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