Car not used for several weeks - recommended preparation

[geoffdh]

I am a newbie to both this forum and Toyota cars, having driven Vauxhall cars for many years

During a recent visit to Australia at the beginning of 2023, we drove a number of hybrid Toyota cars
We were impressed with the level of features and fuel consumption

We took delivery of a Yaris Cross Excel towards the end of October and have been very pleased with it
We are travelling again early next year and the Yaris Cross will be left unused for around 9 weeks

We would like advice on how we should leave the car while not in use
 - so that we minimise any chance of problems when we return
 
I have a Maypole trickle charger which I was planning to use to keep the 12V Battery topped up
Is there anything else that members would recommend

Apologies if this question has already been asked
I was unable to devise a concise search term that would return a relevant topic

Thanks for reading and any advice gratefully received

[bathtub tom]

Pump the tyres up to max pressure, spray WD40 around engine compartment and places rodents may like to enter. I was told it's a deterrent and dughter's MX5 didn't suffer when it was parked outside for a year. Brake discs were a different matter!

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

usually all as mentioned above. I am not sure about the need of wd-40 anywhere except drivers door manual lock. If you use any lube anywhere will attract dust and ,ay look bad, if me just leave it. If the car will be parked outside,, a good car wash to make sure all salt and grit is cleaned off, drive it for 10 miles or more to clean brake discs from rust and then you can use wheel covers while you are away. These will protect the brake components from water and corrosion. And you have idea for the 12v Battery so that is pretty much all. These are very good. I used them and they are great. Aebitsry Tire Covers for RV Wheel, (4 Pack) Motorhome Wheel Covers Waterproof 420D Oxford, Sun UV Tires Protector for Trailer, Camper, Universal Fits 24" to 32" Car Tire Diameter (Black, 30" - 32") https://amzn.eu/d/hBJtrXD

[Roy124]

Blowing the tyres up to max?  

There may be a max pressure on the tyre, don't exceed that.  Blowing them up to 40 psi would be sufficient. 

Leave a note where you can't miss it "reset tyre pressures"

[geoffdh]

Thanks for all the replies

I should have said that the car will be in a (locked) garage

Geoff

[PCM]

Full tank of fuel...

[Tommy X]

4 hours ago, PCM said:

Full tank of fuel...

E5 not E10, Shell V Power or similar branded 

[MikeSh]

I wouldn't be comfortable leaving a car on a charger for 9 weeks, even an upmarket trickler.

I'd be inclined to make sure the HV Battery has a reasonable level (50%+} and then just disconnect the 12V Battery for the duration.

[APS]

6 hours ago, geoffdh said:

I should have said that the car will be in a (locked) garage

In which case the charger is pretty much all you need. And, depending on the garage type, a set mouse trap or two 🙂

[Roy124]

For those reluctant to leave a charger live for 9 weeks consider a time switch.  A good 7-day switch could give you as little as an hour or so a week

I put my car on charge yesterday. Overnight the voltage was stable at 13.80v.  Off charge and starting it dropped to 12.4v and then had a voltage of 14.3v. After a 3rd start in 35 minutes the voltage dropped to 11.34v.  A short drive home and it stabilised at 12.76v.  It dropped to 12.71v after 5 hours.  Thar is a rate of about 0.1v per day and below 12v in a week.  I expect that voltage drop will get less as time goes on.

[haelewyn]

Just have somebody start the car for a while, once or twice. If you have somebody available to do so.

That will keep all batteries full.

[bathtub tom]

1 hour ago, haelewyn said:

Just have somebody start the car for a while, once or twice. If you have somebody available to do so.

That will keep all batteries full.

NO! All that will do is cause condensation in the engine and exhaust. A ten mile run will be less harmfull.

[bathtub tom]

13 hours ago, geoffdh said:

Thanks for all the replies

I should have said that the car will be in a (locked) garage

Rodents love warm, dry places.

[haelewyn]

12 hours ago, bathtub tom said:

NO! All that will do is cause condensation in the engine and exhaust. A ten mile run will be less harmfull.

And you immediately got a 'like' for that remark !? 

Well...  the toyota hybrid car I had used to start with the ice engine on, loaded the Battery while doing that.. and that way the problem is solved.

Exceptional situations ask for exceptional measures. He won't be doing this all the car's lifetime.

I would rather see my neighbour or just anybody start up my car and shut it down again, compared to the risk of the 10 mile drive. If any accident happens, its more harnful than just making it run.

If from starting it up two times in 9 weeks and letting it run for x minutes (used to be 2 or 3 minutes before it stopped out of itself - so programmed by toyota) so bad things are happening to the car, it must be made of breadcrumbs, sugar and cookies.

An other great idea : just do nothing about preparation. If it doesn't start on return (unlikely but possible),  just get the assistance to come and start you up.

I do have a friend with a VW with regeneration problems who goes for an unneeded 50 km drive monthly to keep the filters (soot) open.

Rather daft idea.

[Roy124]

4 hours ago, haelewyn said:

If from starting it up two times in 9 weeks and letting it run for x minutes (used to be 2 or 3 minutes before it stopped out of itself - so programmed by toyota)

Not quite sure what you are getting at:

Letting it run before it stopped itself is not exactly the process.   The process is putting the car in Ready Mode for 60 minutes.  During that process the ICE will run for 2 or 3 minutes during which time it will charge the HV Battery to 50%.  After it stops it will continue to recharge the 12v Battery.  The ICE will run intermittently to keep the HV battery  charged.

Unlikely to not start?  After 9 weeks it is as likely or not that any modern car, hybrid or not, will have sufficient parasitic drain that the 12v Battery will be well depleted.

[haelewyn]

And still mine started after three months. Did nothing to prevent it from going to empty. It just started.

That's still a normal situation.

Also had a Fiat that didn't start any more but the assistance solved that with a jumper.

Parasitic drain, batteries going empty after a week : we all hear about that but I wouldn't say it is to be accepted as a completely normal situation.

If you don't believe in the car as much as I do, you could also simply take off the negative terminal.

And there is still the assistance..

Where am I getting at..

Second hand cars are parked in a parking lot. Since they are not made of sugar they withstand months of being parked if they get started sometimes or also of they are not, with the help of a jumpstarter.

Second part of the answer above can be told in short by : get in, push the start button. The car will do whatever it needs to do. 

[Roy124]

1 hour ago, haelewyn said:

Second hand cars are parked in a parking lot. Since they are not made of sugar they withstand months of being parked if they get started sometimes or also of they are not, with the help of a jumpstarter.

Slightly different scenario.   The car in the car lot is not loved.   It will deteriorate until such time as someone expresses an interest in it.  It will be cleaned,  jump started and sold.  Some months down the line that neglect may come to light.

 

[haelewyn]

Second hand cars in a parking lot are capital that needs to be protected, kept in a good condition. Warranty failures cost money so why wouldn't they care about the cars unless they are shortsighted.

Some guy I know never buys a car that wasn't parked in a garage during most of it's nights.

I can't bring myself to loving my car so much that I would rent a garage for more than 20 pounds (2400 in 10 years) a month cause that is better for the car.

I guess there are different opinions about everything.

[Cyker]

Might be worth putting the tyre pressures up a bit so they don't flat-spot. If it's garaged, a trickle/maintenance-charger is worth it. If not, throw a car cover over it and keep a jump-starter handy in case the 12v Battery drains.

If you live somewhere damp, maybe leave some sort of dehumidification thing in it to stave off damp (And mold!), like silica gel packs, or in a pinch a bowl of raw rice or coffee (Although that might be a bad idea long term as may attract rodents).

TBH a couple of months isn't *that* long, so aside from the 12v Battery I don't think the car really needs that much prep - It'll help, but isn't absolutely essential.

[Rhymes with Paris]

My uncle Frank (not the bit dim great uncle Wilf)had a 1984 Renault 4 in the garage for a long time,2 or 3 years, due to the doctor notifying the DVLA that he had Parkinson's, and must stop driving.

Fair enough, but he really thought for a long time that he would recover enough to drive again.

A new Battery, fresh petrol, air in the tyres, and a drip of thin oil down the bores through the spark plug holes got it going again.

I drove it to Exeter and back for work with no problems, apart from being in the way of HGVs in the inside lane pushing me to go faster, I couldn't.

And that was the 1108 cc IIRC, more powerful model.

A very different scenario I know, but it's maybe worth knowing that while keeping cars stood a long time is not good for them, they can be recovered fairly easily.

 

 

[hind]

16 hours ago, haelewyn said:

And still mine started after three months. Did nothing to prevent it from going to empty. It just started.

Was it a hybrid car connected to internet for remote control, constantly listening for the keyless entry attempt, with Battery too small and possibly from faulty batch? 

 

Also, letting the 12v Battery deplete to the point it cannot enable car systems anymore (it doesn't start the ICE engine!) means you just lost much of it capacity. Recharging will not restore it to full and jump starter is also just a temporary emergency fix. 

 

 

[Krysiahur]

Hi, just wondered how you went with leaving your car for nine weeks we have just taken possession of a Toyota Yaris cross and will regularly be leaving it for two months at a time

[Mojo1010]

You will need to use a Battery charger to trickle charge it - garage, or ask someone to put it in ready mode for at least an hour a week. Otherwise the Battery will be gone. Chas G may rent his garage out to help. 

[jthspace]

21 hours ago, Krysiahur said:

Hi, just wondered how you went with leaving your car for nine weeks we have just taken possession of a Toyota Yaris cross and will regularly be leaving it for two months at a time

Are you in a sunny clime?  A solar Battery trickle charger may well be a possible solution.  Amazon have a big selection.

Minimum 10w but 20w better