Quick question folks ...

For winter storage of my AP2, is it better to remove the battery and connect it to an "intelligent" trickle charger, or should I leave the battery in the car and attach the charger so as to keep the electronics alive?

More specifically, will the ECM lose any useful accumulated data if the battery is removed for the winter? (I know the barely-useful radio will have to have its security code re-entered, but that's ok)

 

I've done both. It's most convenient to leave the battery in the car and attach the charger, obviously, but I've never noticed anything different after having taken the battery out.

 

This is what I do:

1) Disconnect battery and charge to full
2) take off charger and leave battery disconnected during the entire storage time
3) When it's time to insure it again, put on the charger again to charge to full
4) Reconnect battery and drive!

Even though I have an "intelligent" fully automatic charger, I don't like charging battery while it's still connected. For some reason, even though it's perfectly safe, I just don't prefer to do it.

Of course, this plus inflate tires to +25% usual and then roll the car back and both full tire rotation in about month 3 or 4 of storage, assuming you don't jack up the car and leave it on jack stands...

 

Thanks to pearl_s2k and Hakkaboy for the replies

The idea of raising the car just an inch or so off the floor with four jack stands is interesting ... keeps the tires 'round'.

I'll probably take the battery out and store it somewhere safe. If someone wants to steal my 2K, they'll have to get it off the jacks, drill off the steering wheel lock, and buy a battery

 

I left my car on the ground and there weren't any flat spots after 9 months. I stored another vehicle in the past for 7 months and the tires had a flat spot, but it sorted itself out after a few km of driving.

As for the battery, I kept in on a cheap tenderizer which killed the battery eventually, so I have no input on that, except to not cheap out on those

I would suggest putting an extra few psi above the recommended amount and call it a day.

 

I keep my battery in the car and hook up a battery tender throughout the whole winter. Inflate the tires to 41psi, kept the handbrake off and used blocks to lock the car in place. Didnt get any flat spots on my tires after start up in the spring.