may need to jumpstart it anyway, at the end of this. Not the end of the world.
it would be insurance against failure. no telling if it will start otherwise, can't predict battery health. having run it down once already, a second time might require replacement.
A 2012 parked for 3.5 weeks I am 99% sure you will be fine when you come back. But as Bisco said, if it fails, it would be quite disruptive. Have your friend drive it for 20 minutes after two weeks and you will be fine. iPhone ?
I am looking at buying a Prius v (Australian version) and will have a similar need. I work away up to 3 months at a time. I assume a standard battery tender (CTEK) will be sufficient?
