October is AAA’s car-care month, perfectly timed with the first mountain snowfalls. Throughout the month, the association’s auto repair partners offer all motorists (not just AAA members) complimentary winter-preparedness checks of batteries, tires, wipers, belts, fluids, lights and electrical systems — services valued at up to $60. Advance appointments are required. AAA says the most common winter problems result from improper tire pressure and dirty or low levels of oil, anti-freeze and other automotive fluids. Another cold-weather culprit is a weak or dead battery. AAA reminds drivers to engage headlights in dim winter light, and to use low-beam or fog lights when driving in falling snow or fog. Also, keep the gas tank at least half full to minimize condensation and the chance of freezing gas lines. Hybrid cars have a lot going for them, especially when they are going. They economize on fuel while producing lower-than-average emissions. But some hybrids are not great after periods of down time. Use caution when leaving a hybrid parked at airports, boat launches, trail heads or other spots for more than three days. I recently returned from a 10-day trip to a dead 2007 Toyota Prius. Onboard electronics, such as the dash clock and other functions, had apparently drained the tiny starter battery. A call to my roadside-assistance company brought a tow truck and a technician with training in the special maintenance protocols for hybrids. The guy said that jump-starting short-lived hybrid batteries keeps his tow company jumping. There was no mention of the hybrid battery-life problem during negotiations for purchase of the car, but a call to the Portland dealer confirmed that my car is not unique. The service department concurred with the tow-truck driver’s advice to disconnect the starter battery — located under a panel in the rear trunk area — when leaving the car parked for more than three days. When you reconnect the starter battery, the car’s memory settings will revert to factory defaults, requiring re-programming of the car’s clock and radio stations, but the car will start. Toyota officials say the current generation of hybrid car is more resistant to battery drain than previous models. They say the starter battery should remain trickle charged from the high-voltage battery for up to two months while sitting with the gears in the park position. Clearly, that didn’t work in my case. Hybrid-car drivers should check vehicle manuals, manufacturer’s Web sites and service departments for model-specific advice. PDX customer service reps say they have not noticed a high number of dead hybrids in their long-term parking areas. They do, however, offer free jump starts and flat-tire assistance to any stranded motorists in their lots. News source: kjkkregon Live;l News source: oregon live