Leaving my CT in a carpark

[AlanCC]

Hi

Can anyone tell me if it will be ok to leave my CT F Sport in a long stay car park at Heathrowfor two months. I want it to start when I arrive back to drive home. Will the batteries be ok after standing so long.

alanCC

[AlwaysEddie]

I travel during the Summer every year for about the same time. My car is a 2013, 63 plate, CT Luxury model and I've never had any problem starting it after 2 months. I think your trip home from heathrow will also be enough to recharge the Battery if any charge is lost during that time. Regards.

[Wass]

I left our old prius in a long stay car park for 2 weeks in the winter and the minor items which still run while the car is parked had flattened the 12 volt Battery. I had taken the precaution of purchasing and charging a booster Battery prior to leaving  and after opening the car with the key ( rather than pressing the button on the key fob), I took out the booster Battery from behind the drivers seat and connected it to the jumper connections under the bonnet. Having silenced the burglar alarm, I started up the cars computer which in turn obliged by starting the engine with the traction Battery as it would normally do. The traction Battery is well capable of holding its charge for long periods but the 12 volt Battery is light duty because it doesn't do very much work. (it never starts the engine) and so it can more easily go flat.

[ColinBarber]

The Prius aux Battery is very small, certainly on the series II and therefore suffers the same issue as the RX400h. The newer hybrids are certainly better, Toyota decided to increase the capacity of the aux batteries.

Two months however is a stretch. You may be ok during the summer but I think Lexus recommend disconnecting the Battery if it is being left for 6 weeks or more. I'd make sure you have a small 12v power pack in the car just in case.

[Britprius]

Carrying a starter pack is a good idea in this situation, but be very aware connecting the jump pack with reverse polarity even for a split second will do £100's if not £1000's in damage to the electrical system.

If the car is in an outside car park a cheap solar panel in a south facing window will keep the Battery charged.

 

[Wass]

Remember to leave the booster Battery in the passenger compartment when you park the car or you will have to scramble over the front seats to extricate the Battery from the boot. Excellent point about reverse polarity by Britprius. You will also need to read the owners book to find out where the underbonnet jumper terminals are located. I also carry a tiny little torch in the car just in case darkness has descended or I am parked in a dimly lit multi-storey.

There are those who would  sooner not carry a booster Battery and would prefer to wait for the rescue services to attend. The solar cell idea is a good one but you really need to connect it at the right place since the cigar lighter isn't connected to the Battery while the car is just parked and locked up ( the jumper terminals would be connected to the Battery at all times but then you would need to find a way to get the wire into the car for the solar cell to be left in a window).

[chenh]

just two months will be no problem at all. i had left my old honda jazz for moe than two months at the airport and it worked very well after i came back.

[headpin]

My wife had a flat Battery after 3 weeks. Called out the rescue service (in effect the AA). The AA man said that whilst there are some minor drains on the Battery a decently charged Battery should be fine for at least 3 or 4 months. However, what he said can discharge the Battery in a shorter period is if you leave the lights and/or wipers on auto. So, if you normally have them on auto suggest you turn them to off. May or may not assist, but hopefully it will?

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Surely lights and wipers go trough the ignition? So auto shouldn't matter.