-Is it possible to store the TCH in winter. I heard that someone does that with their Prius, by unplugging the main hybrid battery. Is this possible?

-Is it possible to charge the main battery, while parked, by running the gasoline engine at higher RPM. How do you do that and in which gear. "N" gear. ?

 

HV battery is disconnected from whole system when off as far as I know, so I wouldn't even bother touching it and it should be good for 3-6 months, just make sure it is not at very low charge level when left alone. I would disconnect 12v battery so it doesn't get discharged by key system etc, but even that should be good for couple months even if just left connected without use.
When car is in N, the battery is not charging, but in PARK it is, but why would you do that? Unless, wanted to charge before long storage and then personally I would choose some leisure drive around instead.

 

There is another thing that I discovered today. My car was not used for two days and I noticed that the charge indicator bar on the MFD, fell by two bars from what it was the day I had parked the car. If I leave the car unused for a week or two.. this means that the battery would be totally dead?

Any advice suggestions?

 

Suggestions? Yes, stop worrying. I have a 2007, the bars seem go up or down a bit in ways that don't always make sense to me. But the car continues to get the same mileage it did when new. I've left mine sit in a garage for a month while traveling. It started up immediately when I returned. No car is perfect, but TCH has proven to be very reliable. I assume you have a warranty on the car, so I guess putting it through some tests while still covered makes sense.

 

Stowing TCH for extended periods of time was discussed ad nauseam here and at toyotahation.
Toyota recommends engine to be started every 2 weeks. I even had cp on this on one of those sites. You can toss a BatteryTender onto a 12V one. Won't hurt. But you want to have someone to come over and let her run for some time ever so often.
No, you can not rev that engine. RPMs are electronically controlled and gas pedal is not directly connected to the throttle. To rev engine at will, you have to put car into maintenance mode. Then it behaves just like a regular gasoline engine without electronically controlled throttle.

 

[QUOTE=ukrkoz To rev engine at will, you have to put car into maintenance mode. Then it behaves just like a regular gasoline engine without electronically controlled throttle.[/QUOTE]

How do you do that?

 

I've lost count of how many times I've read that a TCH needs to be run frequently lest one find a dead battery after, oh, a couple weeks of the car being parked. If Toyota recommends running the engine every two weeks, I haven't seen it in writing.

The manual says nothing like that. No mention is made in the 12-volt battery section about it needing special attention. And given the number of owners who routinely leave cars parked for weeks at a time when traveling, I can't imagine Toyota marketing such a flawed product. In any case, I know many owners of Prius and TCHs, nary a one has reported their car not starting after absences of various lengths.

 

To get your Camry into maint mode, do not touch the brake, turn the ignition on, press the accelerator pedal to the floor twice with the car in park, put your foot on the brake and put the transmission in neutral, let off of the brake, press the accelerator to the floor twice, put your foot back on the brake, put the tranny back into park, let off the brake, press the accelerator pedal to the floor twice again. You will now see the master caution light and the center display will say Maint mode.

Put your foot on the brake and press the start button.


To get out of Maintenance Mode, turn the car off.

 

Thanks, In the maintenance mode can I run the water pump to do coolant change. I have a XLS camry with MFD.