Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » Will running the engine of my car once a week help prevent battery depletion?
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Will running the engine of my car once a week help prevent battery depletion?

I have SORN'd my Jaguar F-Pace during the Coronavirus pandemic. Besides turning the engine over once a week, what else can I do to ensure the efficiency of the vehicle?

Asked on 6 April 2020 by Jack Leyland

Answered by Dan Powell
Running the engine once a week for a short period of time will do more harm that good, in my opinion. The oil will not heat up (increasing wear and tear) and the battery will be depleted of its valuable charge. You may want to consider fitting a battery charger, but a modern car like with a healthy battery this should be fine for several weeks. It might be an idea to overinflated the tyres to 40PSI to prevent flatspotting of the tyres.

For more coronavirus car storage advice, see: www.honestjohn.co.uk/coronavirus/coronavirus-what-...r
Similar questions
I haven't used my 2018 Ford Fiesta for three weeks now and probably won't be using it for a few weeks more. Should I start it up on my drive and leave the engine running to keep the battery charged?
What make of trickle charger would you recommend to keep a car's battery topped up during the current lockdown. I'd prefer a type which operates through the cigarette lighter socket.
I have friend who has a mild form of glaucoma. Having reported it to DVLA, he was asked to get a test at an optician from a list advised by DVLA. He was told that he would hear from DVLA in two to three...
Related models
Handles incredibly well for an SUV. Very quiet and refined at speed. Huge boot space. Wide range of engines, including plug-in hybrid and monstrous V8 SVR.