How Long Should I idle My car this Winter?
It’s bitterly cold. And it’s snowing. Again.
You’ve probably “warmed up your car” before heading out for an errand recently.
In other words … you’ve left your car idling.
Who wants an ice cold steering wheel or a frozen bottom?
Isn’t it better for a car to have a warm engine before driving away?
How can you resist the “auto-start” function on new cars & those toasty heated seats?
You’re not alone.
Most people believe their car must be warmed up before driving away. But in this article, we’ll discuss the frequently asked question: how long do I need to idle my car in the winter?
Why do we idle?
First of all, if you don’t know what idling is, it refers to any situations where your vehicle’s engine is running – and you’re going … well… no where! =P
In general, there are 3 reasons people idle:
- Idling your car to warm the engine;
- Idling while waiting for something unrelated to traffic (i.e. waiting in the drive thru or to pick someone up) ; and
- Idling your car in traffic (e.g., at stoplights; in traffic jams).
How much, on average, do Canadians idle?
Too much. Unfortunately, a series of studies conducted in Canada have suggested that the average individual idles anywhere from 1.4 to 4.6 min a day other than waiting in traffic.
A nationwide telephone survey of Canadian residents, average respondents reported idling for 3.7 minutes per day to warm their engines and 1.9 min a day while waiting in their vehicles (McKenszie-Mohr Associates, 2003). This is far more than the recommended 10 seconds in nicer weather.
Low Hanging Fruit
Idling gets you no-where. Literally. So why are you wasting precious gas money on idling? It’s pointless and environmentally harmful. Every time you start the engine, you’re contributing to climate change – the least we can all do is ensure we aren’t wasting fuel. And the solution is simple. All it requires you to do is turn OFF your engine the next time you catch yourself or a family member idling. Think you can do it? We believe in you 😉 You can also download our app here to hold your self accountable!
10 Second Rule
You’ve heard of the 5 second rule when you drop a piece of food on the floor. But what about the 10 second rule for when you idle? Restarting a vehicle uses less fuel than idling for 10 seconds or more (Taylor, 2003; Ueda et al., 2001; Matsuura et al., 2004). This means that any time you are idling for more than 10 seconds, you need to TURN OFF YOUR CAR!!!!
If you really want to stretch it, both the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 2004) and Natural Resources Canada (NRC, 2008) recommend idling for no more than 30s–60s – but we think 10 seconds should be your benchmark.
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But um... It's -35°C!
Touché. Good point. Idling is a problem year-round, but it’s understandably worse in the winter months. However, even on the coldest of winter days (we’re talking -25°C!! Not -5°C!) you should be idling no more than 2 minutes. Wheel bearings, tires and suspension systems will only warm up when the vehicle is moving – but it is a good idea to avoid high speeds and rapid acceleration until all parts are warmed up.
So how do I warm the car?
Vroom Vroom! DRIVE IT! Surprisingly, you’re car will warm up faster if you drive it. There’s no need to sit around and idle your vehicle. Just start to drive – but it’s best to start slow and avoid high speeds at the start in the winter.
Costly Myths
Over the years, vehicle technology has improved. This means idling times to warm up your car have changed too – yet, many of us are “stuck” in the old ways of thinking.
Many years ago, automakers recommended that people warm their vehicle’s engine before driving. But now most modern fuel-injected engines don’t need warming.
The costly myth that you still need to warm up your car helps contribute to 93 MMt of Co2 and 10.6 billion gallons of gasoline a year – equaling 1.6% of all US emissions.
Idling is not good for your wallet either – think of all the gas money you would’ve saved had you turned off your car!
Take Aways
- The average Canadian idles 3.7 minutes per day warming their vehicles and 1.9 minutes per day waiting in their vehicles – which is far above what is recommended (10s – 30s)!
- Even on the coldest winter days (below -25 degrees) DO NOT idle for more than 2 minutes
- The best way to warm your vehicle is to drive it!
- The recommended time to turn off your vehicle is after 10 seconds of idling
- You might be wondering: “Is it better to idle or turn car off” Restarting your vehicle DOES NOT take more gas than turning it off!!!!!!!!!!!
You really don’t need to!
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Don’t forget to tell your friends and family when their idling to turn off their car!
2 Responses
As a Newbie, I am continuously searching online for articles that can be of assistance to me. Thank you
I know this is truly boring and you are skipping to the next comment, but I just wanted to throw you a big thanks – you cleared up some things for me!
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