We have fairly frequent power outages where I live. I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks. Should I leave my 2013 Volt plugged in while I'm gone? What if the power goes out while I'm away?

Asked by Drbuyrite Jul 21, 2015 at 04:32 PM about the 2013 Chevrolet Volt FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Since we have fairly frequent power outages I'm afraid that if I leave my Volt plugged in
and the power goes out it will honk intermittently. Is 2 weeks too long to leave it
unplugged?

2 Answers

70,075

There is also a service modem that allows your Volt to be powered off entirely and disconnects the 12v for really long durationsshould be fine..if you didnt read this ...here you can >www.chevrolet.com/content/dam/Chevrolet/northamerica/usa/nscwebsite /en/Home/Ownership/Manuals_and_Videos/02_pdf/2k13volt.pdf

1 people found this helpful.
10

Short answer: NEVER leave your Volt plugged in at all times, just to charge overnight. The best answer is to deplete the battery to about half, and it can go for upwards of a year that way. I leave my 2017 Volt parked and unused for 6 months at a time, with zero depletion. Lithium Ion batteries degrade (relatively) quickly at full charge, or zero charge. They store wonderfully for years at 1/2 to 2/3 charge. My problem, and maybe yours to if you have an older car, is that the 12V system battery (same lead-acid battery that most cars use to start the engine with) degrades in MONTHS without a charger, and much quicker if at 80 degrees or more. So, for you, 2 weeks keep off the charger and deplete the battery to half for best life.

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