Help settle a debate. Is it still necessary to warm-up cars before driving (see below)?

Question

I had heard some time ago, that the newer autos, with fuel injectors, don't require warm-up and that only applied to older vehicles with carburators. I have a '96 Explorer. I always just turn on the ignition and drive off, even if the car has been setting a day or more on the coldest day. My GF has an '05 Subaru and always warms up first. Any thoughts?

Even though most of the answers essentially agree with me, I find it hard to select one. I'm going to put this one to a vote. Thanks all!

Answer 1

Present-day cars are designed to start up and go, no warming up required.

Answer 2

Is it necessary? No...

Why would someone choose to idle before driving? There are reasons. Primarily, emissions will be higher on a cold engine than a warm engine. This is due primarily from a combination of unburned hydrocarbons and small leaks due to the pistons and rings/seals not being warm and expanded to make a complete seal.

However, if you idle your vehicle, you are running it without achieving any work, and once warm, you will still drive the same distance as you would have cold. So are the extra emissions you produce while idling a cold engine less than the extra emissions produced by driving a cold engine vs. a warm one? Probably not... it will vary from car to car, but the bottom line is that with modern vehicles, warming up before driving is not necessary.

Answer 3

I am not of the "turn the key slam it into gear and go" ilk.

When I get in my car, even when it is not -18 deg F, I first start the engine, then put on my seat belt, check the mirrors, futz with the radio until I find something I don't hate, etc. All that usually takes about 30-45 seconds. Then I put it into gear and go.

Why?

Fuel injection may be instantaneous, lubrication is not. Now it certainly doesn't take quite 30 or 45 seconds to get full pressure but it certainly takes more than 1 or 2 seconds for all of that oil to get from the very bottom of your engine to all the little nooks and crannies it needs to get to. And the colder it is, the slower the oil flows.

I plan on having this car a really long time. If I just slammed it into gear and went significant parts of my engine (not to mention the steering and tranny) might be oil starved as flow has not had time to build up yet. I like to give adequate time for all those finely machined and expensive parts to properly lubricate before I hit the go-pedal. That way I don't end up prematurely replacing major assemblies later.

Conversely, on a really cold day like the sub-zero weather we have had of late I really don't let it run excessively before moving - maybe 1 minute or so max. Again, just long enough to get all the fluids flowing properly. Anything more than that is a waste of natural resources. Most people who let the car run for 15-20 minutes are really more concerned about being warm inside the car when they get in. That's OK I guess if that's what ones priority is but that much warming doesn't do anything for the car.

Answer 4

Most newer cars don't need to be warmed up in temperate climates. just drive slow at first to allow the fluids to recirculate.

On colder days you might want to warm up the engine for like a minute, before driving off slowly.

In sub-zero weather, let the motor warm up for a few minutes. Sure beats cracking a block or blowing a soft plug.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

I always let it warm up till the temp guage sits half way. My 97 Eclipse just seems to run better. I live in Minnesota and it's cold so it also give my car a chance to heat up. I think warming it up is just better for the vehicle. It doesn't hurt anything and takes like a microliter of gas if you just let it sit for 5 min.

Answer 6

it isn't actual mandatory to warmth your automobile before driving. It comes all the way down to non-public decision. driving your automobile slowly for some blocks is user-friendly techniques to warmth the motorcar. allowing the motorcar to idle contained in the driveway not in hardship-free words wastes gas regardless of the indisputable fact that it will boost the possibilities for motorcar robbery. regardless of the indisputable fact that, in extremely chilly climates, the position the lows may reason engines to freeze, that is a gorgeous good practice to finish that. Or better effective yet, purchase and use an engine block heater. That being reported, i will't imagine of everywhere contained in the continental US the position the temperatures are so consistenly low adequate to endanger a probability of engine block harm or ward off you from starting up the motorcar. This in hardship-free words takes position at the same time as the motorcar has not been pushed for weeks at a time. in case you insist on warming the motorcar up, it in hardship-free words decide on to be finished see you later because it takes for the engine to idle at its usual velocity. desire this helps.

Answer 7

You don't need to warm them up like you used to. However on extremely cold days or in your case the vehicle has been sitting, letting it idle for about 30 secs. is a good idea.

Answer 8

Check your owners manual. My 2006 Ford mustang's manual says to warm the car up for 1 minute before driving.

Answer 9

modern cars do not need warming up. They are designed to warm up as you drive. If the scooby has a turbo and she has been giving it some, then she should allow it to idle after she parks up to allow it to warm down.

Answer 10

A car does not need to be warmed up before driving. Alot of people say that the oil needs to be warm and circulating, which is crap. The oil pump starts moving it when you first start up. If it didn't, the engine would be running for several minutes with no oil. Just start up, and drive it easy until it is warm.

Answer 11

It's a Subaru let it warm up lest you want new head gaskets.