Does Letting Your Car Idle In Winter Harm The Engine?

There’s a lot of disinformation on the internet these days. One of the things currently making the rounds is the fact that letting a car idle is bad for the engine. 

For years, people have been starting their cars and heading back into their home to pour themselves a coffee or finish packing up while their car heats up. With this new knowledge popping up everywhere you look on social media, people don't know if they should continue warming up their cars. The good news is, if you have a properly designed engine, letting a car run for a few minutes should not create any problems. 

Usually, issues only arise from vehicles that idle for unusually long times—like police cruisers. This can cause problems with the valve train. However, if you’re idling your car for only a short time, you likely won’t have this problem. 

Not only won't idling a car for short periods cause issues, but it's actually a good thing! Warming up your car ensures that your car’s fluids are as viscous as they need to be to lubricate components while giving the engine a chance to heat and expand. 

So, get out there and warm up old Bessie for at least a few minutes before driving in the Wintertime.

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