How long should you warm up your car in the morning?

[SanAlyssa]

When driving, the warm-up time is generally about 1 minute, depending on the temperature of the day. Generally speaking, the warm-up time is based on 60 seconds. If the morning temperature is around 30 degrees, then the warm-up time should be 30 seconds (60-30=30). If the temperature is around 0 degrees, the warm-up time should be 60 seconds (60-0=60). If the temperature is around -10 degrees, the warm-up time should be 70 seconds (60+10=70), and so on, to determine the warm-up time. When the car is idling, if the engine speed is below 1000 RPM, then it can be judged that the car's warm-up is complete and it can be driven normally. The purpose of warming up the car is to allow the engine oil to circulate, thereby increasing lubrication in the engine during driving, which can reduce engine wear and increase speed.

[VanCassandra]

I remember the old carburetor cars needed to warm up for three to five minutes, but now with new cars equipped with electronic fuel injection systems, it doesn’t take that long at all. After starting the car in the morning, just take the time to fasten your seatbelt and organize your phone and wallet—within 30 seconds to a minute, the RPM will drop, and you’re good to go. But don’t stomp on the gas right away; drive at low speed for two or three minutes first to let the oil circulate properly. In winter, this method works perfectly fine at temperatures above -10°C, and even in regions with -20°C, you only need to wait an extra half a minute. Idling for more than two minutes is just a waste of fuel, pollutes the neighborhood air with exhaust, and can actually harm the engine by increasing carbon buildup. The manufacturer’s manual clearly states that idling to warm up the car is unnecessary, and the last time I went for maintenance at the 4S店, the technician specifically reminded me of this.

[StAxel]

After more than ten years of driving experience, I've concluded that warming up the car depends on the coolant temperature gauge. When the coolant temperature warning light on the dashboard is still on during a cold start, avoid sudden acceleration—just drive slowly until it turns off. Modern engine oil has excellent fluidity and can cover all engine components within half a minute. What really requires attention is the transmission oil, which heats up more slowly, so I usually keep the speed below 40 km/h for the first two kilometers. In summer, there's basically no need to warm up the car—just start and drive. In winter, even at -15°C, warming up for about 40 seconds is sufficient. Prolonged idling to warm up accelerates oil oxidation, and the catalytic converter won't reach optimal temperature, leading to clogging. My neighbor had a Mercedes that he warmed up for ten minutes every day, and the engine warning light came on at just 20,000 kilometers.

[Wren]

Idling for more than 1 minute is a waste of time. Modern engines are designed with fast idle features - the high RPM during cold starts is the ECU automatically warming up the engine. Notice how the coolant temperature gauge needle doesn't move initially? Real warming happens while driving. Every morning I start my car, spend about 30 seconds organizing my briefcase, then shift into gear and go. But for the first 3 kilometers, I keep RPM below 2000 and avoid tunnel uphill sections. Remember, EFI systems automatically adjust fuel injection based on coolant temperature - prolonged idling actually causes over-rich mixture. Last week's OBD data showed my engine warmed up 3 times faster during low-speed driving than when idling.