Prius Storage Time Limitation

Dear All


I may need your help regarding the issue of Prius battery power if I park my car for an extended time. I am really considering about buying a Prius, but there is something really concerned me. It’s very easy for me to leave town from 2 weeks up to 6 weeks. I am wondering will I be able to start my Prius after such a long time. I went to Toyota service department in Boston. The technician told me if I don't start my car within ten days, the battery will dry out (she didn’t say which battery). I need to tow my car to service department to get the battery charged. I also check the Toyota Q&A, the answer is as shown below. I also check this with a Toyota sales representative, he said I can turn off my smart key system and everything will be fine. However, I think the nature of battery is to lose it electricity when the time passes by, even though you turn of the smart key system. That's why in the Q&A I found out in Toyota official website they suggested to do the things as they instructed.
Since the Q&A and the answer in Toyota service department is a little bit contradicted, I want to learn the correct answer to help me decide. That's assumed a scenario, if I left my car in the lot without starting it for 6 weeks, but I disconnect the negative terminal of the auxiliary battery. When I came back and connected the terminal, will my car be able to start? Will the electric motor battery be drying out at that time? This is the only concern for me to have Prius. Maybe you could give me other good advice on how to deal with the auxiliary battery and hybrid vehicle battery if I parked it for 6 weeks? Thank you for your help.

Chao

Question:
"Do I have to take special steps to protect the battery of my hybrid vehicle if I plan to store the vehicle for an extended period?"

Answer:
“ In addition to the storage tips for our conventionally-powered vehicles, our hybrids require additional steps for each battery, as the hybrid vehicle battery and auxiliary battery will discharge and their condition is liable to decline.
To prevent excessive auxiliary battery drainage, charge the battery at least once every two weeks by driving the vehicle for 15 - 20 minutes with all non-essential electrical accessories (such as air conditioning and audio equipment) turned off. As an alternative, you may disconnect the negative terminal of the auxiliary battery.
For the hybrid vehicle battery, charge the battery at least once every two months by starting the hybrid system for about 30 minutes*. Check that the "ready" light is on and all lights and electrical accessories are off. It is not necessary to drive the vehicle, but do not start the hybrid system in an enclosed area unless the tail pipe is connected to an exhaust hose to prevent harmful build up of fumes.â€
*If the battery was disconnected, it will have to be reconnected before the hybrid system is started.



Thank you very much.

 

Thank you all for your immediate and helpful response. I will just go for it and no worry. Thanks a lot.

Chao

 

Hey guys, here's the reply from Toyota official.

Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We appreciate the opportunity to address your inquiry regarding the Prius.
Similarly to any other Toyota vehicle, the auxiliary battery in the Prius will discharge and require a jump-start if not driven for an extended amount of time (2 weeks or more).
If the vehicle will not be driven for a period of time, be sure the auxiliary battery is fully charged (the vehicle should have been driven for a while at a moderate speed).
A trickle charger can be used with the auxiliary battery in the Prius.
Jump-starting instructions for the auxiliary battery are listed in the Prius Owner's Manual.
The auxiliary battery does not necessarily need to be checked by a Prius Certified Mechanic and can be inspected by any qualified technician.
If you plan on parking the vehicle for an extended period of time, you may want to have the auxiliary battery disconnected by a qualified technician.
If you do not use the vehicle for a long time (2 weeks or more), the hybrid vehicle battery and auxiliary battery will discharge and their condition is liable to decline. Therefore, in order to make up for discharging, charge them once in every 2 weeks for about 30 minutes by starting the hybrid system with all electrical components turned off.
The two-week recharge interval assumes the auxiliary battery remains connected.
Click on the hyperlink below for long term storage information. It contains a two-month interval in which the hybrid system should be operated, rather than two weeks. The reason for the two-month interval is that it assumes the auxiliary battery is disconnected.
Hybrid Vehicle Storage Tips.
If your Prius is not attended to for six months, it will need to be towed to a Toyota dealership for recharging at your expense, once the dealership has made arrangements to ensure that they will have properly trained personnel and the required equipment on hand.
For further assistance in addressing your inquiries, please feel free to contact the Customer Relations Manager at your local Toyota dealership.
Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters under file #200804291579. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
For more Toyota information, please check out Toyota Express Lube, our Frequently Asked Questions, Toyota’s 50th Anniversary in America, our Glossary and printable Do-It-Yourself Instructions. Register for the new Searchable Online Owner's Manuals! Click here to update your Ownership Information.
Sincerely,
James Fewel
Toyota Customer Experience