Should You Warm Up Your Car in Winter?
1 Answers
It is advisable to warm up your car in winter because, after prolonged parking, the engine oil flows back into the oil pan. It takes approximately 30 seconds after starting the engine for the oil pump to circulate the oil to critical components like the pistons, connecting rods, and crankshaft that require lubrication. Below is a detailed explanation of winter car warming: 1. From an oil perspective, winter engine oil is thicker and less fluid. Idling allows the oil to re-coat engine components. Avoid revving the engine during warm-up, as the cold start already triggers a protective high-idle mode where the engine runs at elevated RPM before gradually dropping to 750-800 RPM. Simply let the vehicle idle naturally. 2. In northern regions, warm up the car for 30 seconds to 1 minute before gently moving off. Drive moderately while continuing to warm up the engine, then gradually reach normal driving speed. Generally, shift gears slightly later than usual. Once the temperature gauge needle moves or idle RPM drops below 1000, you may drive at low speed until coolant temperature rises before accelerating. 3. In southern winters, start driving after 15 seconds of idling. Avoid hard acceleration during this period, as most engine wear occurs at cold start (explaining why taxis last longer—they experience fewer cold starts). Maintain low RPM (1500-2000) and slow speeds (10-40 km/h to reduce engine load) until normal operating temperature is reached.
