Leaving in parking lot for 15 days - best way to save battery | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Leaving in parking lot for 15 days - best way to save battery

dumalkin

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June 20, 2011
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Year, Model & Trim Level
Explorer Limited AWD 2012
Hi,
We are going to trip for 15 days. I can leave the car (Limited 2012) on long term parking lot near the airport. They have optional service of "periodically turning your vehicle" to recharge the battery. The car has aftermarket security system installed (can't be insured without it here), which uses some current. Never measured how much, but I doubt the car could be started after 15 days (don't know if ever the "standard car" could).

My options are as follows:
1. Just leave the vehicle. If it couldn't be started when we return, they can jump start it for free. Pro - nobody will touch the car. Cons - probably it will damage the battery / electronics ?
2. Leave the vehicle and disconnect the battery. Pro - nobody will touch the car (besides me while disconnecting / reconnecting the battery), battery won't suffer from complete discharge. Cons - probably it will somehow damage electronics ?
3. Leave the vehicle with this "optional service". Pro - the car will be fully operational (they also bring it back to the terminal when we land). Cons - they will start the car and leave it idling for a while, they will move the car to let other cars in / out, they will drive it from the parking lot to the terminal (5-10 km each way), they will use some fuel, they don't take responsability for scratches etc, they will have the key and security system code.

What do you think ?
 



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15 days? Your battery will be fine for 15 days. Park it and do nothing.
 






@182RG
I am more than sure battery won't be fine (the other car (VW, with less on board electronics) had the battery (1 year old) dead after 5 days with the same kind of security system installed),the question is if there is any permanent damage to the battery and/or car systems if battery is significantly / completely discharged.
 






What type of security system do you have that will kill a battery after 5 days?!
 






I have gone for 10 day vacation came back push start button and varoom it started. But the best thing you can do after all the thought you put into this put the car in the plane and take it with you, look at the long and short term people leaving there cars at the airport you think there dont start ???? Go on your vacation and enjoy.......!
 






@NEWPORTNJ
I though about it, but unfortunately our baggage allowance doesn't cover the weight of the car.
Seriosly, I am sure some cars won't start, and for that official airport parking lot have free jump start service here, and "start and recharge service" in the other "competitors" lot. Moreover, from my personal experience (not with Explorer), each time I left the car for long time (over a week) I had some troubles with the battery after return.
So I can't be persuaded the problem doesn't exist at all, I just want to decide about optimal solution.
 






What type of security system do you have that will kill a battery after 5 days?!
I can't be 100% sure it is due to security system, VW is diesel - may be is related too, but the objective fact is the car won't start after 5 days in the garage with relatively new battery.
Security system is "Ituran", although I am not sure their systems marketed in USA are of the same kind as here - they have very large list of products.
Their system at least once actually prevented the theft of VW - guys took the keys from the home, opened the car and tried to start it, removed dashboard in attempt to remove Ituran unit (it is hidden somewhere in the car) etc, but run away when Ituran mobile force arrived (their system indicated burglary attempt over RF to their command center).
So at least their system isn't useless (and again - I am not sure it is responsible for the problem):)
 






15 days! this is going to take serious planning and precaution to save the vehicle and the battery. I would treat it like a winterizer for a classic car. Take the tires off and put the car up on jackstands in the parking lot, take the battery cables off, use Sta-Bil for the fuel, and make sure a car cover is applied! Failure to do any of these will probably result in the vehicle exploding when you go to start it after sitting for that long. May want to stop and grab an entire set of belts and hoses since they will probably dry-rot during that time also.
 






@77rednecktruck
Very funny.
Now imagine yourself returning back from the trip in 1am with 3 little kids after not sleeping previous night, running over the parking lot to the keeper building (basically waiting for the next shuttle - 15 mins waiting, 10 min driving, 30 mins to get the keeper, another 15 mins waiting for the next shuttle, another 30 mins waiting near the car for the keeper to get there) for jump starting the car, while wife and kids waiting for you near the car. Beatifull final for the trip.
I had similar experience once, and prefer to not repeat it.
 






@77rednecktruck
Very funny.
Now imagine yourself returning back from the trip in 1am with 3 little kids after not sleeping previous night, running over the parking lot to the keeper building (basically waiting for the next shuttle - 15 mins waiting, 10 min driving, 30 mins to get the keeper, another 15 mins waiting for the next shuttle, another 30 mins waiting near the car for the keeper to get there) for jump starting the car, while wife and kids waiting for you near the car. Beatifull final for the trip.
I had similar experience once, and prefer to not repeat it.

I really feel that you are over-reacting here.......the battery will be fine....but if you are still overly concerned, you should follow the advice of 77rednecktruck....that was hilarious!!!:D
 






If you're really concerned, just disconnect the battery. Done.
 






I live 5 miles from JFK and about the same from LGA. I know two guys who work at JFK and one of them in the LT Parking. What i'd be worried about is those guys at LT parking taking parts off your car in any LT parking, remember their insurance doesnt cover certain things and at 3 am who goes over their car in detail. I will never park in LT parking at an airport from the stories ive heard and things i have seen through these two guys.
 






re storage

If you are concerned leave at home and take airport p/u service and battery on charge at home . I think your battery will be fine
 






Take a cab to the airport.
 






Since you believe that the security system you have installed will drain the battery, disconnect the security system.

My wife's Golf Cabriolet sits in the garage all winter and I don't charge the battery. Spring comes and turn the key. It starts right up.

To answer one of your earlier questions, yes it will affect the life of your battery if you let it get discharged. BTW, I would never install a security system that takes would discharge a battery in that period of time. There is something not right about that.
 






For under fifty bucks, buy one of those portable jump-start battery packs.
I even use it for the 12v GPS in my antique 6 volt car.
 






For under fifty bucks, buy one of those portable jump-start battery packs.
I even use it for the 12v GPS in my antique 6 volt car.

+1 to this, was going to be my suggestion.
 






Unless your battery is already suspect, fifteen days is nothing...
Maybe you have had undersized batteries too ???

I typically have my big deezle sitting for longer than that as I work from home
and use it for 'towing only' 90% of the time...

good luck... but agree a dead battery after a long flight is heck....

I recall once when I was a rookie flyer having a late nite stint @ dfw where we came into a different concourse and it took me an hour to find my car !!!
 






How about one of those thin solar panels you lay on the dash to maintain the battery? They are only like 20 or 30 bucks.

I personally find it hard to imagine a security system draining a modern car battery in 15 days, I left my Escape one time for over 3 weeks with the aftermarket alarm on and had zero problems starting it.
 



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I for one am really concerned about the batteries and/or the drain on them by the Explorer. I have already had one replaced a few months ago and the other day when I was looking through some features in the Explorer with the push button in the 'ON' position (vehicle not running) The radio shut off and the message Battery Saver Program OFF came up. This is the same thing that happened with the previous battery. Perhaps it is because I don't drive it enough (just over 9000 miles in 2 1/2 years) to fully recharge the battery after it sits 2 or 3 days. I think the electronic systems that require a small but constant amount of power to stay functional when the vehicle is turned off place a greater demand on the battery than that is found in most vehicles.
There are other posts about having to replace the battery, some just after having had the Explorer just a week or so.

Peter
 






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