How Long Can a Car Be Parked Before It Needs to Be Warmed Up Again?
2 Answers
It is best to start the car once a week to charge the battery and warm it up. Generally, it is recommended to start the car every two weeks and drive it for about 3-5 kilometers. This way, the battery can be charged, and the tire contact points will shift, preventing any adverse effects. Precautions for long-term car parking: 1. Park in an underground garage: For long-term parking, it is best to choose an underground garage to avoid exposure to wind, rain, or direct sunlight. If outdoor parking is unavoidable, use a dust cover. 2. Do not engage the handbrake tightly: For long-term parking, avoid pulling the handbrake too tightly to prevent the brake pads and discs from sticking together. 3. Disconnect the battery negative terminal: Removing the battery negative terminal while parking can slow down the battery discharge rate. Disconnecting the negative terminal can extend the battery's lifespan by more than double compared to leaving it connected.
Regarding whether it's necessary to warm up the engine after parking, I usually pay close attention to this when driving. Generally speaking, if the car has been parked for more than four hours, it's considered a cold start, especially when the temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius. In such cases, after starting the engine, it's advisable to let it run for half a minute to a minute until the RPM drops to a stable level before driving off. If the car has been parked overnight in northern winter temperatures below freezing, it's best to warm it up for about two minutes to allow the engine oil to fully lubricate the internal components. However, if you've only parked for half an hour, like when running errands at the supermarket, there's generally no need for a specific warm-up. The key factor is whether the engine oil has drained back; modern cars using full synthetic oil drain back more slowly, so if the car has been parked for about 12 hours, a warm-up is necessary before driving. For long-term parking, such as over a month, extra caution is needed—warm up the engine for five minutes and then drive slowly for a few kilometers.
