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Warming Up Your Vehicle
Our Tip of the Week concerns the warm-up period for your vehicle. If you've ever driven a vehicle with a coolant temp gauge, you've probably noticed it takes four to eight minutes to completely get that gauge up to operating temperature in the wintertime.
How long it takes will depend on variables such as how big the cooling system is. A small car warms up much more quickly than a pickup or sport utility with a V8 engine. And also, it depends greatly on what the ambient temperature is when you first start that vehicle. But in most cases, you'll find that one to two minutes of idling is all that's required to drive the vehicle away safely without stumbling or stalling.
But don't waste that time. Make sure that, during that one to two minutes, you solidly apply the emergency brake and then do a circle check of your vehicle. Have a quick look at the tires to make sure you're not driving away on a flat and clear all the windows of any snow or frost, clear your tail lights, etc, then get in the vehicle and drive away.
There may be conditions that dictate a longer warmup period. For example, if you can't get those windows to clear properly without a bit of heat coming out of the defroster, you may have to wait an extra couple of minutes 'til that takes place. And in some cases, if you're driving away during freezing rain, you've got to wait until the idle completely settles down before you put it into gear.
That's your Tip of the Week.
From the archives...
Fuel Filling TipsBattery Capacity
Breaking In A New Car
Checking Your Brakelamps
Flooded Engines
Fuel System Additives
Gear Shifter Positions On Your Car
Mechanical Fixes For Winter
Punctured Tires
Seized Spark Plugs
Spare Tires
Starter Motors
Proper Tire Inflation Pressure
Tire Noise
Tramlining
Under-Slung Spare Tire
Warming Up Your Vehicle
Winter Finishes
Winter Tires
Winter Weather
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