Johnnyreb, that's your southern perspective talking! . Actually that is the worst thing you can do in cold weather states. If you run the engine briefly the moisture in the cold air in the crankcase will condense to water, but since the engine isn't operated long enough to evaporate that water out, the result is sludge.

A battery TENDER is the way to go. The last two winters I've had my 612 plugged in continually for 5 months. I know both an Aston Martin dealer and a Ferrari dealer near me store 40 to 60 cars for months and every one of them is on a tender the whole time.

 

Indeed. I can't believe with all the info out there from RV forums to auto enthusiast forums, that we're debating the benefits of battery tenders. Get with the times folks.

 

Put me down as another advocate for a battery tender. Several of my clients that store exotics use a tender and not one hiccup.

 

NO, I completely disagree with your point of view. I'm also surprised that a Moderator would, IMO, go beyond disagreeing outside of the debate forum.

 

For me it was not about using the battery tender. I think they do a great job. It was leaving something plugged into the house and then into the LS while I was not there. I did not want to find out my house burned down and the LS was destroyed because I was worried over a $100 battery. Much easier to buy a new battery then explain to the DW why all the pictures of our kids and all the items we have collected around the world have gone up in smoke. If I knew I was not going to drive the LS for 3-6 months but was going to be home to keep an eye on it I would have no problem putting a battery tender on it.

Dennis

 

Reviving an old thread here. So, I will be gone on vacation soon for 6 weeks thru the end of July. My car has a fairly new battery installed Feb 2016. An indy mechanic said no need to disconnect the battery, that it's fairly new and the car would crank right up. My Lexus SA recommended to disconnect the battery by removing the negative terminal only. I am leaning toward not disconnecting and hoping she starts right up! Worst case, do I jumpstart the car the same way I would any other vehicle?

 

Your approach is what I would do. You SHOULD find that the car just starts right up, but if you need a jump-start, it is indeed as you describe. You only need to remove the plastic cover over the battery. I've done it numerous times - usually to jump-start someone else.

 

I agree, a fully charged battery should be fine. I've gone 4 weeks with my car with no problem.

If you can get by without locking the car you would save some juice by not having the alarm set. How safe is your neighborhood?

 

It is interesting to see how car dealers are dealing with storage of new cars as to batteries.

Here is a link to instructions that Infiniti dealers are using for new cars (most new car dealers use this same approach): http://www.infinitig37.com/TSB/1SE31.pdf

You have to keep in mind that this is for new cars with new batteries. New batteries can attain nearly a 100% SOC when they are fully charged. As a battery ages its fully-charged SOC is lower as a function of age. The rule of thumb for flooded cell batteries is you must not let the SOC get below 50% to avoid permanent damage. Any battery with a fully-charged SOC below 75% is considered to be in need of replacement.

 

I'm late to this, but I used to keep motorcycles in storage over the winter in the CO high country (no, not that kind of 'high'), where it snowed from October to June.

Battery Tender, and if the gasoline is fresh, it'll last six months without treatment.

Furthermore, we stored my wife's '02 RX300 for three years...it was on its tires, in my mother's garage, Battery Tender, full tank of fresh fuel, and once a year, we'd both go visit and drive Princess (the RX) enough to use the old tank of fuel. Fill her back up, park her, Battery Tender, done. Did the same with the car before the RX, a '95 3.5L Dodge Intrepid, stayed in storage two years, same routine, no harm done at all.

Now, if you're going to store for extended periods, more than 8-12 months...or in severe conditions (either hot or cold)...that's different.

 

Thanks, Paul. The car will be inside a locked garage. But my wife would never let us leave on vacation without locking anything that is lockable

I guess I could still lock the car using the physical key without activating the alarms. Maybe that's what I will do!

 

Update:
We returned from vacation a few days ago. I was pleased to see that the red lights were still blinking when I returned. The car started up without hesitation the next day. The battery held up fine for 43 days!

 

Good news AC. Thanks for the update!

 

I hate to bump an old thread... but I am looking to attach my Battery Tender to my 2012 and am immediately annoyed at how inaccessible the battery is. Ugh. Come on Lexus, why did you require so many steps to get to the terminals?

 

45lbs in tires and get the curve tire pads or soft tire pads to drive the car on. Plus every thing else. I use a tender also.