Storing Your Vehicle
Preparing Your Vehicle for Storage
If you plan on storing your vehicle for 30 days or more, the following maintenance recommendations ensure your vehicle stays in good operating condition.
Under various conditions, long-term storage could lead to degraded engine performance or failure unless you use specific precautions to preserve your vehicle.
General
- Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated place.
- If vehicles are stored outside, they require regular maintenance to protect against rust and weather damage.
- Make sure all linkages, cables, levers and pins under your vehicle are covered with grease to prevent rust.
- Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m) every 15 days to lubricate working parts and prevent corrosion.
- Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel until the first automatic shutoff of the fuel pump nozzle.
Engine
- Change the engine oil and filter prior to storage because used engine oil contains contaminants which could cause engine damage.
- Start the engine every 15 days for a minimum of 15 minutes.Run at fast idle with the climate controls set to defrost until the engine reaches normal operating temperature.
- With your foot on the brake, shift through all the gears while the engine is running.
Body
- Wash your vehicle thoroughly to remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housings and the underside of front fenders.
- Periodically wash your vehicle if it is stored in exposed locations.
- Touch-up exposed or primed metal to prevent rust.
- Cover chrome and stainless steel parts with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent discoloration.Re-wax as necessary when you wash your vehicle.
- Lubricate all hood, door and luggage compartment hinges and latches with a light grade oil.
- Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
- Keep all rubber parts free from oil and solvents.
Hybrid Battery Systems
We recommend the following actions for your vehicle:
- When storing your vehicle for greater than 30 days the state of charge should be approximately 50%. Additionally we recommend disconnecting the 12V battery which reduces system loads on the HV battery.
12 Volt Battery
- Check and recharge as necessary. Keep connections clean.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory features if you disconnect the battery cables.
Tires
- Maintain recommended air pressure.
Brakes
Make sure the brakes and parking brake release fully.
Note: If you intend on parking your vehicle for an extended period after washing your vehicle or cleaning the wheels, drive your vehicle for a few minutes before doing so to reduce the risk of increased corrosion of the brake discs, brake pads and linings.
Removing Your Vehicle From Storage
When your vehicle is ready to come out of storage, do the following:
- We recommend that you change the engine oil before you use your vehicle again.
- Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt or grease film build-up on window surfaces.
- Check windshield wipers for any deterioration.
- Check the underhood for any foreign materials such as mice or squirrel nests.
- Check the exhaust for any foreign materials.
- Check tire pressures and set tire inflation per the Tire Label.
- Check brake pedal operation. Corroded brake rotors could cause brake noise. Drive your vehicle and gently apply and release the brakes repeatedly over a 10-minute drive to reduce the corrosion from the brakes.
- Check fluid levels (including coolant, oil and gas) to make sure there are no leaks, and fluids are at recommended levels.
- If you remove the battery, clean the battery cable ends and check for damage.
Contact an authorized dealer if you have any concerns or issues.
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