It should be noted there are best practices for maintaining the health of the 12v battery particularly in the times where vehicles are not being used regularly. Indeed, trickle charging is an option in cases where vehicles are parked up for extended periods.
All vehicle 12-volt batteries, no matter what marque of vehicle one may drive will require the owners to perform regular maintenance. It is best practice to schedule this regularly during these times and by doing these simple tips you can be assured you will keep the battery in a healthy state of charge, providing that the battery has not already depleted to the extent where it cannot be maintained, as per the below recommendations.
The following is a helpful guide to keep the 12-volt battery healthy.
We recommend you put the car in ‘Ready’ mode for about 60 minutes every 20 to 30 days where the vehicle is inoperable . 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 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 – i.e. only outside and under no circumstances should you do this if your vehicle is parked in an enclosed space/garage
The above steps are essential to also keep the Hybrid battery healthy.
Continued non-use of the vehicle over its lifetime may have a detrimental effect on the Hybrid battery.