I need your advice - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

ahmad20 · 10-05-2011, 06:29 PM

Hello,

I have a corolla 2009 and for the next 3 months, i won't be able to move freely due to licensing issues. So i need to know how many times per week should i start it ? And for how long ?
I am afraid that the tires may get damaged due to it being standing in one place for a long time. Will this happen if i didn't move it ? Bearing in mind that i can move it only back and forth due to the small garage.

Thanks

***SuperchargedMR2*** · 10-05-2011, 06:33 PM

You could put the car up on jack stands to get any pressure off the tires. I would start the car at least once a week & let it warm up to operating temp. I would also keep a trickle charge on the battery.

ahmad20 · 10-16-2011, 06:28 PM

Thanks for your advice. I started it a couple of days ago but it seems that the temperature doesn't rise. It stays at the lowest level. What do you think ?

***SuperchargedMR2*** · 10-16-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahmad20

Thanks for your advice. I started it a couple of days ago but it seems that the temperature doesn't rise. It stays at the lowest level. What do you think ?

No need to thank me, just thank the post.

If you let the car idle long enough, about 15-20 minutes it should warm up to normal operating temp.

jkowalski · 10-17-2011, 06:22 PM

For 3 months, I wouldn't worry about it too much: Just keep an eye on the tires, start it up every couple weeks and let it run until it heats up (since you're not actually driving it, could take, like SuperchargedMR2 said, maybe 15-20 minutes).
If possible, move it a little (to another parking spot, or, if parked at a house, move it in the driveway to rotate the tires to help prevent flat spots).

With that said: my car has sat for 4 months straight, and than 8.5 months straight. I'm not sure how often it was actually run, but I asked my friend to run it at least every 2 weeks and let it warm up. (Did not actually move the car, just ran the engine)
There were no issues after 4 months, but after 8.5 months, the brakes seemed a little warped (shimmy or shaking when stopping, eventually went away after like 1,000 miles of driving). There were no other issues.

Believe me: me and my coworkers, because of our jobs, have to have our cars parked for months on end. No issues. Some of them don't even have their vehicles run at all during those 4 months.

Andriy242 · 10-17-2011, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahmad20

Hello,

I have a corolla 2009 and for the next 3 months, i won't be able to move freely due to licensing issues. So i need to know how many times per week should i start it ? And for how long ?
I am afraid that the tires may get damaged due to it being standing in one place for a long time. Will this happen if i didn't move it ? Bearing in mind that i can move it only back and forth due to the small garage.

Thanks

BE A MAN DO THE RIGHT THING!

I think that for 3 months your car will be fine just sitting there. Mine was sitting for a month and nothing happened to it.

Or just do what I did. Got my licence suspended for a month, said f**k you to the air and kept driving around for a month. GOT AWAY

Crawrolla · 10-17-2011, 07:05 PM

This is my experience. I use to have a 97 Mitsubishi Eclipse that I used for Autocross. When its off season I don't use the car. I found that even if I start it and not drive it, the coolant temp sensor would stick and the car over heats due to not letting the car get hot enough to properly circulate. Just have one of your trusted buddies drive it around the block once every two weeks. Additionally, the transmission fluid could use some circulating too if you have an automatic.

ahmad20 · 10-18-2011, 06:31 AM

Thanks