What are the hazards of not warming up the car?
2 Answers
Hazards of not warming up the car: Causes wear and tear to the engine, transmission, and various parts of the engine, leading to a shortened lifespan. The key to warming up the car lies in slow driving after idling in place. During this period, do not let the engine speed exceed 2,500 rpm, avoid sudden acceleration, hard braking, and other aggressive driving behaviors. Only after the water temperature reaches the normal value should you drive normally. Due to the Earth's gravity, the engine oil inside the engine flows entirely to the oil pan after a night, leaving very little oil on the engine itself. In winter, cold weather reduces the oil's fluidity. If you drive directly or turn on the air conditioning at this time, the wear and tear on the engine will be more severe. Warming up the car is to circulate the oil from the engine pan to all parts of the engine in advance.
I've always believed that not warming up the car is quite damaging, especially based on my experience driving in northern China. When you first start the engine, the motor oil is as thick as syrup with terrible fluidity, causing dry friction between pistons and bearings - prolonged exposure will definitely lead to cylinder scoring. Moreover, the catalytic converter in the exhaust system only works effectively at operating temperature, and cold starts produce significantly more pollution. Transmission fluid also needs to warm up for smooth gear shifts, otherwise those jarring grinding noises are heartbreaking. If you keep doing this long-term, engine carbon buildup will inevitably worsen while fuel consumption increases. Oh, and the most critical part - in winter, the windshield wipers instantly freeze the glass upon contact, dangerously obscuring visibility. Now I always warm up for at least half a minute before driving, especially when temperatures drop below -10°C.
