Yes I just got a Prius Prime and I've read in the manual and on the board that when fully charged I should not leave it in direct sunlight. My issue is I only have a parking spot where it's in direct sunlight. I'm worried it's going to ruin the car is there anyway I can take this car back because no one told me this when I bought it? Like I said my parking spot is in direct sunlight all day at work. I can't change spots it's not possible every spot in our employee parking lot is spoken for. I'm very worried.
There's some discussion here: Maximizing battery health - Heat and State of Charge | PriusChat Where do you live? As long as it's not one of the hottest places like Arizona, you'll probably be fine. The battery is covered under warranty either way. The warranty covers the battery if it stops working, but not if the capacity declines. (Actually it might be better to be in Arizona because that's the only place where you're likely to degrade the battery enough to cause it to fail and get a replacement under warranty.) You can help the battery last longer by: - setting a charge timer so it finishes charging at the time you expect to leave - or setting a charge timer for after you plan to leave so that it doesn't charge all the way - always saying yes when you see the traction battery cooler message - if the traction battery cooler isn't going to run, leave the windows open slightly while parked - charging overnight when it's cooler outside (if you can charge at home)
Park with the car aimed in the general direction of the sun and put up a sunshield for while it's parked. When you are ready to leave, use the all-windows down feature on the FOB to air out the car quickly. (I do that as I'm approach, so venting has pretty much finished by the time I unplug and get settled.) Then use the A/C generously on the drive home. No big deal. That's cool enough to keep the battery happy.
Thank you all for your messages. I live in northern CA near Chico. It gets hot but I know a lot of other places get hotter. Yes I normally charge it at night when I get off work. I will program it to charge from like 1 or 2am to 7 am. I normally leave around 7 or so. These are all great tips. I was starting to think I made a mistake buying this car but with your help i'm feeling better about it. Thank you again.
Also, look for the "Traction Battery Cooler" message when you turn off the car. It only displays for 5 seconds so you have to be quick. If the battery is hot when you turn off the car, it will ask if it can use the A/C to cool the battery as it charges. You can select "Yes" for peace of mind.
Very quick . I have a habit/self reminder now, before I turn the power off to get ready for it . Only for the hot summer time or when the traction battery is extremely hot.
I usually leave for work at about 6:30-7:00 AM. I have mine set to finish charging at 6:00. If I park in the sun, I always use the windshield screen. And I have vent shields for the windows so I can leave the windows open a little. And I have shades on the back seat windows that not only proved a little heat protection, they have so far kept the sun from reflecting off my big touch screen. BTW, don't forget to update your vehicle and model information on your profile and congrats on the new ride. It's an amazing car.
