Whenever I ask people who know cars if it's better to just keep an unused car unused in the garage for months at a time, or instead take it out every few weeks at least a little bit, the answer is always that it's better to use the car every once in a while instead of just letting it sit in the garage, as (besides the battery--which I'm not concerned about) using the car every once in a while sends fluids through the hoses and keeps the hoses from going brittle and cracking, etc. But.... what if I used the car once a week but on EV ONLY, never burning gas for months at a time? Is there any difference (battery aside) between letting the Prime sit in the garage for months at a time unused vs running it on EV-only, where the ICE/gas engine is never used for months at a time even though I'm taking it out? (I only have about 1 gal of gas in my tank, so I don't have to worry about burning through lots of "old gas") What I'm asking is: if my Prime is generally in storage now, and I only use it to go 15 miles once every 1-2 months... The few times I DO use it, is it better for the car long-term (for the hoses and such) to use gas occasionally instead of only EV? Or no difference? Thanks
Gasoline engines need to be run every now and then. Seals, hoses need to see fresh oil or fluid every now and then. Gasoline left in a tank for too long will begin to break down, and engine oil should be changed at least once (or twice) a year. Maybe put it on a schedule to run the gasoline engine once every (or every other) month. Leave it unplugged and put it in CHG mode. As far as the traction battery is concerned, using it in EV mode every now and then should keep that going.
Thanks for the answers. I will make sure when I occasionally take it out to run it on gas at least for a bit, maybe one way on EV the other on gas.
I have tended to go up to three months without the engine running, but making an effort to go no longer than one month. Two weeks would be better but I don’t make trips that often that truly get the engine hot. Beter because engines can rust inside too depending on where they are, and a start every three monthsor more is a very dry start oil circulation wise. I changed my oil last week and it is about two years. The miles are roughly 2000 don’t really know. The oil change was done after two long city runs where the engine stop starts. Oil was barely warm. Today I head out on a 300 mile trip, 150 today 150 tomorrow. The engine will get nice and hot.Yours being a 2017 it is better to get the engine hot as it burns away any moisture at the heat exchanger. When I had my Volt, GM recommended two years as the limit on oil changes, which is pretty much what I did. The traction battery should be left at around 30% if car is unused a long time.
Yep, hybrids are NOT made to sit....my wife's Corolla Hybrid sat for just a couple of weeks and her 12-volt battery was very low...had to hook it up to the battery charger. Now, we make sure we take it out somewhere on the weekends and for at least 30-minutes....just down the street to the store won't charge up the 12-volt nor the big traction battery. Our daughter lives about 25 miles away so we use that as an excuse to go visit! I've never driven a Plug-In, but I knon on our hybrids if you push down on the gas peddle after you start it, the computer will start up the gas engine...which is something every engine needs to keep lubricated in there....don't want it to be idle for weeks. I do a similar thing for the 4X4 in my Tundra....once a month, I'll get on a dirt road or straight road and engage the 4x4 so the differentials will all engage and get that lube all worked in there. If they aren't used much, there's a chance they can NOT work when you need them. (As my co-worker found out in his old Tundra...he ended up taking it apart to re-lube it and had toreplace the electric actuator on it.)
Yep; I had to do the same to my GMC 4x4. The previous owner didn't seem to use the 4x4 function much; so I run it though all gears and modes at least once a quarter. All fluids was changed with that new actuator. I could've rebuilt it, but seeing all the corrosion in there - didn't want it to fail on me, while I was on a trail without cell service.
Heck, we just leave ours on a charger, near-constant. With smart chargers there's no harm. Use the car once or twice a week, usually good runs (and combine nearby shopping chores as much as practical). The next day, hook it up again. The battery in there will be 10 years installed come September..
