Is It Normal for White Smoke to Come Out of the Exhaust Pipe in Winter?

[SanGabriela]

If you start your vehicle in winter when the temperature is relatively low, and the exhaust appears white while the engine operates normally, this is a normal phenomenon. Below are the relevant explanations: 1. In winter, due to the low outdoor temperature, high-temperature exhaust gases pass through the catalytic converter and muffler. When they meet the cold air, the color appears due to the heat exchange effect. 2. Once the vehicle warms up or the ambient temperature changes, the white smoke will disappear. However, if white smoke persists after a cold start, accompanied by abnormal engine operation or the engine warning light turning on, extra caution is advised. It is recommended to observe whether the exhaust color changes after the engine warms up. 3. If the issue persists, the main cause could be water entering the combustion chamber's air-fuel mixture. Common reasons include water in the fuel tank participating in combustion or a damaged cylinder head gasket causing coolant to leak into the cylinder. In such cases, it is necessary to visit a repair facility to test the fuel quality and perform a leak test on the engine cooling system.