I’ve Been living in a Toyota hybrid for over 2 years now. I traded in my 2021 XLE for a 2023 Platinum and use a no build to be full time. OK if u read this…once u park, open door to get in back LOOK AT YOUR Center DISPLAY…message turn off after an hour or leave on/running not sure scroll down and hit ok to select keep running. BOOM NO ALARMS after that. Second…i use a back scratcher i keep in pocket behind driver seat…i use that to reach and lock / unlock doors…very easy. LASTLY for all with comments about “look up” it’s bad to leave your car idling all night. THIS is a HYBRID- So does NOT run all night….Electric motor keeps everything that u leave on including the Temp….once battery drops to a low lever, its all auto, 4 cylinder Gas engines starts and runs for about 10 minutes and in that time u get a few more hours on Electric…So will do this a few times a night depending on your use. Hybrid Engins…LOOK IT UP! People have been doping van life in the Toyota Prius for YEARS….they leave them running nightly…what idle issues??? HAPPY VANLIFE’ing
I've been sweating in my Kia Carnival way too much in summer to where its hard to sleep. You're saying with any hybrid minivan, I'm able to sleep well with AC or Heat running all night because its only electric motor thats on? I'm switching asap!
@@windgoblin yes and no, it's not the best thing for your engine but isn't the worst either. We see with old police cruisers they idled for thousands of hours and still got very high mileage. A very important thing to note is if you do decide to do this change your oil frequently. You can do your own research on "oil dilation issues".
That does NOT work….Look at your displays once u park and open the door. THERE is your alarm shutdown. Scroll down and select keep on. OTHERWISE will shutdown or alarm u period.
Just came back from a trip to the Yukon and I kept the van running all night on several occasions. Just wanted to also remind everyone that CO2 levels can spike pretty high overnight, especially if you are a larger person. I'm 6 foot 3 and kept waking up with severe headaches when sleeping in my 2022 Sienna overnight when sleeping with the window cracked and no heat or ac on. I got a meter and it was way over the 5000 ppm limit. After sleeping with the hybrid engine running with the windows up, the levels returned to normal and I had no headache when I woke up.
Less than $5 to keep 70F warm inside with -18F outside is a bargain and life-saver! I've seen others only having to use $1-2 for overnight heat in less cold weather conditions around 30F
Climate change is a lie brought to you by the constructs of the people who want to bring in the New world Order. Lookup Agenda2030.@@veganpotterthevegan
If you change your MPG range settings from "total average" to "tank average," you'll get a more accurate view of your MPG. Just go to settings. Easy. There are three options, Total (which gives you an average over the life of the car), Trip (which gives you an average for just that session), and Tank, which averages your MPG for that tank of gas, automatically resetting when you refil you tank.
Btw I have a 2022 Sienna, I think in this situation I'd just use enough climate control to keep it above freezing temp and use other means to keep warm, such as zero degree sleeping bag and low wattage heated pad or blanket that can be powered by USB power banks. That way it doesn't stress the car as much and kills less gasoline.
Your idea is great. Don't listen to these know-it-alls in the comments. I've had what he described in a pickup. It won't work in that kind of cold. Montana here, so I know. The commenter above has never used his method in -20F or he wouldn't have a face 😉. Your idea is great, and you still have your face to prove it!
@@shallowada you are clearly a terrible reader. My comment is about using all of the above methods together to relieve stress on the car, that includes the car's climate control which YOU yourself said works. If my suggestion is to include the method you approved plus more, how can it fail? Please enlighten the community.
Yes, I have a non-hybrid minivan and I'm comfortable sleeping down to about 25F dressed the way Justin is and with a good sleeping bag. Somehow I don't think Toyota was engineering for van life :) so the climate control won't go that low, but the lower the delta-T, the less gas and battery used.
Very interesting video. Thanks for taking the time to make it. I have an older Sienna with the 2GRFE engine. For sure it would have burned a lot more fuel idling all night keeping me warm.
I love the toyota hybrids, I have a 2020 Rav4 and during covid it was so nice to be able to hang out in my vehicle on long trips with the heat/AC running without having to continuously idle the motor. It is also nice that the battery charging mode puts some load on the motor when it is running making the engine heat up fast as well as converting what would, in a normal vehicle, be almost no load idle time to light engine load. Given the length of time I have had work vehicles idle at job sites without major issue I am confident that while not great for the engine this setup is probably not going to cause any real issues as long as proper maintenance is done.
Very helpful video as I devour all info on the latest Sienna prior to my purchase of one. Really looking forward to some camping trips and an eventual drive to Alaska from NY.
I have the 2021 Sienna Hybrid and I love it. The only thing that's been a pain in the ass for me is figuring out how to keep it running at the drive in movie theatre to hear the sound while also keeping the headlights off to not annoy the people parked behind me #firstworldproblems
I would do 40F if I’m rocking a Zero degree bag. Just need to make sure to wear head covering and maybe a loose fitting light blanket/scarf to slow the heat loss from the face.
I suspect that the actual cost is higher. I trust the fuel gauge more than the car’s calculation/guesstimate of mpg. I also don’t think you can extrapolate that it equals gas used to power the heater whilst the car is stationary. The fuel gauge says that used a quarter tank of fuel, which in a Sienna is ore than 1.55 gallons.Google says a 2021 Sienna has a gas tank of 18 gallons, so a quarter tank is 4.5 gallons, making the actual cost closer to $13.50; which is still a deal 😊
You should always use max heat, the engine is always simply on, your only changing how much heat you use, more or less the car uses the same gas. When you don't use max heat the left over is waisted or even sent to the radiator to cool your engine
This is interesting. My wife and I bought a new hybrid awd Sienna yesterday. Even though we are unlikely to spend the night in our Sienna, this is still good to know. We aren't far away, in Wyoming.
I can't think of many places where such a test proves the point. Livingston is known for high winds associated with the Bozeman Pass, and I doubt that would have made much of a difference as well.
Curious about your bed set up. I built one but is based on the seats being folded forward and then the bed on top of that, but then we can’t sit up in our beds
Got it, I did no research and just hoped for the best. The thing is this is a hybrid so it only idles for probably 5 minutes max each cycle. Did you lookup standard gasoline engines?
@@JustinTheVan gas engine doesn't have particulate filter. There is a catalytic converter, and it's attached to the exhaust manifold so it's not going to be affected by the temperature outside
These vans are made for this…off grid camping a few days at a time. THATS why they have built in converters / inverters to help u keep everything charged up and running. THEY ARE NOT a typical gas engine with same issues. The electric does the heavy lifting and only uses Gas when power is needed or to charge the Electric batteries. I LOVE my VanLife in my Sienna. Perfect for 1 person.
@@JustinTheVan I find this because they are hot topic when someone recommend Sienna in social media in Asian market. but you are the guy practice and prove it's not a issue at all. Could you share more data about this, like total night/hours you sleep in your Sienna with AC running. by the way, did you closed all the window when sleeping?
I'm pretty sure if you create a digital key inside the Toyota app on your phone, you could lock your car that way instead of using the key fob while inside your van. It's also a lot safer since it's much harder for thieves to clone your key. I have a Grand highlander hybrid 2024 so it might be different.
How did you remain ventilated? Were all the windows completely closed? I know it’s not an issue for fumes but for the sake of good air quality, what did you do? Ty
All the windows were shut. The car’s heat/air conditioning system has an air filter underneath the seat that you’re supposed to replace every once in a while. But just like when you’re driving you have clean air to breath with it in idle
Yeah the sleeping bag is overkill but it was my only bedding at the time. You can’t choose whether things run off the battery or the engine. The engine just goes on and off as it needs to
I had an idea to rig up my heating system to bypass the engine and heat the water coolant with a propane hot water heater and a pump . Then only the fan running will keep the car warm. 73
@@bdmenne yeah but I know someone will knock down this idea because if the fumes from the hot water heater but it's minimal and the heater could be placed outside away from the vehicle. Some heaters are almost 100 percent efficient. I had one in my laundry room. 73
@@JustinTheVan Can you also run the HVAC while being outside of the van? For example, can I leave my dog inside with the HVAC running while I take a serious business bathroom break at Starbucks - turning on the HVAC then locking the doors from outside either remotely or with the key?
I cannot lock mine from the outside while running from the key fob I do not know if you can do it from the app since you have to pay monthly for the remote start and stop from app. I just did not continue it after the free time was up. I would love to find someone to remove my middle seats for me; so as to have more room
On my Prius v. We would leave the car running with the temp set for the dog. Roll the driver side window down. Keep the key fob with you. Close and hit the lock button on the inside of the door. The reach in and hit the window up button. Get your arm out of the way. We were able to leave the car on for hours. Now you will need the spare key in the key fob to unlock the doors.
Justin i just found you who removed your seats .i would love to have mine removed. I am a 73 year old woman and don’t think that is something i can do.
Hmm. If you order the airbag override devices online from this website www.google.com/search?q=toyota+sienna+seat+removal&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS708US708&oq=toyota+sienna+seat+removal&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORiABDIGCAEQIxgnMgcIAhAAGIAEMggIAxAAGBYYHjIICAQQABgWGB4yCAgFEAAYFhgeMggIBhAAGBYYHjIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGBYYHtIBCDY4ODJqMGo3qAIZsAIB4gMEGAEgXw&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#ip=1 you could find someone else to take the seats out for you because they are quite heavy
I think it was the cold and the wind. I was able to get 33 MPG on a really long road trip with the cargo box and all I’ve added is a bike so I don’t know why it’s so low
@@JustinTheVan I was getting 33 but pulling a tear drop dropped me down to 28. The battery does not like the cold at all. Sometimes when it goes so low is an indication your battery is going out. I hope not. They cost 5000 dollars. You should be covered under warrenty.
Brad Ling makes an emulator. Just Google his name. It’s brads hacks. I can’t give any more info otherwise my comment is deleted. It’s an awesome device that allows Sienna owners to remove their middle seats.
That's not a smart and healthy way to get through cold temperatures! You are much better off getting into sleeping bags and possibly have some heating pads to keep warm and cozy without drying the air and wasting energy!🤔🤯
~ bruh.. I moved to California 35 years ago ... I would become Sooo depressed to live in that Crap Ever Again ~ Maybe quant for a weekend ...but thats it ..
