Hi All- I'm 16 days into owning my brand-spanking-new 2005 Prius, Tideland Pearl, Package #6. Needless to say, I'm in heaven! Just had the windows tinted, interior scotch-guarded and the exterior clear-coated. WoooHoo! I have a question though......Since I am new to the World of Prius, what are the ways of driving/storing (long and short term) my vehicle so that I do NOT drain the battery or damage the vehicle in any way? Any tips on getting the most out of my Prius are appreciated also. I LOVE THIS SITE!
Do you have the Smart Entry system? if long term storage, disable it with the button under the steering wheel. Use the key to lock the car, and it's now stored. Short term (less than 3 weeks i believe) then no worry..... or was it 3 months.. *shrug* if over a month of being stored, make sure to turn the Smart Entry off btw.. you didn't need to have the interior scotch guarded.. not the seats anyways. Glad you like your car. Make sure to keep in mind that there is a breaking in period for good gas mileage. For me it was almost 20k miles. Some report 15k. i think it's more around 20k for a final break in. 40's is normal mpg till then. Enjoy
Thanks for your quick response. I do have the smart-entry package, so, thanks for the heads-up on storing long and short term. I'm averaging around 44 mpg in the 16 days I've owned my new baby.......Hmmmmm, if only I could think of a name.....
Harper, I regularly leave my '05 idle for up to 8 days with the smart entry system on,maybe I'm tempting fate,but so far no problem. Congratulations! Good luck with a name! Enjoy it! -Eric
By the way, everyone here is referring to the aux battery, and not the HV battery. If the aux battery is drained, you can jump it using the front terminals described in your owner's manual. The HV battery should be able to go a few months before it discharges to a critical level. It is completely disconnected from everything when not in READY mode.
I plan to leave my 05 Prius stored for about 5 months. When I asked Toyota customer service what to do their answer was that the car must be run every 30 days. I asked about disconnecting the 12V battery and whether the storage period could be extended and their answer was vague to say the least. I am begining to wonder whether extended storage is going to become a problem area for hybrid owners like myself who do extended travel from time to time. I would most appreciate anyone's ACTUAL experiences in this area....ie how long and what was done.
I'm going to get my windows tinted soon. Could you let me know what you paid so I have a point of reference? TIA
The wife paid $145 to tint all windows (expect front windshield of course) at the dealership with lifetime warranty...overall the tinting looks good!!!! Good luck!!
You may want to take a look at the guidelines from TSB-PG007-03: [attachmentid=1219] The instructions to Dealership are as follows: (1) Just after unloading and then every two months ===> Keep “Hybrid System†on for 30 minutes. (In order to charge the HV battery and the auxiliary battery.) (2) Before delivery ===> Fully charge 12–volt auxiliary battery using the Prius Automatic Charger (P/N 00002–YA122–01). (Deliver vehicle to customer only after it is fully charged.) (3) In order to store for 10 days or more ===> Disconnect wire harness from exclusive jump starting terminal (found in Junction Block under hood). (Prevent decreasing SOC during storage due to parasitic current.) The aux battery can still be jumped if discharged but NOT the HV battery! Never allow the HV battery to discharge too much. The HV battery needs a special HV battery charger which I heard only 1 or 2 available in the whole of North America. Even though the HV battery is completely disconnected by SMR (System Main Relays), it will still self-discharge. How fast it discharges will depend on: 1) Temperature - chemical reactions proceed more slowly at cooler temperatures than at warmer temp. 2) Battery age - older battery loose charge faster. 3) Initial SOC - the state of charge at the start of storage. I think it may be a good idea to get your friends/neighbours to put your car in [READY] for 30 mins. once every 2 ~ 3 weeks. They don't need to drive it around. Vincent
Be careful about closing the rear hatch. It's easy to leave ajar, and the light stays on. Don't all Prii except black come from the factory with clear coat finish?
In the TSB, the 12v aux battery is described as a "special" type. Anybody replaced the aux battery yet? If so, where do you get them and how much are they? I'm guessing you can't pick one up at Costco
