Does Letting Your Car Warm Up In The Cold Weather Help Or Hurt It?

Every cold spell we go through, the so-called experts say "it's actually bad for your car to sit there and warm up before you leave." I say that's nonsense.

If your car sits outside for an extended period of time with the temperatures at or below zero, it's not hurting your vehicle to sit there and warm up for a small period of time. The so-called experts will tell you that you're not burning the gasoline effectively. Remember, almost all cars today are run by a computer and have oxygen sensors that help adjust the air fuel mixture.

By letting your car warm up 3-5 minutes, maybe even longer if you like on those extremely cold days like we had last weekend, your warming up the fluids inside the motor and the transmission as they're moving through the system and not under any stress to move the car.

Just by doing this can help save your motor or transmission. I lost a transmission on a very cold day 15 years ago by leaving too soon after the car started and getting on the interstate.

Every time I hit the racetrack with my racecar, the motor has been running, getting the temperature up before I turn a lap. This saves me $$$ on engine work.

Athletes always warm up before they play, you should do the same for your vehicle in the extreme cold.