NewStats: 3,264,913 , 8,185,077 topics. Date: Thursday, 12 June 2025 at 07:16 PM 644758

How long should I warm up my car before driving?


How long should I warm up my car before driving?

It largely depends on the age of your car, and whether or not you use fully synthetic oil. Such modern oils are very light (as in, low viscosity) , and do not take long to coat the engine components. My car is already 8 years old, but uses fully synthetic 0W20 oil, and the car manual says to give it ten seconds before driving away. This would be the same for most modern cars with similarly light oils.

Also, next time you turn your ignition to the ‘on’ position, before you start the engine, have a listen for the sounds the car makes. You may be able to hear a slight whirring sound - and this could be the sound of your fuel pump priming. It's important to let this happen before you start the engine. Give the car a few seconds (try counting to 5), before you start the engine. In my previous car, this sound was clearly audible, and when it stopped, I knew the pump was primed and ready to do its job. Getting into the car, and immediately starting the engine is neither good for the engine, nor the fuel pump. It can be a little harder to tell what's going on with keyless entry systems, they vary from car to car, but once the ignition is on, that fuel pump starts priming.

Perhaps most important of all though, is that you should not drive the car hard until the engine reaches operating temperature - most wear occurs when a car is driven too hard when the engine is cold.

So, switch the ignition on and wait maybe 5 seconds max, then start the engine and give it ten seconds. Don't leave the car running long before you pull away, but once you do, drive gently and accelerate smoothly until you see the needle on the temperature gauge rise a bit, and then you can start having a little more fun. This is far better than letting the car run for a minute or two before pulling away, and then flooring it!

If you have an older car, running on mineral, or heavier semi-synthetic oil, you might let the engine idle a little longer, but I still wouldn't wait much more than 30 seconds before driving gently away.

@gazzuzz

30min

musiroducer:
30min

30 seconds

@lejeun3

lejeun3

E b like say this one never hear if u dont come now forget d contract.

Teibaba:
E b like say this one never hear if u dont come now forget d contract.

So 30 seconds go make you lose the contract?

obidevine:


So 30 seconds go make you lose the contract?

Some emergencies won't give u 30s.

Although the topic here isn't emergency but doing the needful. But just saying there could be emergency where one doesn't get to warm his car.

30 seconds or less is all it takes to warm up a car. The electric fuel injectors in modern cars help regulate the issue of warming a cold engine. Any longer you spend idling the engine will just lead to fuel wastage. Once the car is up and running, you are good to go, but dont hit the accelerator like you are in a drag race(This is not good for your transmission), accelerate gently as you go. The days of long idling to warm up your car are gone with the days of carburetors, which you dont find in modern cars anymore.

Warming up your car even exposes you to more risks, such as;
-Inhaling of exhaust fumes (Carbon Mon Oxide poisoning)
-exposing yourself to theft while sitting idle, warming the car.
-wasting fuel
-it leads to engine wear because the extra unevaporated gas in the mix will strip the oils from the inside of your engine, decreasing lubrication and increasing the wear and tear on its parts.

If the weather is too cold you may wish to warm a little longer then start off with low speed for some minutes, luckily Nigeria doesnt get that cold.

All these facts are verifiable from the internet/ Google. i have known these for years now and i have owned quite a few cars that i have driven without wasting precious time in the name of warming up. Those cars have changed ownership and still enjoyed without any engine problems.

If its driven everyday,then its stupid to warm it up.

Do OP know that fuel pumps of many cars of nowadays even so old ones works only when you starts the car. Turning on the ignition still won't make the ignition work until you crank/roll the engine. Even Camry big daddy does that.

Define Warming up....

LeJeun3:



Define Warming up....

Warming up in the sense that after leaving it parked over night, then the next morning you intend to drive the car to work or something. You need to let it warm up a little and for the oil to circulate etc.

obidevine:


Warming up in the sense that after leaving it parked over night, then the next morning you intend to drive the car to work or something. You need to let it warm up a little and for the oil to circulate etc.

The moment your oil light goes off, oil pressure is obtained.

Oil has circulated....

LeJeun3:




The moment your oil light goes off, oil pressure is obtained.

Oil has circulated....

True