Odd Question

I know that each time I start the car up it needs to warm up to be used at its full capabilities.

I think that's just the exaust system.

So, lets say I am going into a store for less than a minute do not push the power button to turn it off, but take the key with me?

Anyone who can get in can drive it around. The car will not restart without the key, but it will drive as far as you like.

Does the hybrid system shut off,

If you mean the electric bits, turning them on and off is practically nothing. It can sit in the ready state for hours or days while you are out walking around, no problem.

Do the doors lock?

Mine does not lock automatically. I have to tell it to do so. Mine is fussy about locking when you have the key outside, don't know if you can trick it somehow.

 

okay i figured this out

1) pretty much you would have to lock the car with the mechanical key to leave it running.

2) for a minute or so, this is probably moot because
if you turn the car off, it will take about 1-5 minutes to heat up the catalytic converter to operating temperature...
if you leave the car on, it might keep the engine running randomly for 1-5 minutes to heat the cabin/charge the traction battery before it decides to turn it off...

if the car was left for more then 30 minutes or something, then i think it would make sense to leave it off, but then again it would keep firing its engine up to charge

 

Tony,

Like you I greatly respect Hobbit, and give maximum credence to what he
says. Now, I have to be very careful here...

I have experimented with leaving the car running -- with a passenger in the
car -- and turning the car off for short periods of time. The results are
mixed, and I have to confess that my methods/observations aren't iron clad.

Somtimes, after I leave the car running, even though the MFD and
ScanGauge readings say I'm still in S4, the car will do yellow arrow glides,
but absolutely refuses to go into no-arrows glide.

Sometimes, after I turn the car off for a very short period of time, and the
MFD and ScanGauge augeries say I'm in S4, I can immediately get yellow
and no arrows glide.

I still need to do more rigorous observations. I'm eager to find a way to say
that these apparent irregularities do no put me in conflict with the sainted
Hobbit. My rationalization is that for other reasons I believe that the
CPUs/ECUs have undergone subtle adjustments/changes between Hobbit's
car, a 2005?, and my 2008. Then again, maybe I'm just wrong!

 

I have found leaving the car powered up while not driving depletes the traction battery meaning I have low power when I start to drive and the ICE works hard to recharge the battery. Sitting in the car, parked with it on I noticed the ICE only runs to maintain the 2 purple bars on the battery. I'd shut the car down if out of it.

 

In answer to your original question, I have done this, especially in a situation when I can maintain visual contact with the car. Pat is right, in that there is some drain on the traction battery, but this is strictly proportional to the load on it. If you turn off the A/C, lights, etc, this is minimal and is directly related to the length of time the car sits in Ready mode.

 

In my experience leaving the car & climate control on with the doors physically locked has no ill effect on the traction battery for 5-10 minutes. Outside temp & SOC influence the length of time. If you are stopping with a low SOC there is no benefit as the ICE will run anyway to charge the battery.