I apologize if there is a thread for this topic already (my hasty search did not locate one!) What precautions does one need to take when storing a Prius for up to six months? It would be in upstate NY, and it would not be in a heated garage. After searching the internet, the answers I found ranged from: one should start it every three months for half an hour, to don't bother buying one if you plan on storing it that long. Thanks a bunch for any guidance you can offer.
We leave a 2009 Prius in an unheated garage in Colorado for 6 months each year. Here's what we do: 1. Clean and wax the car thoroughly; 2. Get an oil change; 3. Pump up the tires to 41 pounds; 4. Turn off the Smart Key System; 5. Leave the heater off (so the car doesn't run too long); 6. Leave the parking brake off; 7. Put an Optimate 4 battery tender on the 12 volt terminals (under the hood); 8. Have a neighbor come and start the car every month or two. He unplugs the Optimate, starts the car and lets it run until it stops (about 8 minutes). We've done this 4 years now and no ill effects have been noted. Hope this helps.
We left our Prius for five months over the winter in KY. We had the oil and filter changed, filled the fuel tank and added Stabil, and drove the car home. I attached a battery tender directly to the 12 volt battery in the rear. The engine was not started over the winter and the drive battery lost no charge according to the charge meter. When the engine started, it stumbled a bit and made a strange noise because of the way it was shaking in its motor mounts. After starting one more time, it started normally and has been doing so every since. We will stored it the same way next fall when we leave.
