After I shut off my Prius Prime Advanced in vey warm weather I am given the option of the air conditioner turning on while it charges. This makes my car very cool on the inside but my garage very hot on the inside. Is it detrimental to the car to not use the air conditioner in this circumstance. How does it help?
Page 127 of the manual explains it. Protect the expensive part: the battery! To heck with the lawnmower. ■ “Traction Battery Cooler” When the hybrid battery (traction battery) is hot, this function protects it by using the vehicle air conditioning to cool it before charging is carried out. When the hybrid battery (traction battery) is above a certain temperature and the power switch is turned off, a check screen is displayed on the multi-information display that indicates whether “Traction Battery Cooler” is implemented. When “No” is selected, the hybrid battery (traction battery) cooling system does not operate.
if you're not going to use the car right away, don't charge it. it will be better for the long term health. if you are, use the a/c option as buzz recommends above. that will also be better for the long term health.
