Two part question regarding parking your car

[Terminator02]

Do you guys/gals use the hibernate even for just overnight? I notice my car responds better to startup. I'm not sure if it has any negative repercussions but can only imagine it's beneficial for the battery so I just started doing that since it's so convenient. Secondly, I couldn't find the thread but I read that parking using the parking brake is bad for the brakes. I have been parking in gear for the first time ever for the past three weeks and can say it's now become second nature to leave in gear. I figured many people may not park in gear and could have missed the thread. I'm forgetting the logic but many people were keen on switching after the discussion.

[LmeaViper]

I never use the parking brake, unless I am on a grade.

Not too sure about hibernation mode, but using it overnight seems excessive.

[swexlin]

I don't use hibernate for just overnight, but I do use it if it's going to be more than 2 days - which for me, is almost always. My car sits for 1-3 weeks at a time, so yes, I pretty much always use hibernate. Did on my Gen 3 as well, although it was called sleep mode in that car.

I never use the E brake unless I'm parked on a hill, which is almost never. My tech uses it when he services the car. I have wheel chocks in the car to use when parking. Overuse of the Ebrake will cause it to drag - this has been a problem since the Gen 3 days.

[donk_316]

My car sat for 81 days while I was away at work and wasn't in hibernation mode. No issues. Started right up. I was told not to bother with using it until the car gets stored away for the winter.

[Special Ed]

I never use either hibernation or e brake. That small caliper on the rear is called the emergency brake not the parking brake.

[swexlin]

I believe in hibernation mode. First winter I had my Gen 5, it sat 4 weeks once in that mode, started right up. This past winter, it sat 6 weeks, in my unheated garage. 17*, took four tries, but started, using hibernation mode. I bet it wouldn't have had it not been in that mode. That being said, I'll use a tender this winter as well!

These cars draw, so if you're in any kind of cold climate, makes sense to use. Takes 10 seconds to initiate before exiting the car. No-brainer if you ask me. Your clock may need resetting, and the trunk latch won't work in hibernation, but that's it. In warm lweather yes, may not need, but in the winter, absolutely.

[RdyPlr1]

If you've been on a long run, or spirited driving... and heated the brakes up.. you don't want your pads sitting on your hot rotors when pulling your parking brake.

[swexlin]

If you've been on a long run, or spirited driving... and heated the brakes up.. you don't want your pads sitting on your hot rotors when pulling your parking brake.

Exactly, this is a good point.

[LmeaViper]

I just unhook and take my battery out and into the basement in the Winter.

[Terminator02]

If you've been on a long run, or spirited driving... and heated the brakes up.. you don't want your pads sitting on your hot rotors when pulling your parking brake.

Ah yes this was the point of the thread I believe. It also led to uneven wear on the rotors. It was a bad habit I thankfully corrected. I guess I never thought much of it and probably developed the habit young as I would sometimes forget it was engaged and stall out. Thanks for that info it was exactly what I was looking to find!

[ViperJon]

I hook mine up to the battery tender if it's going to be more than a day or two. I have the tender cables hardwired in and takes literally ten seconds to plug in and walk away. Keeps the battery healthy.

[swexlin]

Thanks to ViperJon for helping me get the tender set up. All good, but one question (I asked Jon privately, but I'll put it out here as well) Car has been sitting two weeks in hibernation mode, as usual. When I plugged in, the red light lit steady, indicating less than an 80 percent charge, per the tender instructions. Just for peace of mind, I started the car. She fired off instantly, and just about as quickly came up to the usual 14.3 volts indicated on the dash gauge. Let her idle a couple minutes (no driving today, its pouring rain).

Shut her down, attached the tender again, and shows solid red light, indicating charging mode. I would think it should be showing flashing green, or green. Sorry if a dumb question.

[ViperGeorge]

Never have used hibernate mode in any Viper. When in the garage it is on a tender.

Also when parking (hard to tell from the OP's original post whether he parked in neutral with the E-Brake) ALWAYS put it in gear whether you use the E-Brake or not.

[AZTVR]

Thanks to ViperJon for helping me get the tender set up. All good, but one question (I asked Jon privately, but I'll put it out here as well) Car has been sitting two weeks in hibernation mode, as usual. When I plugged in, the red light lit steady, indicating less than an 80 percent charge, per the tender instructions. Just for peace of mind, I started the car. She fired off instantly, and just about as quickly came up to the usual 14.3 volts indicated on the dash gauge. Let her idle a couple minutes (no driving today, its pouring rain).

Shut her down, attached the tender again, and shows solid red light, indicating charging mode. I would think it should be showing flashing green, or green. Sorry if a dumb question.

I'm not positive that I understand why you are asking what you are asking. As I understand it, the tender was first in red-light-only mode (charging and battery at less than 80% charge.) Then you started it up, which would have used up some of the charge, and then shut it down shortly thereafter. Then the tender was connected and was again in red-light-only mode (charging and battery at less than 80% charge.)

That sounds like what you should have gotten if you only ran the car a couple of minutes. I am guessing that you were "fooled" by the 14.3V reading with the car running? That is the output voltage of the alternator when the engine is running, and is not an indication of battery charge. A fully charged battery would read around 12.6V on the gauge, with the ignition on and the engine not running.

[ViperJon]

Thanks to ViperJon for helping me get the tender set up. All good, but one question (I asked Jon privately, but I'll put it out here as well) Car has been sitting two weeks in hibernation mode, as usual. When I plugged in, the red light lit steady, indicating less than an 80 percent charge, per the tender instructions. Just for peace of mind, I started the car. She fired off instantly, and just about as quickly came up to the usual 14.3 volts indicated on the dash gauge. Let her idle a couple minutes (no driving today, its pouring rain).

Shut her down, attached the tender again, and shows solid red light, indicating charging mode. I would think it should be showing flashing green, or green. Sorry if a dumb question.

Scott - leave it hooked up for a few hours it will turn green. Sometimes takes an hour for it to start blinking green indicating the 80% charge then after a bit it will go green. You would think it would go green right away but they don't.

[swexlin]

Understood, thanks. I would think a slightly discharged battery might be a harder to start. Never used a tender before, so this is new to me

- - - Updated - - -


Scott - leave it hooked up for a few hours it will turn green. Sometimes takes an hour for it to start blinking green indicating the 80% charge then after a bit it will go green. You would think it would go green right away but they don't.


Thanks Jon.

[Policy Limits]

Deltran is your friend. So cost effective and great peace of mind. Plus most believe it extends battery life considerably

[jaxtk]

I don't use hibernate for just overnight, but I do use it if it's going to be more than 2 days - which for me, is almost always. My car sits for 1-3 weeks at a time, so yes, I pretty much always use hibernate. Did on my Gen 3 as well, although it was called sleep mode in that car.

I never use the E brake unless I'm parked on a hill, which is almost never. My tech uses it when he services the car. I have wheel chocks in the car to use when parking. Overuse of the Ebrake will cause it to drag - this has been a problem since the Gen 3 days.

No more parking brake issues with Gen V, different design over 3&4.

[AZTVR]

No more parking brake issues with Gen V, different design over 3&4.

Interesting. That is a different input than I had before.
http://driveviper.com/forums/threads/3500-Emergency-Brake-Uneven-Pad-Wear-Fixed-for-2013?

[swexlin]

All green this morning. Thanks fellas.

[jaxtk]

Interesting. That is a different input than I had before.
http://driveviper.com/forums/threads/3500-Emergency-Brake-Uneven-Pad-Wear-Fixed-for-2013?

The difference is not in the caliper, the lever mechanism is not self adjusting, like 3&4.

[darbgnik]

No more parking brake issues with Gen V, different design over 3&4.

From personal experience this is correct. Extensive tracking means I'm always poking around at the brakes, and with almost 10K miles on mine, with lots of those on the track, my e-brake pads are fine. On my previous Viper you had to keep an eye on the inside e-brake pad, as it would wear from dragging. Both my inner e-brake pads are fine on my Gen V, and I use the e-brake every time I stop, unless I'm in the pits. Unless you take the last turn of a canyon road directly into your garage at night, I wouldn't be too worried about heat transfer on the rear rotor....... your results may vary.

Then again, I also use my track pads on the street, so I wouldn't listen to me........ lol

[Policy Limits]

I engage e brake and put vehicle in gear prior to shutting her down, because: