Is Warming up the Car Before Driving Necessary? Advantages, Disadvantages, and More
Warming up the car before driving was a necessity back in the early days of motor vehicles. It was a practice meant to prevent stalling by waiting until the proper air-fuel ratio in the engine is achieved.
Some drivers still have a habit of warming up their vehicles, but is there still a need for it considering the advances in automotive technology?
Is It Necessary to Warm Up Your Carp Before Driving?
Warming up the car before driving has its advantages and disadvantages. However, it’s not by all means necessary. Some people opt to do it to warm the cabin during the winter season. But there’s an argument to be made that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.
Disadvantages of Warming Up the Car Before Driving
Warming up your vehicle may affect its overall performance. At times, it could even shorten its lifespan. While the damage may not show immediately, it starts accumulating the more you idle.
Poor Fuel Consumption
According to reports from the U.S. Department of Energy, idling consumes one-quarter to one-half a gallon of fuel every hour you idle. This leads to poor fuel consumption and expenses that accumulate every year.
Pollution
Idling is not only bad for fuel consumption, but it also contributes to pollution due to harmful vehicle emissions. According to studies, one minute of idling produces more carbon monoxide than smoke from three packs of cigarettes.
Due to this, some states have implemented programs that reduce idling for school buses. It doesn’t help that warming up your vehicle produces carbon dioxide, a gas that contributes to climate change.
Engine Wear
Warming up or idling for prolonged periods takes a toll on your engine, as it’s working when it shouldn’t. This accelerates wear and tear, which could lead to damaged cylinders, spark plugs, and emissions systems.
Some manufacturers even took it upon themselves to install automatic stop-and-start technology to prolong the lifespan of the engine and the vehicle itself.
Advantages of Warming up the Car Before Driving
Of course, warming up your car also has its advantages, especially during certain seasons.
Clears Snow
Perhaps the biggest advantage of idling first to warm up your vehicle is to clear snow on the windshield.
Similarly, the idle time is enough to warm up the cabin during winter or cold days.
Evenly Distributes Lubricating Oil
Idling naturally warms up the vehicle and the engine, which lets the lubricating oil drip onto the pistons as they move in the cylinders. This also lubricates the surface between the pistons and the cylinder.
Afterward, the oil trickles inside the crankcase to the crankshaft. This lubricates the surfaces of the components, which reduces friction.
Reduced Wear
Thanks to the lubricating oil reducing friction, the engine, and other related components are less susceptible to natural wear and tear. This prolongs their lifespan and improves vehicle performance altogether.
How Long Should I Warm Up My Car Before Driving?
The ideal idle time to warm your car up should be the time it takes you to put on your seatbelt. Anything longer than that could accelerate engine wear, affect fuel consumption, and increase pollution.
On colder days, you can idle longer to warm up the cabin.
Do You Need to Warm Up Electric Vehicles?
Warming up electric vehicles (EVs) help in terms of power and battery life, as both are negatively affected by drops in temperature.
This process is called preconditioning the battery. It’s when you let the battery reach the optimal temperature before driving or charging the vehicle. Preconditioning also works the other way by letting the temperature drop on warm days.
As for the ideal battery temperature, it should hover around 45°F to 50°F.
You can use the onboard computer or app that comes with your EV to precondition the battery. The process differs depending on the manufacturer.
The Bottomline
Warming up your vehicle before driving isn’t necessary. It has its advantages, but it can do more harm than good. As such, it’s recommended to let your car idle only during cold weather.
The post Is Warming up the Car Before Driving Necessary? Advantages, Disadvantages, and More appeared first on In The Garage with CarParts.com.
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