I start it and turn the defroster on . Scrape the windshield as needed . As soon as I can see safely . I go .Here we go.... Let's hear how folks in the south (FL, etc) deal with frost/ice/snow and windows that NEED defrosted and just "start it and go".
What's current best practice for warming up a vehicle?
- Thread starter OM617YOTA
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CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
Nobody reads their owners manuals and trusts the people who built the car. They will all say idling to warm up is unnecessary.
If it's so cold you need to warm it up before you go, you need to buy a plug in heater.
I had one in each of my earlier Mercedes Diesels. They wouldn't warm up if you idled them all day.
I don't have heaters anymore, don't need them. It seldom gets below the mid teens F. Even the current Mercedes Diesel doesn't need anything more than let idle drop, which happens in seconds, then drive nice until I reach the big road.
If it's so cold you need to warm it up before you go, you need to buy a plug in heater.
I had one in each of my earlier Mercedes Diesels. They wouldn't warm up if you idled them all day.
I don't have heaters anymore, don't need them. It seldom gets below the mid teens F. Even the current Mercedes Diesel doesn't need anything more than let idle drop, which happens in seconds, then drive nice until I reach the big road.
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Those were one of the great "what on Earth is this ?!?" options when I first discovered build your car options on US websites...
What on Earth are these, and how are they used ? I know what they are, but - do they go to plug in a freeze plug on the engine ? How do they connect to 110v ? Does the hood need to be left unlocked and fiddled with every morning ? Or do they have some plug on the outside ?
One of the most beautiful things I've seen back in France were the equilvalents of AAA trucks they had - Toyota Technicals, with a lifter on the back for towing, and beautifully integrated capped 12V outlets to give boosts with.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
Some replace a freeze plug. That's the most common for OEM option and what I had.
The ones I had came wired with a standard 110/120 male socket in the grille. Just run a heavy duty extension cord to it. No lifting the hood. That's also how all the aftermarket are; just run the cord to someplace convenient.
You can buy some aftermarket that get spliced into a coolant line. Some have a pump that sloooooowly circulates the coolant too. There are also Diesel fueled heaters for serious trucks and motorhomes.
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The simple fact of your membership here contradicts that
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Don't let your boss read this. Your engine is still warm when you leave work.
I don't think anybody would be able to tell you what best practice is. I would think best practice would depend on the engine. I prefer to have a little warmth in the oil and in the turbo before I start driving, because I don't always have the luxury of driving "easy" for any distance would make a difference. I set the Kia app to start my car at 6:00 a.m. every weekday, and I'm backing out of the driveway by 6:05. By this time the temp needle has started to move, climate control is starting to get the cabin where I want it, and high idle is over with.... Works great for me.
Fire up, let it run until hopefully the windshield is clear and it's not crazy cold in the cab. That might be a few minutes or let it stay running all day. When it's -60* and blowing, the cab isn't staying that warm.
Plus everything else that's hooked to the engine.
I've had to put the transmission in gear and T case in neutral to get that to flow. And rear end oil may as well be glue... to the point you can take the diff cover off and it doesn't flow out.
Plus everything else that's hooked to the engine.
I've had to put the transmission in gear and T case in neutral to get that to flow. And rear end oil may as well be glue... to the point you can take the diff cover off and it doesn't flow out.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
BRRRRRR I'm glad I'm not your neighbor. You need a plug 'er inner pre-heater just to sit down.
When it's colder outside, my Infiniti will fast idle at 2000-2100 rpm and the slightest movement of the gear selector triggers something that tells the ECU to lower the RPMs but only by ~500 rpm or so. If I put it into D at 1500-1700 rpm, it's not a nice jolt on the transmission. It will stay at up to 2100 rpm for 2 minutes or longer on it's own too.
At home, we park in our garage so it's not that bad. At work, I'll start mine and let it warm up (the interior) for 5 minutes routinely. My wife remote starts her car, then has a ~10 minute walk. If she's paying attention to her phone app and it tells her it shut off after it's time limit, she'll restart it !
I start it, let the rpms drop, then drive easy until the blue cold light goes off.
If it's cold, keep your car in a garage. If you don't have a garage plug in your block heater. If you don't have a block heater get one.
Start the engine. Do up your set belt. Check the mirror adjustment. Once the fast idle has kicked down, drive off, gently at first.
If you have frost on the windows, scrape it off after starting the engine.
Start the engine. Do up your set belt. Check the mirror adjustment. Once the fast idle has kicked down, drive off, gently at first.
If you have frost on the windows, scrape it off after starting the engine.
In the summer time, it's start & go with the exception of buckling-up and adjusting seat & mirrors. Oh IDK, 10-15 seconds?
In the winter time, we often use RES. And if there is a ton of snow on the vehicle, I do what ever it takes to remove the snow just to get in the car to start it. And then run the engine while cleaning off the rest of the vehicle in order to see clearly. Again IDK, 10-15 minutes?
In the past on several occasions, I have left my vehicles running for over 45 minutes while snowplowing the driveway, forgetting that I had them running...with the heater on HIGH!. Man, were they nice and warm!
We like getting into a warm vehicle that we can see out of. And in todays vehicles, I like to make sure(the best that I can), clean the cameras, sensors & head lights(without scratching) before driving off and that the wipers aren't full of ice on those below ZERO mornings and blustery days.
In my area, if there is a boat load of snow atop the roof of the vehicle, you can get pulled over by the police for not cleaning off the snow. As there have been a number of incidents where the snow lifted off the roof while driving and hit the car behind. I have never seen anyone get pulled over for this but it can happen. However, I have seen a sheet of ice lift off the roof of many vehicle while at speed and crash to the ground almost hitting the vehicle behind. NOT COOL!
In the winter time, we often use RES. And if there is a ton of snow on the vehicle, I do what ever it takes to remove the snow just to get in the car to start it. And then run the engine while cleaning off the rest of the vehicle in order to see clearly. Again IDK, 10-15 minutes?
In the past on several occasions, I have left my vehicles running for over 45 minutes while snowplowing the driveway, forgetting that I had them running...with the heater on HIGH!. Man, were they nice and warm!
We like getting into a warm vehicle that we can see out of. And in todays vehicles, I like to make sure(the best that I can), clean the cameras, sensors & head lights(without scratching) before driving off and that the wipers aren't full of ice on those below ZERO mornings and blustery days.
In my area, if there is a boat load of snow atop the roof of the vehicle, you can get pulled over by the police for not cleaning off the snow. As there have been a number of incidents where the snow lifted off the roof while driving and hit the car behind. I have never seen anyone get pulled over for this but it can happen. However, I have seen a sheet of ice lift off the roof of many vehicle while at speed and crash to the ground almost hitting the vehicle behind. NOT COOL!
And do you consider Ohio to be way up North?Here we go.... Let's hear how folks in the south (FL, etc) deal with frost/ice/snow and windows that NEED defrosted and just "start it and go".
My Accord - Get in start it, buckle up, drive off easy.
Wife's Pilot maybe remote start when cold to let the heater get working and seat warmers for her. This will make her happy for her 2 mile drive to work. Summer might entail the same for some air conditioning. Gas pedal usage from her somewhere in the Brittany Force / Danica Patrick application.
My Accord when responding to firehouse for Delta or Echo calls. Start it, buckle up, easy out of driveway due to steep apron, 4500-5000 rpm shifts as it doesn't like to go past that when cold where VTEC normally kicks in. Make sure brakes are nice and hot with liberal application for stop signs/intersections.
Wife's Pilot maybe remote start when cold to let the heater get working and seat warmers for her. This will make her happy for her 2 mile drive to work. Summer might entail the same for some air conditioning. Gas pedal usage from her somewhere in the Brittany Force / Danica Patrick application.
My Accord when responding to firehouse for Delta or Echo calls. Start it, buckle up, easy out of driveway due to steep apron, 4500-5000 rpm shifts as it doesn't like to go past that when cold where VTEC normally kicks in. Make sure brakes are nice and hot with liberal application for stop signs/intersections.
BrendanC
$100 site donor 2024
i start and idle until the coolant gauge budges from the low stop then i pull off and drive very gingerly until at operating temp. that is, unless i’m in my accord, i start it and drive off. car owes me nothing at 400k plus miles.
Proper way?...We had a new 70 Chevy pickup with a 350 and a four barrel. As a farm boy I used it to drive it to school (farm tags).
I would start the truck in the winter and the choke would be on. I'd pull out of the driveway, floor it and kick the quad in. No warm-up needed. A real tire smoker.
It ran good until it wiped out the cam. They were known for soft cams....LOL
I would start the truck in the winter and the choke would be on. I'd pull out of the driveway, floor it and kick the quad in. No warm-up needed. A real tire smoker.
It ran good until it wiped out the cam. They were known for soft cams....LOL
Do you know that we get sub-zero temperatures every winter ? I'm not talking wind chill either. More than once, it's been so cold that I've put my car in D or R and it didn't move for 5+ seconds.
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