# 2014 Ford F-150 - Battery out - will it hurt computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** ford\ **Created:** [November 3, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043 "2019-11-03T14:00:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jeromehaver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jeromehaver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jeromehaver)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 2:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/1 "2019-11-03T14:00:21Z")
Have a 2014 f150 3.5 eco. Would like to know if need to take battery out while in storage for 6 months. will this affect computer system ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/2 "2019-11-03T14:28:04Z")
> [@jeromehaver](#): > > Would like to know if need to take battery out while in storage for 6 months I’d suggest putting the truck on a battery tender type trickle charger instead if that is possible. Removing the battery will not hurt anything but you will still need a charger to keep the battery charged during storage. ---
**Author:** ![jeromehaver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jeromehaver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jeromehaver)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 2:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/3 "2019-11-03T14:39:40Z")
Thanks for getting back quickly. Have no electricity an storage bay. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/4 "2019-11-03T15:08:08Z")
Just remove the battery so it will not discharge and cause corrosion on the battery posts . And just plan on buying a new battery or at least a portable jumper when you return. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/5 "2019-11-03T17:59:46Z")
Could you use a solar powered battery tender? ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/6 "2019-11-03T22:18:55Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Removing the battery will not hurt anything but you will still need a charger to keep the battery charged during storage. I don’t think this is true. I stored the battery from my previous 95 Caravan in my apartment, then in my carport when I got a house. It was used for less than 6 months, then stored for 3 years. I used that battery, without adding any additional charge to drive a car home, and to start that car for test purposes several more times. Now, that battery is sitting on the shelf in my carport while the engine for that car is being rebuilt. I do plan to charge it before putting the car into everyday use. I would say that 6 months, or even a year should be no problem to store a battery, provided both leads are disconnected from the vehicle. Otherwise, it will certainly go dead. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/7 "2019-11-03T22:36:19Z")
> **[How to Deal With a Car Battery For Long-Term Storage | YourMechanic Advice](https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-deal-with-a-car-battery-for-long-term-storage)** > > If you store your car for the winter, or for other long periods, it’s important to make sure that your car battery is properly cared for. Long term car storage can wreak havoc on your battery. Perhaps you’ve heard that you can... Tester ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/8 "2019-11-04T00:09:50Z")
A battery will go dead all by itself not hooked to anything. It likes to be stored fully charged and hooked to a maintainer as @Tester’s posted article says. It isn’t a large discharge but it happens. If you store it long enough it will lose more and more capacity until it will no longer start your car. ---
**Author:** ![kurtwm1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kurtwm1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kurtwm1)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 5:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/9 "2019-11-04T05:38:01Z")
Unfortunately, the article does not define long-term storage. I would not consider 6 months long term… but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/10 "2019-11-04T14:23:56Z")
Back when I had an unpowered garage, I did just fine disconnecting the battery and letting it sit in the car all winter. Started the car with no problems when I pulled it out of hibernation in the spring. Of course, if you’re disconnecting the battery anyway and want to keep it on a charger, there’s nothing stopping you from bringing it in the house and trickle-charging it somewhere out of the way. Put it on an old baking pan or something, though, because every once in awhile a charger will mess up and over-charge, and the battery will spill some battery acid. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/11 "2019-11-04T16:36:15Z")
> [@kurtwm1](#): > > Unfortunately, the article does not define long-term storage. > [@Tester](#): > > If you store your car for the winter, or for other long periods, That’s pretty definitive if you ask me. Tester ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/12 "2019-11-04T16:43:19Z")
I bet if we ask what the duration of winter is, we’ll get 50 different answers… ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/13 "2019-11-04T16:44:23Z")
4-5 months around here. Tester ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/14 "2019-11-04T16:49:01Z")
For hibernation, I bring my batteries in for winter and store them on a shelving unit in the basement. Probably 2 dozen batteries of various shapes and sizes. I rotate through charging them every month or so and they tend to last a lot longer using this process. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/15 "2019-11-04T16:49:59Z")
There are four seasons, and twelve months in a year, therefore winter should be three months, no? Unless you live near @bing where I believe winter is 360 days 😉 ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 4:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/16 "2019-11-04T16:55:58Z")
about a week and a half here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/17 "2019-11-04T18:41:40Z")
It should have gone without saying but not all winters are created equal. The winter season may technically be three months but I have lived in places where I stored cars for as much as 5 months or as little as 3 months. That is a significant difference when it comes to battery self-discharge. And we’re not even talking about the more extreme states. So since the topic was regarding storing cars/batteries for “winter”, it really does matter where you live… ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/18 "2019-11-04T19:13:03Z")
To answer your question about the truck’s computer: no. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/19 "2019-11-04T21:49:39Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > Unless you live near @Bing where I believe winter is 360 days 😉 Yeah I dunno. Like I said though, In South Dakota we were out building a deck on Dec 1, in shirt sleeves. Then we’ve gone to Florida in Feb or Mar and there has only been a few degrees difference in the temps. Not usually but sometimes. So I have “cost per degree” figure and sometimes it’s over $1000. Actually when cold weather hits, it can be a time to read more, relax, detail the cars with the garage heater on, and just do things in a more relaxed fashion. Right now though I wish I had a cab and heater on the lawn mower to get the leaves mulched and picked up. Now as far as batteries go, I guess it was around 38 degrees on Halloween and there already was a guy needing a jump start at church. Tisk tisk tisk. Check those batteries. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043/20 "2019-11-04T22:20:45Z")
> [@TwinTurbo](#): > > I bet if we ask what the duration of winter is, we’ll get 50 different answers… I live in Minnesota, so the answer is 23 months per year. > [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > therefore winter should be three months, You’re describing meteorological winter. Car winter is “however long it is from the first snow until the salt is washed off the road after the last snow.” Where I live that varies widely, but it’s almost always a heckuva lot longer than 3 months. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2014-ford-f-150-battery-out-will-it-hurt-computer/152043.md?page=2)