[[email protected]]

Hello folks,

It's starting to get chilly up here in Cleveland, Ohio. Fortunately, I'm going on a one-month vacation to somewhere tropical. Unfortunately, I can't take my RAV with me.

I would like to ask the people here on how to prep the RAV for long period of non-use. I was able to buy a one-month pass to the basement parking facility where I work (they usually sell them in 6 month blocks) so the RAV will be protected from the elements.

What else should I do? Thanks.

 

[RAV4Don]

If it is just a month and you have the RAV in dry, covered storage, you don't really need to do much. You could put some Sta-bil (fuel stablizer) in the tank to keep the fuel fresh and be certain that the battery is fully charged.

 

[waltrav]

Fuel additive is definitely one thing to do.

If you had a home with a driveway best solution is to leave it there and have a trusted person drive it once a week around the block (side streets).
This is good for your tires, engine etc…..
Also by parking it in different spots helps make your home look lived in.

It is not recommended to leave it sitting in one spot for one month on your tires for you may get flat spots. So if it can be driven around once a week or at least every two weeks in the Parking lot you will be fine.

Cheers, Walt

 

[[email protected]]

No luck on having someone drive it every couple of days. I don't trust anyone that much with the RAV

Does anyone have a preferred fuel stabilizer brand? It will be the first time that I'll use it. Is it better to leave the rav with a full tank of fuel?

About flat spots on the tire, what if I slightly overinflate the wheels just before I park it? I just have to remember to deflate it back to normal psi when I get back.

 

[RAV4Don]

For a just month I would not worry about flat spots. Flat spots mostly apply to pre-'70s bias ply tires. Flat spotting is not of much a factor on radials from my experience. Even if you get some out of roundness, on a quality tire this is no problem after you drive it for a few blocks.

As for a stabilizer, you can use Seafoam fuel addivtive that contains a fuel injecter cleaner as well as a stabilizer, or you can get the Sta-Bil brand. Frankly, the stabilizer component is pretty generic so I wouldn't be concerned about brand names.

Long term storage is best over concrete or asphalt and not grass or gravel due to moisture retention.

Again for just a month you really don't need to worry about long term storage related problems.

 

[ron8818]

Yes, Having someone driving it around once a week is the best choice, but if u must have it parked fora a month, garage it, take off the negative terminal on the battery, or else it will be drained. Mine did.
Just an advice.