Long-term trip - storage/battery suggestions?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
2002 CLK55 Cabriolet (DEAD: 1989 300E, 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible)
Long-term trip - storage/battery suggestions?
I'm going to Africa for a few weeks at the end of this month.
Obviously, if I take a shuttle to LAX and do nothing, I'll come back home to 2 dead batteries in my 2 Benzes.
Having had to pay for a new battery for the CLK55 once already (forgot to drive it at least once a week too many times), I don't want to repeat the experience.
I know the obvious thing is to disconnect the negative terminal, but I actually failed my Smog Test this year because I'd done that shortly before the test and it reset some counter/device in the car. Seems like that wasn't a good idea.
I could take the other Benz to the airport and park it long-term at a place with cables/charger and leave the CLK on a 2 amp trickle charge, but that seems really risky. I have visions of coming home to a charred CLK and garage
What do you guys do when you leave home & car(s) for extended periods of time?
Obviously, if I take a shuttle to LAX and do nothing, I'll come back home to 2 dead batteries in my 2 Benzes.
Having had to pay for a new battery for the CLK55 once already (forgot to drive it at least once a week too many times), I don't want to repeat the experience.
I know the obvious thing is to disconnect the negative terminal, but I actually failed my Smog Test this year because I'd done that shortly before the test and it reset some counter/device in the car. Seems like that wasn't a good idea.
I could take the other Benz to the airport and park it long-term at a place with cables/charger and leave the CLK on a 2 amp trickle charge, but that seems really risky. I have visions of coming home to a charred CLK and garage
What do you guys do when you leave home & car(s) for extended periods of time?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
2002 CLK55 Cabriolet (DEAD: 1989 300E, 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible)
Wow ... guess our cars are so expensive that nobody can afford to take the whole family and go away on long trips that would make the batteries die in the interim??? 
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 21
From: So Cal
CLK Cabrio
i left my clk unplugged for almost 6 months while on vacation and it was fine when i reconnected BOTH cables. just disconnect both terminals and you should be fine. i also do the same in the boat and it works just fine.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
2002 CLK55 Cabriolet (DEAD: 1989 300E, 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible)
Guess I'll try the "disconnect both cables" trick. Thanks sick430!
