As the UK government has instructed the nation to stay at home and only venture out for specific, essential reasons in light of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation, many of us are being encouraged to park our cars if we can. Some owners of Toyota hybrids might be wondering what will happen to their car during long periods without use, particularly when it comes to the level of charge in the batteries.
The reassuring news is that no difficult car maintenance is necessary. However, there are some tips that, if followed, can help ensure your Toyota remains in tip-top condition during an extended layoff.
To recap, Toyota hybrids generally contain two batteries: a 12-volt battery (which powers systems such as the headlamps and audio) and a high-voltage hybrid system battery (which supplies the power to start the combustion engine and drive the electric motors).
The simplest way to maintain charge in both of these batteries is to simply go through the normal start procedure: press the ‘Start’ button with your foot on the brake and ensure the ‘Ready’ light is illuminated on the dashboard (you don’t have to keep your foot on the brake thereafter, but ensure your vehicle’s transmission is in ‘Park’ and the parking brake is engaged).
We recommend you put the car in ‘Ready’ mode for about 60 minutes before switching it off again and repeat the process at least once a week, providing you can carry out this procedure while adhering to the government’s advice regarding social distancing and Coronavirus (Covid-19). Please do not leave your car unattended when it is in ‘Ready’ mode.
During the time that that car is in ‘Ready’ mode, you may hear and feel the internal combustion engine kick in; this is a normal part of the self-charging process. You might be tempted to switch on the radio to pass the time, or turn on other systems, but bear in mind these will consume small amounts of electrical power so it is preferable to leave them off.
Ensure the handbrake is on; there’s no need to go for a drive, although we must stress that this procedure should take place in a well-ventilated area – something to consider if you park your vehicle in a garage.
What if my Toyota isn’t a hybrid?
Our petrol and diesel cars only have a 12-volt battery, which provides the power to start the engine in addition to the other systems mentioned above. Regular start-up of the vehicle on conventional petrol and diesel engines needs approximately 20 minutes of running to put back into the battery what you remove on start up, so to maintain this battery we would suggest 60 minutes of running at least once a week.
Is there anything else I need to do?
Whether you own a hybrid or a Toyota equipped solely with an internal combustion engine, there are a few other easy car maintenance points that can ensure your Toyota hybrid remains healthy and happy during an enforced hibernation. Again, please adhere to the latest government advice regarding social distancing.
- Check the tyre pressures are fully inflated to the recommended level and top-up if necessary. It can be a good idea to repeat this process when you first drive your car after a long period of inactivity.
- Clean the car thoroughly inside and out. If you are storing your car in a garage, make sure the vehicle is completely dry before you put it away.
- If you do plan to store your car in a garage, ensure the chosen storage area offers plenty of ventilation. If the space is secure, you could consider opening one of the car’s windows a small way to ventilate the interior. If you do this, you might have to change your car alarm’s setting to prevent it setting off the intrusion sensor – please consult your car’s manual for more information.
- It can be beneficial to leave the vehicle with the parking brake disengaged to prevent the brakes from binding, but only do this if you are certain the car is on level terrain and isn’t going to move. Ensure the transmission is set to ‘P’ for park and place wedges or chocks, if you have them, under the wheels.
- If you have a 12V battery trickle charger, or a solar panel charger, and are confident using them, then these are a good option to keep the battery fully charged while the vehicle is stationary for a period of time.
- If your vehicle is equipped with smart entry and start but the system isn’t operated for a long time, a battery-saving function will automatically be activated to prevent the electronic key battery and the 12-volt battery from being discharged. Battery depletion in the key is minimised by stopping the electronic key from receiving radio waves. On many models equipped with this system, it is possible to manually put the key into battery-saving mode, so please consult your car’s handbook for more information. If you aren’t planning to drive your car for a long time, consider putting the smart key in a safe place and not carrying it around with you in your pocket. This will prevent the car from ‘waking up’ unnecessarily should you happen to walk near it in your garage or driveway.
- If the vehicle will be kept on private property (such as inside a garage) for the duration of its storage, you could consider applying for a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). This informs the DVLA that the car is off the road and you will receive a refund of any remaining full months of tax. However, you won’t be able to drive your car legally until you tax it again, so it is only advisable if you are positive you won’t use your car for a long time. You can read more information about how to SORN your car here.
Read more Toyota GB’s latest statement on the Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your message. As mentioned in our blog post, we would only recommend trickle charging if you are confident in using them. If you choose to try it, please be careful when doing so. There is no need to disconnect the battery when using an intelligent trickle charger due to is only using low amps and so won’t overcharge it. If it is able to charge at 2 amps it will take longer to charge but will keep the battery in good condition for longer.
Thanks.
2018 C-HR completely dead, I could cry, no one told me that if I didn’t drive my car from last Saturday to Wednesday that it would die completely, in fact the user manual states an hour every couple of months! I’m a single mum with no car, no idea how to fix it, Toyota helpline lady was lovely but the only recommendation was to rejoin the recovery at a cost of over £300! 5 year warranty, sure but not much use is it?!
Hi Jackie,
Thank you for getting in touch with us. We appreciate this is an incredibly difficult time and we are so sorry to hear about the issue you’re having with your C-HR. We would recommend contacting our customer relations team if you would like to discuss this further as they are best placed to help. You can email the team directly via this link: https://www.toyota.co.uk/contact-us/email-us or contact them on 0344 701 6202.
Thanks.
My Toyota Auris Hybrid (bought September 2018) is completely dead. I was able to use the mechanical key to open the driver door but unable to start car with the fob. I have now read that the 12V battery does not start the car, so do I need to call out someone to jump start the car? Then do I need to recharge the 12V battery? Or is the hour in Ready mode all that is required? Although the thought of sitting in the car for an hour isn’t that good!! I know my car was in for repair just before the lockdown and I drove the car back to my home on the 3rd April, after it being in repair for 4 weeks, longer than expected. I have not had any problems at all with my previous Auris Hybrids and I usually have a 4 week annual holiday. Advice, please. Thank you.
Hi Marian,
Thanks for getting in touch with us. We would recommend contacting Roadside Assistance for any immediate help as our Toyota centres are closed following government advice. If you are covered by Toyota Roadside Assistance you can contact the team directly on 0800 246824.
That being said, if you require any further advice our Toyota centres do remain contactable via phone or email to discuss your motoring needs. You can find your nearest dealer here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/dealers/
In terms of maintenance, we would recommend following the advice and steps as detailed in the above blog post. You will also be able to find advice on steps to take in an emergency in your owner’s manual which you will be able to find here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/tme#/my-toyota/eManual
Thanks.
I have a five month old Toyota Yaris Hybrid which is not being driven at the moment due to coronavirus restrictions. Today I followed the advice as given above to start the car in “Ready” mode and let it run for 60 minutes. The Hybrid battery was 7/8 charged at the beginning. The petrol motor cut in almost immediately for a few seconds only. After 33 minutes the Hybrid battery was now 4/8 charged, then within another 10 minutes (so after 43 minutes) was only 2/8 charged. After another 3 minutes, the petrol motor cut in for approximately one minute only, and the Hybrid battery increased to 3/8 charged. After 60 minutes the Hybrid battery had dropped again to 2/8 charged, and the petrol motor cut in for a second time, again for approximately one minute. The Hybrid battery remained at 2/8 charged. I stopped the engine after this (total run time 63 minutes).
Is this what you would expect to happen when following the advice? That the Hybrid battery remains at a very low level of charge after running for 60 minutes in “Ready” mode?
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for getting in touch with us. We would recommend not worrying about the energy level indicator and to continue following the steps and advice in this blog post. The car should not allow the hybrid battery to go flat as our hybrids are always monitoring the hybrid battery, and if it starts to get lower than a set amount the engine will start to charge it.
Thanks.
I no longer have my Toyota Auris Hybrid because I now have an all electric car which I brought in March. So I do hope my name is taken off your records because this is the first time since owning my Hybrid that I have had any type of communications from anyone. I could contact people but they never contacted me. I would not have minded but of course no longer have a Toyota so communication is pointless. I hope everyone else enjoys their Toyota.
Our of curtesey I have not told you what make I now have. Because Toyota do not have an all electric car like the Auris.
Hi Jeanette,
Thanks for getting in touch with us. We would recommend contacting our customer relations team directly to discuss changing or removing any personal details. You can contact the team directly on 0344 701 6202 or email them here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/contact-us/email-us
Thanks.
Hi, my car always needs a jump start everyday if I don’t drive it. I have a Prius hybrid and took it to Halfords and they said that shouldn’t happen. Can you help?
Hi,
My Toyota Auris Hybrid is well maintain by Toyota. i am a private hire driver and my 100K service is due but due to covid 19 my local dealer is closed. Nevertheless , am working last time it been service was at 90k i wonder if i continue driving will it damage the engine,
Many thanks
So when all the Corvid 19 problems are over and I book a two week holiday abroad, will I return to the airport car park at the end of my holiday to find my hybrid Yaris won’t start?
Hi Peter,
Thanks for getting in touch. There shouldn’t be any issues in that case. The process we’ve detailed above is due to people potentially not using their cars for weeks or months at a time. Using your example, on your drive to the airport the READY light will have been on and carrying out that charging process on the way, so there shouldn’t be any issues when you return to it.
Thanks.
Can I use battery charge to charge up my Yaris hybrid 12v battery without disconnecting
Thanks
Hi Wei,
Thanks for getting in touch. Could you please clarify your question for us?
Thanks.
I mean can I use the battery charge to charge the Yaris hybrid 12V battery without disconnect the battery
Thanks
Hi Wei,
Thanks for getting back in touch. During the charging process detailed above, the main hybrid battery is charging the 12-volt battery. If the hybrid battery then needs power, the engine will start to run the generator.
The simplest way to maintain charge in both the 12-volt battery and the high-voltage hybrid system battery is just to follow the steps and advice as above.
Thanks.
Hi
Well. Wei is asking if she can connect an intelligent charger suitable for AGM batteries durectly on 12V battery terminals without disconnecting cables (cables normally powering the car). Simple. It is safe?
Greg
Hi Greg,
Thanks for getting in touch. As mentioned in our blog post, we would only recommend trickle charging if you are confident in using them. If you choose to try it, please be careful when doing so. There is no need to disconnect the battery when using an intelligent trickle charger due to is only using low amps and so won’t overcharge it.
Thanks.
Got your blog tried to go through the procedure, when I did the dash lights were all on plus the screen – sat nav radio etc How can the car charge its self with all this power being consumed during the process? i did follow your method, e.g. start button foot on peddle and got ready light on dash but as I have said all the other power consuming lights were on as well so how can it charge. Stopped now wait for advice please
Hi there,
Thanks for getting in touch with us. It is preferable to switch things like the radio off. However, the power consumption from the radio and all of the lights on the dash is very small and won’t have an overall impact during the charging process. As long as you follow the steps and advice outlined above and the READY light is on, there should be no problem.
Thanks.
Hi Monzur,
Thanks for getting in touch with us. We would recommend contacting your nearest Toyota centre to discuss this in more detail as they are best placed to help. While our centres are closed following Government advice, they do remain contactable via phone and email. You can find your nearest dealer here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/dealers/
Thanks.