Should You Warm Up Your Car Before Driving in the Winter?
If you grew up being told you should let your car warm up before driving in the winter, you’re far from alone. Many of us grew up with the idea that it’s bad for your car if you start it and drive right off when temperatures are freezing , leading to the habit of starting your car before clearing off any ice or snow. That and wanting to sit down in a warm car. Turns out, this falls more in the category of car myths these days, which is in large part because of how car systems have evolved over the years. We’ll take a closer look at when you should and shouldn’t give your car a couple minutes to warm up before speeding off to your next destination.
What’s the Idea Behind Letting Your Car Warm Up in Winter?
There is a reason why your parents probably told you to let your car warm up for a few minutes before driving in the winter. The only problem is that modern cars use different parts than older cars did, so if you’re driving a car that was built after about the late 1980s, you can skip down to the section below. Before the 1990s, car manufacturers used carburetors to inject the necessary air-fuel mixture into the engine’s combustion chambers, thereby powering your car. These days, carburetors have been replaced by the more-efficient fuel injection system.
Cars with Carburetors Do Benefit from Warming Up Before Driving
If you’re still driving a car that was built in the late 1980s or earlier, it likely has a carburetor and therefore does actually benefit from a few minutes of warm up time – or more. Skipping that warm up time could mean your car would stall because carburetors were less efficient about using all the fuel sent into the engine’s combustion chambers. This meant some fuel could be left behind in the engine rather than being burned off. Letting the car warm up before driving helped avoid this problem.
The Short Answer: You Don’t Need to Anymore
Drivers of modern cars don’t need to worry about running into problems from not allowing your car to warm up enough. While it’s fine to let your car warm up for 30 seconds or so, it’s not at all necessary. It’s also fine to let your car warm up while you clear off ice and snow so you can sit down in a warm car. The good news is that both of those options are totally safe to do with modern cars.
Letting Your Car Idle Too Long Before Driving Can Cause Extra Engine Wear
We just said you can let your car run while you clear it off in the winter, and that’s true. But the longer you let your car run to warm up before driving it, the more you’re putting extra wear and tear on parts of your engine. When you idle for excessive periods of time, extra fuel is being sent into the engine and potentially not combusting. If this sounds familiar, it’s similar to why cars with carburetors needed to warm up first – but flipped. This residual fuel can leave a residue behind that can ultimately damage your exhaust system. Many people incorrectly believe that turning your engine off and on is worse for your car than idling. While turning your vehicle on and off can impact your battery’s useful life, the wear and tear it causes is very minimal and shouldn’t be considered a reason to idle instead.
Your Engine Warms Up Better While Driving
A more straightforward answer is that you should drive off right away because your engine actually warms up faster while driving than idling. The warmer your engine, the better engine oil will flow and lubricate moving parts, minimizing wear on your engine. This will also help warm the cabin of your car faster, since the heating system will use the heat from your engine to push warm air through the vents.
Be Gentle with Your Car When You Drive Off
Some words of caution: don’t push your car too hard when you initially drive off in freezing temperatures. All car fluids are thicker and less efficient in cold temperatures, so until they warm up, they won’t be able to do their job as well. This means you may notice a difference in your car’s performance on cold days – and you should be extra mindful of your lead foot.
Come to Your Nearest AAMCO for Seasonal Car Maintenance
Not quite ready for winter yet? Maybe your car isn’t either. Keeping up with seasonal car care can help prevent many common car repairs drivers run into during the cold winter months. Pay a visit to your local AAMCO and our mechanics will ensure your car’s systems are all equipped to handle whatever this winter throws at us. Schedule an appointment online today!
The post Should You Warm Up Your Car Before Driving in the Winter? first appeared on AAMCO Utah Transmission Repair and General Car Repair.
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