Why You Should Reconsider Warming Up Your Car In The Driveway This Winter
July 17, 2018
source: CBC
I’ve grown up with the belief that you’re supposed to always warm up your car in the winter before driving. My parents always told me that it’s important to let the car’s engine heat up, and that jumping in and driving right away is really hard on a vehicle when it’s frigid temperatures. However, you might be surprised to know that letting your car warm up in the winter is probably doing more harm for it than good.
Experts have revealed that letting your car idle in the driveway is not the fastest way to warm up the engine. Driving the car right away is the fastest way to warm up the engine, and doing so will actually prolong the lifespan of your car rather than letting it idle. So, how does this work?
Well, letting your car sit and warm up actually puts extra fuel in the combustion chamber, which can then get onto your cylinder walls. Too much gasoline on the cylinder walls can dissolve the oil that lubricates your cylinders, resulting in a shorter lifespan of your car’s crucial parts.
Of course, jumping into a freezing cold vehicle and hitting the road is never fun. Not only will your body be cold, but you’ll also have to deal with a frosted windshield. However, the next time you go to let your car idle for 10 minutes before hitting the road, remember that this may not be beneficial for your car in the long run! When it comes to vehicles, we’ve just got to embrace the cold.