We are going away for the summer 11 weeks without the car and are planning to leave it in our garage. Is it ok to not drive/start the car for this time period and if so is there anything we should do to prepare the car? If not, how often should it be driven/started and for how long?
It should be fine for three months. I would likely add some fuel stabilizer at the last fill up before leaving. I would also give my auto insurance a call.
You may be able to cancel the collusion insurance since it is not likely to collide with another car and collision is usually the most expensive part of your insurance.
I would also remove the battery and store the battery in the house. This will reduce the chance of someone stealing your car, few thieves carry spare batteries and if you leave it connected that long, most modern cars will drain the battery before you get back. If the battery is not in the car it will not drain. (Note: check your owner’s manual or the dealer to determine if you may need a code to get your radio back in service when you return)
I would put the battery on a battery maintainer (aka float charger) to keep the battery in good condition.
Having someone start it and drive it a short distance ever so often is worse than not doing anything. If someone is going to drive it long enough to get it fully heated up plus a few miles every week, that would likely be OK, but then you could not cancel the insurance etc.
I don’t think I’d pull the main battery out of a hybrid. Who knows what might happen? Besides it could be a lot of work, hidden as they are. That said, the fuel stabilizer might be a good idea as is leaving it with a full tank. Fuel begins to degrade in about 90 days. You might want to back it into the garage, JUST IN CASE the starter battery needs a jump when you come back. Other than that, have a nice vacation.
Put a battery tender on the battery and use some fuel stabilizer. Everything else should be fine.
If you decide to have someone drive it instead of using a battery tender, then make sure it’s driven until it’s fully warmed up. Otherwise it’s bad for the car.