Cars + Trucks
How Long To Let A Chilly Car Warm Up: Part 2
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Over the past month since I wrote the first part of this article, I have been receiving mixed feedback on whether or not it is safe to allow your vehicle to warm up for 15 to 30 seconds before operating it. Some readers have suggested that the idea is novel, while others have been less than receptive to the idea. With that said, I’ll go over a few points of concern that I have received through feedback to further clarify the issue.
Disclaimer
As with anything that you read on DriverSense.com, you should always consult your vehicles owner’s manual to be sure that your vehicle can handle such things as letting it warm up for 15 to 30 seconds, for example. Also, if you walk outside in the morning and it is 45 below, common sense should dictate a bit more of a warm up period for your vehicle.
Proper Maintenance
The first thing to keep in mind with any vehicle, no matter how old, is to ensure that it is maintained properly. With proper maintenance, a vehicle has the potential to last an owner many years. In regard to maintaining a vehicle properly in cold weather, one thing comes to mind: oil. For those that reside in less than warm climates year round, they will tell you that they use lower weight engine oil. For your average driver, you will typically see engine oil classified as 10W30 or 40 and 5W30 or 40. The “W” part of the equation refers to the viscosity of the oil. Specifically, viscosity is “the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow.” Simply put, 5 weight oil is not as heavy or thick as 10 weight oil. The idea behind using 5 weight oil is that in cold weather it will flow through your motor easier and quicker.
Transmissions
The next thing to keep in mind is your transmission and transmission fluid. Some feedback emails were in concern to CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) transmissions not functioning very well or at all in cold weather. From what I have gleaned in talking to individuals that are knowledgeable about vehicles with a CVT is that they have not had any issues with it, even in the cold (for most of us, it has indeed been quite a cold winter). Otherwise than that, I am not aware of any issues or recalls concerning CVTs. As always, the best thing to do is consult your owner’s manual, but if it is silent about the issue, contact a dealership.
When it comes to standard automatic transmissions there are two sides of the story when it comes to cold weather. In the automatic transmission realm you have to remember that the transmissions actions are controlled by the ECU (engine control unit), i.e. the computer. If, for example you jump into your car on a cold morning because you are late for work and do not even let the car sit for just a few seconds, you may notice that the car will rev up a bit more than usual. I attribute this to normal behavior for two reasons: a) The modern automotive industry would not market and sell cars that were incapable of operating in cold temperatures and b) just like when you let the car sit for 15 to 20 seconds or so, the computer is going to ensure that the engine warms up properly as if the car were standing still and, in turn, the ECU will tell the transmission to hold a gear a bit longer than usual.
The other side of the issue falls to maintenance (with any transmission). Keeping your transmission in good running shape is just as important as maintaining your engine, since if either breaks down, you are not going anywhere. Before you try anything new with your automobile, whether going off road or something like letting it warm up for 15 to 30 seconds, be sure that you have kept up maintenance on your transmission. In every owner’s manual there is a maintenance schedule for your vehicle, including at what mileages to have your transmission fluid changed (always use the recommended brand). The next thing to ask yourself is if you are “rough” on your transmission, i.e. do you romp on the gas at every stoplight or stop sign? Finally, keep an eye out for recalls on your transmission (or vehicle in general). A potentially catastrophic problem such as issues in cold weather could easily be repaired for free and save you time and trouble down the road.
The Bottom Line
If your vehicle is maintained properly, is somewhat modern and the temperature isn’t ridiculously cold, a 15 to 30 second (or however long your vehicle revs up initially) warm up period is all that you need.
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