I own a 05 Prius and will not be driving it for a year starting June 15,200.
Should i disconnect the battery? How is it done? I don’t know a thing about cars.
That’s a good question. It would probably be a good idea to disconnect the little 12v battery that’s in the trunk and maybe even see if someone would put it on a trickle charger every now and again. You’ll probably want to fill it up with fresh gas and put some fuel stabilizer in the tank too.
Those are both things you would do to store a normal car-- it might be worth a call to Toyota to see if there’s any hybrid-specific storage suggestions.
Will the car be in a garage or sitting outside? Indoor storage is far superior to outdoor parking.
Before you park the car for a year get some fuel stabilizer (StaBil or similar product) and add the correct amount to the gas tank, then fill the tank and drive the car a few miles to get the stabilizer circulated through the fuel system. If you don’t add stabilizer the gasoline will turn to varnish and cause multiple problems when you try to drive the car again.
Yes, you should disconnect the battery. I’m talking about the small battery that starts the engine, not the big battery that propels the car. Before you do so, make sure you have the security code for the radio if there is one. I suggest removing the battery from the vehicle and storing it separately. You will probably need a new battery when you want to use the car again, but that’s a problem for next year.
I suggest inflating the tires a few PSI above their normal pressure, and having the engine oil changed before storing the car is a good idea, too. When you park the car in its storage location DO NOT apply the parking brake. It will rust and not release when you’re ready to drive again.
For storage not exceeding a year that’s about all you need to do. When you return and are ready to drive the car again post here and we’ll tell you what to do to get the car road-worthy.
You may want to consult the owner’s manual for information about storage of this car. I don’t know anything about what happens to the propulsion battery when it isn’t being recharged. I suppose it will be OK and charge itself when you start driving again.
I’m with GreasyJack on this one…call Toyota, unless someone already has and can repeat their advise . It’s too expensive to trust we too few hybrid storage owners alone on this one.
Where will you leave it? Could they drive it once every couple of weeks?
Where will you leave it? Could they drive it once every couple of weeks?
If you are considering the above, please remember that driving it around the block will not help, it needs a real trip, like say five miles or more and I would recommend more than once ever couple of weeks.
Also remember that if you are not going to drive the car, you can cancel the liability part of your auto insurance and that is usually the biggest part. You should keep the other parts active.