Battery Protection During Vehicle Storage

Some vehicle electronic components impose small continuous current drains on the battery. These drains are commonly referred to as "Parasitic Loads." Vehicles that are not used for an extended time period can develop extremely discharged and/or permanently damaged batteries resulting from parasitic loads. For more information, refer to Parasitic Load Test under Diagnosis.

To help prevent this condition, follow the procedure outlined below:
^ For long term storage (six months or longer), the negative battery cable should be disconnected. When this is not possible, batteries should be recharged periodically (every 20-45 days) until the green dot is visible.
^ For short term storage (20 day periods) the radio fuse should be removed.

Once the vehicle is returned to service, the following items must be reset: radio, clock, A/C temperature (if automatic) and driver information system (when equipped).