Kate Hayes still recalls the advice her father gave her years ago before she d take her Pontiac Sunfire for a drive on brutally cold days. He told me to let it warm up, the 31-year-old Burnsville resident said in a recent phone interview. But I ve always kind of wondered. Should you let your car run on cold mornings before driving it?
With Minnesota in the throes of winter, Hayes posed the question to Curious Minnesota, our community-driven reporting project fueled by readers.
It s totally unnecessary, even on the most frigid days, said Douglas Longman, manager of engine research with the U.S. Department of Energy s Argonne National Laboratory. Modern cars have electronic fuel injection, so drivers need to let their vehicles run for only up to 30 seconds before pulling out of the driveway. Motoring allows the engine to warm up faster and reduces wear on engine components, he said.