Remote Start Warm Up Engine Wear

[gathermewool]

I've experinced it a lot with my first car in the midwest. Fired it up many times when it was below 0, and just driving off 1 minute later was not something people do in those kind of conditions. Having a block heater helped a lot to get the inside warm and the windows clear.

Everywhere, every condition is different, but the further below zero, the less defrost I need here in New England. Colder = less humidity around here. I rarely use my defroster when the temps are well below 32 degrees F, at least for my daily ten miles commute.

 

[mahanddeem]

Those who say don't exceed 2 min warm-up time in sub 35F weather clearly never drove a Nissan engine before.
PS: My 09 Maxima takes about 5 min for idle to fall below 1k RPM at any weather 35F or below.

 

[ATex7239]

In Texas, do you have days or nights where your car is snow and ice covered and has windows covered in frost that needs removed either with an ice scraper or the vehicle's defroster ? This doesn't happen in 30 seconds or even 1-2 minutes. If you parked outside in Chicago in the winter, I'm sure you dealt with this.

Post #7

 

[Lubener]

Unfortunately, the ones preaching climate change, clean energy, conservation are the same hypocrits who warm up their engines needlessly for 15 minutes every cold morning. An engine warms up quicker while it is used driving.

 

[BISCUT]

Some people need to let them run more than a few minutes in order to get the windows clear, even after they are all scraped off. If it's -25F outside and the car is covered in snow and ice, it takes while for the interior to warm up enough to clear the windows. Of course, some people just drive off with a little cleared area on the windows, get in an accident and total the car ... then they don't have to worry about warm-up times anymore, lol.

Jim has described November through March in New England! For those of you who aren't in the know CT is NOT part of New England; it is an extension of NY. They don't count in this one but they will be the ones doing 55 in the left lane in a 65 ensuring to keep pace with the 55mph motorist in the right (proper lane) despite a perfectly warmed up car and cleared windows.

 

[Cruzer4326]

AFAIK, VW and Subaru are the only brands with heated cloth seats available… any others?

My 2017 Chevy Cruze has heated seats

 

[Hall]

Post #7

Good, you acknowledge that there are instances where it pretty much becomes necessary. To be clear, I don't warm my car up for 10 minutes, let alone 5 minutes. At home, I park in our garage anyway. At work, if it's cold enough during the day, I might go out and start it while I finish rounding up my stuff to head home but that doesn't take more than 2-3 minutes. I guess I might take a moment to find something on Spotify, send my wife or kids a text, etc so actually my car might idle close to 5 minutes.

the ones preaching climate change, clean energy, conservation

How many folks here at this site do that ?

 

[Vermess]

Jim has described November through March in New England! For those of you who aren't in the know CT is NOT part of New England; it is an extension of NY. They don't count in this one but they will be the ones doing 55 in the left lane in a 65 ensuring to keep pace with the 55mph motorist in the right (proper lane) despite a perfectly warmed up car and cleared windows.

What CT are you talking about??? Maybe CT stands for Central Texas or something. I know darn well you ain't talking about Connecticut.

As someone that grew up in Hartford and lived most of my life there, I can tell you 91 and 84 are like re runs of the Daytona 500 daily.

 

[BISCUT]

What CT are you talking about??? Maybe CT stands for Central Texas or something. I know darn well you ain't talking about Connecticut.

As someone that grew up in Hartford and lived most of my life there, I can tell you 91 and 84 are like re runs of the Daytona 500 daily.

CT is clearly the standardized accepted abbreviation for just that. Your assumption is patently wrong. Only drivers IME worse can be found around the belt (DC).

91 Through CT has enough lanes to avoid most of the less than desirable drivers. 84 from East Hartford through Danbury to NY line is a constant hot mess from some of the most aloof, selfish drivers to be found. This has been consistent for my 34 years of driving and shows no let up!

 

[DavidJones]

I use my remote start down here in sunny and warm Alabama, on those freezing mornings when we have a 1/4" of dew/frost frozen on the windshield. I'll fire the engine up as I finish getting ready to walk out and when I reach the truck a couple of minutes later the defrost is beginning to thaw a small area. A quick scrape to open up a hole I can see out of and then I'll head up the street directly into the morning sun. Had I not let it run for a few minutes, no way I could see. A few minutes also allows the seat heater to start making a difference. I don't consider it wasteful or harmful if you're using a tool as it's intended.

 

[Hall]

A quick scrape to open up a hole I can see out of and then I'll head up the street

I know the picture shown is supposed to be a joke, but it's not funny. It's real and I see it happen every winter here.

 

[DavidJones]

View attachment 135852

I know the picture shown is supposed to be a joke, but it's not funny. It's real and I see it happen every winter here.

Mine is not that neat.......

 

[BISCUT]

View attachment 135852

I know the picture shown is supposed to be a joke, but it's not funny. It's real and I see it happen every winter here.

That right there is clear sight of view every winter AM in the WHite Mt's of NH!!!

 

[Brice]

AFAIK, VW and Subaru are the only brands with heated cloth seats available… any others?

Any Ford Bronco with cloth seats and mid package or up gets heated seats. Pretty widely available across the lineup. But good luck ordering one.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Garage parking. No frosty windshields. Could be in the teens and my garage is 52 degrees
. I sometimes Leave my dogs in a car though to run in to a store or a Buckees bathroom and having remote start, cooling and monitoring using my cell phone is awesome.

 

[JimPghPA]

AFAIK, VW and Subaru are the only brands with heated cloth seats available… any others?

Honda. My 2016 CR-V EX has cloth seats and both front are heated. I had an upolstery shop add another heating element to the section above the middle height of the back of the drivers seat so it can heat all the height of the back of the drivers seat, for my bad back. I have switches mounted in the door side of that front seat so I can change heat settings, or turn off the bottom and or back of seat.

 

[JWC86]

I do 30min every morning in the winter. My truck idles for up to 13 hours a day so it’s a drop in the bucket.

As far as “increased wear from idling” I don’t buy it. I’ve had 6 gas trucks that all went well past 10k hours without issues. I have a friend that manages a fleet of trucks used in this manner and they don’t have engine problems except for a coupe guys that can’t be bothered to have their oil changed.

 

[PontiacHO]

With two very young grandkids I will use remote start to cool or heat the vehicle as needed. Their comfort is far more important than an internet suggestion of lengthy idling causing engine wear. Modern engines were equipped with fuel injection to combat the fuel rich cold starts of the carbureted engine days of old.

 

[odie]

One of the worst inventions . Get in , start it , get out to clear off windshield ( side , rear windows if needed ) then get back in and drive . Try to stick to this when possible .

 

[Wingo]

I think a lot of people misunderstand what cold is. When you have to start your car in -20 give or take, you have to let that molasses we call oil time to circulate at idle, loosen up, and lubricate the engine before you take off. Sure, a block heater helps when at home, how about after it's sat at work for 8-10 hours in that weather and there aren't plugins. If your "cold" is 32 above, sure turn the key and go. Even then, I prefer to let it run for a couple minutes.