On these cold winter mornings, you might find it hard to warm up when you head outside. Your car might also need some help warming up to function well, so consider these tips to help it heat up on those frosty days.
You Don’t Have to Wait Very Long
Auto engineering has come a long way in just the last few decades, but many drivers might be approaching the cold weather with outdated information. While older vehicles were often expected to take ages to warm up under the hood, you don’t have to wait that long at all before a modern engine is ready to go. If your vehicle was made in the last 20 to30 years, you should only need to wait about 30 seconds before its sensors have supplied the engine with the right mixture via the fuel injectors.
Driving is Better than Idling
Remember that idling wastes fuel, and it can also lead to more wear and tear on your engine. Fortunately, your car will actually warm up faster with five to 10 minutes of normal driving. The regular operating temperatures will help your vehicle function more normally as well.
Clear the View
Before you can go anywhere, you need to make sure you can see clearly through your windows. On the outside, that might mean scraping away frost from your windshield in the mornings, so it pays to keep an ice scraper in your car for such an occasion. On the inside, you might notice that the windshield is foggy, and that might require the defroster setting of your climate control to clear in a timely manner. You can also deter window fog by keeping your cabin free from moisture.
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Consider Your Fuel and Oil
If water enters your fuel system, it can lead to fuel injection issues and other problems, so it might be a wise decision to protect your vehicle with a fuel additive to remove moisture during the colder months. Remember that your engine oil might also struggle to flow well in extremely low temperatures at first, but it should start to move along as intended as it warms up.
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