Driving Tips > Safety Columns
The best way to warm up your car is to drive it.
At -30 C, fuel consumption increases by 30 per cent. And if you let your vehicle idle to warm it up for an extended period of time, the increase can be as high as 50 per cent. Save yourself some money this winter and help save the environment too.
Helpful tips:
The 30-30 Rule: contrary to popular belief, your vehicle only needs to idle for about 30 seconds – to get the oil moving – before it’s safe to drive, even at -30, so let your car idle for 30 seconds and drive easy for the first few kilometres;
More than just the engine needs warming: your transmission, wheel bearings and tires need to warm up in order for your vehicle to run efficiently, and this can only be done by driving;
The colder the temperature, the slower the fluids: fluids such as oil and anti-freeze circulate faster when you drive your vehicle to warm it than when your vehicle is idling;
Use a block heater: it warms the anti-freeze, which helps the vehicle start more easily and speeds the delivery of heat to the inside of your car. Use a plug timer so your vehicle is only plugged in for a couple of hours before you plan to drive – if you plug it in for any longer, your gains in fuel efficiency are lost in home electricity use;
Cover up: install a winter front cover on your car to reduce the amount of cold air
reaching the radiator.
January is Drive It to Warm It month. Visit ecodrivermanitoba.ca for more information on how to save yourself some money and help reduce your carbon footprint this winter.
