[asulil]

1. I read on the forum that it is best to let the car go to sleep before plugging in to charge. Most of this advice seemed to predate the 510 update. Is it still necessary to let the car sleep before charging? Or if not necessary, advisable?

2. I have read conflicting advise on leaving the car plugged in after it has completed charging, some say unplug, some say it doesn't hurt anything to leave it plugged in (I ask because it is not always convenient to unplug after charging).

3. Related to question #2 what is "re-balancing" the battery pack? The dealer suggested after I bought it that I leave it plugged in after after draining the battery to "empty" for 24 or 48 hours? Is this something that should be done regularly?

4. I have read a lot about washing the exterior of the car but almost nothing on maintaining the leather of the interior. I usually use meguiars cleaner and conditioner, but the owners manual seems to say not to use a "conditioner" - I know the leather is specially "not treated", I just want to maintain the long term beauty of the interior, so what do you guys use?


The forum has been great and I have learned a lot - I just wanted to thank everyone for making this a active forum and a useful tool. I will put up a picture soon, especially with my other beauty my evora they look smashing together.

 

[Sigurd]

1. I do not let it go to sleep. I turn off the climate control system before I shut it down and then when it's quiet, but not asleep and I plug it in. No problems in the last year.
2. I only unplug if it is convenient. Normally, I plug in when I get home and unplug in the morning when I go to work. I did unplug on December 19th before going on vacation and haven't plugged it in yet.
3. I have heard it is good to have it plugged in for an extended time every once in a while. This happens for me on weekends when we drive another car and it sits plugged in. In other words, it's nothing I worry about. I like to make things as simple as possible, so I don't worry about too much. For example, I always charge until 50, and I plug it in when I get home when I usually have either 0 or close to it. I know the best state for battery life is 40-60% SOC, but I bought the car to use the battery as I need it, not to give it a long happy life.
4. I take my car to my dealer for a complete detail including interior, so I haven't used anything on the interior, but my gut feeling is that Meguiars products are fine, even though when I do my own interiors (years ago), I did prefer Leatherique. I have a local full service car wash that hand washes my car for me for $30, so I have never washed my Karma myself. I have owned my car since December, 22nd, 2011.

Cheers,
Sigurd

 

[Ira]

I agree with Sigurd.

Because we're having a drought here, I haven't driven in the rain yet. So there's only dust to contend with. I use a light soapy spray to hand-wash the car and a microfiber cloth to dry it.

If you need more than a light cleaning, here's an article from Edmunds: http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/it-...nd-wax-to-keep-your-car-looking-its-best.html.

But be sure the cowl is sealed before pouring water on the windshield. (There are a number of posts about keep water out of the CIU.)

I haven't tried waxing yet, but a friend at a body shop who works with water-based paints agrees with Edmunds about using the new polymer waxes.

 

[Roberta'sKarma]

On item #1- I found this forum a bit confusing on that issue as well, so I actually asked Lormax about it while he was here and he said - quickly and firmly - yes! wait until it goes to sleep before plugging in. I had not always been the best about that before, and had even opened doors a few times while it was plugged in, but now am careful about this.

Of course - I just got my first CEL .... so we'll see what happens with a few more observations. But I will continue to wait until it goes to sleep before plugging in.

 

[Lormax]

Personally, I would let the car go to sleep. There's a software issue that interrupts the command to turn the fans off if the charger is plugged in, so it may end up staying on. No, it doesn't happen all the time, but why chance it at all?

 

[Nin ja]

Personally, I would let the car go to sleep. There's a software issue that interrupts the command to turn the fans off if the charger is plugged in, so it may end up staying on. No, it doesn't happen all the time, but why chance it at all?

The only time I received the CEL was when I did not let it go to sleep, so my "ritual" is shut down the Hvac , shutdown the car, exit the car, lock the doors and wait for the pyramid lights to go off before I plug in. To date never had a problem again and everything has worked. Only 4k miles to date.

 

[SoCalGuy]

FWIW, since the last software upgrade, I don't have to wait for the Karma to go to sleep before charging and have not had any problems since. I turn off HVAC, shut down the Karma, get out, plug in and done. Have opened doors, trunk, locked/unlocked Karma, all while charging without any issues.

 

[Fabulist]

FWIW, since the last software upgrade, I don't have to wait for the Karma to go to sleep before charging and have not had any problems since. I turn off HVAC, shut down the Karma, get out, plug in and done. Have opened doors, trunk, locked/unlocked Karma, all while charging without any issues.

While it is not really necessary, I do it as a "Best Practice." On occasion, I have to plug-and-run, which does not appear to have an adverse effect, but I do follow it most of the time.

 

[LonePalmBJ]

My $0.02: I do exactly what Sigurd does.

I don't plug in if the fan is running, so I make sure to shut off the HVAC before charging if it's on, but I don't wait until the car sleeps. My car is generally either plugged in or being driven. Rarely is the car in the garage and not plugged in. No issues with this approach since 510. In fact, with the exception of a recent and pesky TPRM indicator that just came on as the temps dropped, I haven't seen anything other than my speed on the instrument cluster in all of 2013.

I do have my own rituals though; for example when the car was on early software there was a rain dance I learned to do to start the car that I still follow to this day, probably more out of habit than necessity:

1) Press the Start button with foot off brake to enter ACC mode.
2) Wait until all the startup activity completes, including the range display populating (I use this time to put on my seat belt)
3) Press the brake and press the Start button to engage Ready mode
4) Wait a few beats until everything is settled, then press "Accept" on the CIU once.
5) Drive away

It's so ingrained for me now that on the few times that I just jump in and foot-on-brake-start-straight-to-ready I feel like I'm breaking the law.


Brent