Battery disconnected for 6 months

[CDN_Stig]

I'm about to park it for the winter. Last year I left everything and it started fine in the spring, but I was considering disconnecting the battery this year.

Is there any problem with disconnecting it for that length of time? I don't want it to lose memory of the immobilizer keys in particular.

What do you guys normally do?

[logray]

If you pull the battery, some possible things you would have to deal with:

Radio code re-entry

Sunroof re-teach

Gas tank re-calibration (very unlikely)

Instead of pulling the battery, I think most people just connect a battery tender to the cig lighter, or string one under the boot lid to the battery.

Other stuff not related to the battery, but important to consider

Flat spots in tires (consider rolling the vehicle forward or back or taking it for a short drive to operating temp every few months)

Rodents (be sure to cover it well - wash and wax first)

For 6 months of storage, be sure to use a fuel stabilizer and fill the tank before letting it sit. 6 months is just about the limit for Petrol without stabilizer

Edited September 16, 2011 by logray

[02tx996cab]

Another tip, applicable if you will not run the engine at all whilst in storage: Change the engine oil just before you put car up for the winter, but UNDERFILL by a quart. When you take the car out of storage in the spring, add the "missing" quart before you start the car for the first time. This new quart will wet some parts that may have dried out a bit from months without oil circulation. Possibly not necessary--but it can't hurt either.

[CalgaryStig]

I've been told by some knowledgable owners that the C-Tek 3300 battery maintainer is the exact same model sold by Porsche. On sale this week and next for $49.99 at Canadian Tire.

[jmacdona]

I've been told by some knowledgable owners that the C-Tek 3300 battery maintainer is the exact same model sold by Porsche. On sale this week and next for $49.99 at Canadian Tire.

Yes that is true - the guy at Canadian tire told me that himself. Also on sale this week for $49.99. Just got one and so far so good.

[David Clarke]

Please go for the battery tender rather than letting the battery sit or lowering the fluid level. The CTEK ones are excellent and will bring back a battery from near dead to good health with the de-sulphur cycle. I have them on bikes that sit for the winter and everything is perfect when I want to use them. In one case the battery was unable to crank the bike after I left it for 5 days, now after sitting on the tender for the winter seems fine after 20 days (haven't tried longer). Its also a very useful tool to have in the shed.

[CDN_Stig]

I ended up keeping it charged over the winter ... worked out fine. I just trickle charged it once a month till it was 100%.