Winterizing Question
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Grand River OH
Winterizing Question
So I've read through many of the various winterizing posts and have been slowly getting mine ready. I am running a battery tender and keep my indoor cover on at all times. Is there anything you do to prevent the battery tender's cord from rubbing against and scratching the paint? Thanks
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 65
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Place a microfiber towel under the power cord or drop the power cord down thru the engine compartment to the ground and eliminate the cord laying on the paint.
Better yet, forget the battery tender and just disconnect the battery ground cable. Yeah I know, you'll have to reset the key fobs, radio, etc., in the spring, but that's what I've done for the past couple of years after a battery tender failed and ruined my battery. I think that's recommended in the owner's manual for storage...
Better yet, forget the battery tender and just disconnect the battery ground cable. Yeah I know, you'll have to reset the key fobs, radio, etc., in the spring, but that's what I've done for the past couple of years after a battery tender failed and ruined my battery. I think that's recommended in the owner's manual for storage...
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: SE Pennsylvania
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Wintering over
This is what I did. But I wouldn't worry about a power cord scratching your paint, but like the post above you could always drap a towel over the fender, but I think it's overkill. 
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,771
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From: Kaukauna WI
Based on a very unlucky/bad/freak experience I had, I would recommend pulling the battery and keeping the tender on it separate and away from the car. Long story short, I had my battery on a tender (still hooked up to the car) when we went to Mexico for a few weeks, and when I got back I saw the dreaded "Service AH/TC/ABS" message when I turned the key. Turns out a lightning strike hit very close and must have entered the garage and went through the tender and fried my EBCM and front right wheel sensor. Insurance covered it, but I will never again hook up a tender while the battery is still connected. At the very least, pull the positive and negative terminals... I wouldn't wish my experience on anyone!!!
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I just drape a nice soft towel over the fender with the hood open, attach the battery tender wires to the battery and then let the hood down without latching it. Then I put the car cover on.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,998
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From: somewhere in New Hampshire
For the first few winters that I had my car I would run the cord down through the engine bay and it never touched the paint. This past year I attached the ctek adapter by replacing the side mounted terminals with the extended ones that have the accessory connectors. I spliced a short extension into the adapter and fed it through the fender wall into the side cove area. It's completely invisible when not being used and now I can just plug it in when my car is going to sit for a while. For winter storage the cord exits low enough from the cove so that the car cover never comes into contact with it.
