Warming up your car in Winter! Winter is on the way, and for those of us who commute daily, everything just takes a little longer. It takes longer to get out of bed, get ready for the day, get into your vehicle, and start driving. There’s nothing worse, than waking up before the sun is even out, and climbing into an ice-cold car. Winter mornings can be tough in Canada, and anyone who lives in Canada knows that. No one wants to drive their vehicle around the Edmonton area in freezing temperatures, or even to the corner grocery store unless they need to. We put together this quick reference guide to help you get your car ready to drive as fast and safely as possible while it’s snowing and cold outside.
Don’t let cold weather ruin your day or your vehicle. If it’s taking you too long to get on the road in snowy and cold weather, maybe there are things you could be doing more efficiently or certain things you could be missing altogether. The main thing you’re doing when you let your vehicle run before driving in the morning is heating the cabin for your comfort and safety.
Here’s what you should do to properly warm up your vehicle.
- Make sure your vehicle is in a safe spot, it should be out in the open air and not in a garage as the exhaust can build up while the vehicle is running, raising the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Turn on the vehicle’s front and rear defroster, it will help clear the window while the engine warms up.
- Let the engine run for 30 seconds, this will allow the heater core to pump out warm air. Idling your vehicle for a long period is both a waste of money and energy, so you should not idle for more than 30 seconds as it can hurt everyone around you, including yourself.
- After warming up your vehicle, begin your drive and turn on your air, you should feel warm air by this point.
- Don’t forget to start slowly and take it easy on the gas pedal for about 5 to 15 minutes when driving in cold weather, Otherwise, you risk stressing out your engine before it has a chance to recover to its typical performance levels.
Warming up vehicles when it’s cold outside is a practice from over 30 years ago when carbureted engines dominated the roads. Most vehicles built before used a carburetor, a device that combined air and fuel. It was vital to let these vehicles idle before driving. To ensure the engine operated correctly. However, car manufacturers began to phase out carburetors in the 1980s and switched out for a fuel injection method. Therefore, today’s modern vehicles can handle the cold and no longer need to be warmed up before driving. Electronic fuel injectors can detect cold weather and will release extra gasoline into the gas-air mixture to compensate for the evaporation problems which means the engine is ready to go as soon as it begins running.
There are a few good reasons you want to give your vehicle sufficient time to warm up, but that has nothing to do with the mechanics of the vehicle, and everything to do with your comfort and safety while driving in extremely cold conditions! When the weather gets colder with freezing snowy conditions, the oil and antifreeze inside your car’s engine get thick and sluggish. For your engine to run properly, you need to get the fluids moving so that all the parts don’t get worn and can work together. Allowing your engine to warm up even somewhat in the winter will make driving much easier on your engine.
Nobody likes to sit inside a freezing vehicle in the winter! Luckily, there are several ways to get a car heated up more quickly so that you can head to work in comfort and not in a rush. Try some of our tips to ensure your fingers and toes are warm once the freezing temperatures start settling in. When you choose to idle your vehicle to warm it up, make sure to have an eye on it, don’t leave the keys on the ignition as they can be stolen. Many cases like this have been reported throughout the years.
If you are looking for a vehicle that’s more suited to these frosty winters in Edmonton and the Canadian northern climates, then Edmonton Auto Loans can help you get great deals on pretty much any type of vehicle, whether it’s a car, truck, van or SUV, so that you can stay warm and safe on the roads. Apply here now or call us here at 1-855-227-1669 for a discreet free consultation or any questions.