Driver's personal file: should you warm up your car engine in winter?
Kyiv • UNN
Warming up the engine before starting to drive in winter is a debatable issue among drivers. In some European countries, it is prohibited for environmental reasons, while in Ukraine, the decision rests with the driver.
With the onset of cold weather, drivers often wonder whether they need to warm up the engine before starting to drive. In some European countries, such a practice is prohibited due to environmental concerns, while in Ukraine, it is a personal matter for each driver. UNN tells when and how long to warm up a car engine in winter, and how to do it safely.
Details
The question of whether it is necessary to warm up the engine in the cold season before starting to drive causes a lot of debate among motorists. Some drivers believe that this is a waste of fuel and time, while others, on the contrary, argue that it is impossible to start driving without it, as it can damage the engine.
Interestingly, in some European countries, such as Germany, Luxembourg, and Slovakia, it is forbidden to leave the engine running at idle if the car is stationary. This prohibition is based on environmental considerations. In Ukraine, warming up is left to the discretion of the driver.
When and how long to warm up the engine
In general, warming up is recommended before starting to drive, because high revolutions and heavy loads are extremely harmful to a cold engine and can "hit your wallet." It should be noted that in the cold, engine oil thickens, so its movement through the engine's oil channels becomes more difficult.
In some cases, the automatic transmission also requires warming up. It needs to start moving at a low speed and gear, moving slowly and smoothly for the first few minutes.
So how long do you need to warm up the engine? This is also an exclusively individual matter. For example, if you are not in a hurry, you can spend the time while you wait for the engine to warm up, for example, cleaning the car from snow.
If you are still late, you can wait a few minutes for the car to run at idle, and then start moving, but without giving high revolutions - no more than 1500 rpm. Thus, you actually warm up the car on the go. In this mode, the engine has time to heat the oil and establish its normal circulation, after which you can give increased revolutions.
It should be noted that modern car manufacturers often write in the operating manual that a cold engine does not need to be warmed up, and if it does, then no more than 2 minutes.
Also, car manufacturers often install systems on cars to warm up the engine without actually starting it. For example, these can be pre-start heaters. Autonomous engine heaters require a certain amount of fuel to operate, but consumption is lower than when warming up with a start.