99 Maxima parked for months

If you don't have jackstands and a place to leave it sit on the jackstands, don't worry about the tires. You might consider putting an extra 10psi in them though.

Put a container of fuel preservative in the tank though.

Dave

Will you be able to access the car for those 8 or 9 months? It would be advisable that you do. Cars do not like to sit still. For example, the main reason a/c used to fail in older cars was from lack of use. Today's car have their climate control configured such that you wind up using the a/c more often than not. When you hit the windshiled defogger, you engage the a/c.

In your situation I would advise you do this;

1. Put the car on jackstands to save the tires. Tires aint cheap these days.
2. Start and run the car with everything on, a/c lights etc. Listen to the radio or good CD. Since its on stands you can put it in drive and let the car roll for a bit too.
3. Do this for about 30 minutes to let all the fluids warm up and circulate.
4. When you're done, dis-connect the battery.
5. Come back and do this every once a month.

CD

==== I highly advise keeping it togather and just starting it once each week. Your asking for real problems if you don't.

By "keeping it together" you mean re-connect the battery, I assume? Pls verify.

OK, and *how long* should I run it each week? Never did understand whether just running the motor charges battery, or do wheels actually have to turn. Or am I citing ancient history?

Thanks to all who gave input!

'Preciate it.

Aspasia

Er...what is fuel preservative? Can you explain how it "preserves" fuel? Also perhaps some brand names?

TIA

Aspasia

OK, the concensus seemed to be don't just let it sit, start it up and run it a while every week.

So I went out this morning, opened the hood, reconnected the positive pole of the battery, got in the car, turned the key -- NOTHING!

Some of the minor electrics still worked; trunk latch, doors, etc. but motor would not turn over.

Called Auto Club to give me a jump. Let it run 20 min or so, with fear & trembling drove it up & down the block a few times to relieve the tires.

What I want to know is: Why did a brand-new battery die after sitting for 3 months, DISCONNECTED!!!

Surely one doesn't have to disconnect BOTH poles of the battery?! If the positive is disconnected, there's no circuit closed, right???

Wisdom wanted.

Aspasia

Thanks to all who offered advice.

Update: Had 2 visits from auto club giving car a jump. Ran it for the prescribed period to charge battery, but did not hold charge.

Finally had it looked at by neighborhood garage.

Blush! It was just loose connections!

I thought when I reconnected the positive terminal, it was tight enough, but now I know better.

Word to the wise -- not that anybody else on this NG would be so *&^%)_+&^^% STOOPID!

Now I will run it once a week rather than leaving it disconnected for months.

(But...but...I DID do that with my Toyota last year when I was away for 3 months, and it started up right away...Maybe the connections were tighter with that car...go figure...)

aspasia,