You may have heard it a few times, whether you're a new driver, someone seasoned behind the wheel, or that family member (Usually an Uncle.) telling you to warm the car up before you set off. Is it really necessary, though? With the advent of EV vehicles, it's a different topic, but vehicles equipped with ICE engines have brought up this debate over time.
Related: DIY Car Maintenance Tips Every South African Driver Should Know
Why should you do this? Do you have to do it? Why do some feel it's not necessary because their cars have lasted for years, regardless? We'll give some insight here as to why this may be the case. This is not an exhaustive explanation, and we'll simplify some things, but this will give you a good idea of the topic and get you to try some good habits.
What does warming up do? When should you do it?
Think of an athlete. An athlete stretches before exercising so as not to hurt their muscles. The internal combustion engine is a marvel of engineering, and with such engineering comes science. You may have heard someone mention the term 'cold start' in some capacity. As the name states, a Cold Start starts your engine from when it's cold. Picture this: it's first thing in the morning on a cool summer's day, and you're about to head out. You start your well-maintained modern-day car but notice that it idles with slightly higher revs than when it's already warm, and then suddenly, after a few seconds, the revs settle down. Why is that the case? This means the engine is circulating oil to the various vital internal components to provide lubrication and to get the coolant circulating through the engine and cooling system. Ideally, you should let your engine idle in neutral while this happens as it only takes a few seconds, then set off after. This is also somewhat of a chance to get temperature into the oil. Thinner oils tend to circulate and warm up quickly, while some thicker oils need more time to circulate and warm up. There's a lot more to the discussion regarding oil weights, but that's a topic to cover in a separate article. Let us know if you want an article on this.
Even after you head off, the warm-up procedure doesn't end there; pay attention to your coolant temperature gauge (If your car comes equipped with one or a cold coolant warning light.) You'll notice the reading on the gauge would be dead on the 'C' mark, which means 'Cold'. It basically means your coolant is cold, and as you drive along, the needle on the gauge will rise and settle perhaps at a midway point on the gauge or at 90 degrees Celsius generally. At this point, your coolant is at optimum temperature, and it's also a sign that your engine is at operating temperature. Operating temperature means the allowable temperature range of a local ambient environment at which a mechanical device, in this instance, an engine can operate. This is when the engine operates efficiently and properly. Before you reach said operating temperature, you must drive the car gently and not overrev too. Even your car's transmission needs a chance to circulate and warm up the fluids in there. You'll notice that some cars may be a bit notchy until everything warms up, and then it all smooths out. Some argue that you can just let your engine idle in your driveway and let the engine and cooling system come up to temperature and then set off, but think about your car's transmission also, as that needs a chance to circulate fluids, too.
Warm Down? Don't you mean Cool Down?
Think of an athlete again, after strenious exercise, it's wise to do warm down exercise so the athlete doesn't injure themselves and prevent soreness. Warming down simply means you're bringing the engine and cooling system temperature down to such a point where when you switch off the engine, you're not causing a sudden shock of a temperature drop to hurt your engine and its components. Cooling down, on the other hand, would mean the temperatures drop to a point where the engine and components, like the cooling system, are cool to the touch. Warming down also deals with the scientific principle of expansion and contraction, as heat causes expansion, while cooling causes contraction, to put it simply. Owners of turbocharged performance cars may have heard the term 'Warm Down' in some capacity how it's imperative, but really, in our view, you can apply this habit to other vehicles too. How do you warm down, though? Perhaps on the last stretch near home, ease up and be gentle on your driving so the engine oil temperature can come down and the cooling system has enough airflow through the radiator to manage its temperature. Once your temperatures stabilise, it's safe to switch off the engine and rest assured you shouldn't encounter issues. Another method would be letting your car idle while it's parked to let everything stabilise for a minute or two. As far as airflow for the radiator goes, in this instance, your car's radiator fans can also kick on it to stabilise temperatures.
Verdict - Should you let your car warm up and warm down then?
Yes, you absolutely should. In light of the above, you do all of this to prolong the life of your car's engine and components and keep them reliable. Rapid changes in temperature and inadequate lubrication can hurt your car's engine and components, potentially leading to big-ticket repairs in the future due to improper care. These are pretty good habits to adopt apart from yearly maintenance.
