Going on a trip: Leave Prius gas tank below half OK?

Yep. That's okay.

I'm not sure if your base model comes with smart key (SKS), but if you do have it disable it by pressing the button below your steering wheel. Have fun.

 

It will be fine. The bladder in the gas tank prevents air from coming in contact with the gas, so there is no condensation inside the Prius "tank."

And even the SKS (if you have it) won't mind being left on for 2 weeks. A couple of months would probably require shutting SKS off, and a month's idle sitting it would probably be safer to turn it off. But 2 weeks is no problem, though it never hurts to turn it off.

Do be very careful, however, to make sure nothing is left on (lights, door ajar, etc.) and that the car is OFF.

 

When you come back, recheck your air tire pressures.

 

I just got back from a three-week trip, had tank about a third full. No problems.

 

Your suspicion about tire pressures may be well-founded. I have never, ever gotten my Prius back from the Toyota dealer with the correct pressures. I don't think they're aware that there's a sticker on the car that tells them exactly what the tire pressure spec is for both front and rear tires.

 

The manual states that the car should not remain dormant for two weeks due to the potential draining of the hybrid battery. Someone posted that they've left their car unattended for three weeks. Is this possible? At the very least, I'd make sure my battery is at full capacity before heading off for that long.

 

I left my car unattended for a little over a month. All I did was turn off the SKS. I didn't bother to "charge up" the hybrid battery... this was not necessary.

 

Condensation causing gas tank rust is not an issue in vehicles with plastic gas tanks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Nov 7 2006, 11:37 AM) [snapback]345113[/snapback]</div>

I left on September 25 for my annual trip to the UK. There was about half a tank of gas in the Prius, all I did was turn off the SKS and lock the car. When I returned on October 18, it powered up without a hitch and the main drive battery still showed 6 bars on the MFD. Tires were down about 1 psi.

Godfrey

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SSimon @ Nov 7 2006, 01:37 PM) [snapback]345113[/snapback]</div>

I was the one who left my Prius for three weeks. It wasn't totally undriven, though - my brother took it out a couple of times during that period. He loved it, but since his family includes a baby, they're sticking with their minivan for now...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(silentak1 @ Nov 7 2006, 08:04 PM) [snapback]345270[/snapback]</div>

I did the same. Just over a month parked in the garage while I was away. The traction battery indicated the same level of charge when I returned as when I left. I think it's actually the small 12-v battery that can drain, but I had no problem with mine. Like Silent, I turned off the SKS.