With cold, ice, and snow falling across the U.S., you may want to heat up your car before driving.
That may not be a good idea, say AAA experts. Lubricating oil reaches the engine's key parts in roughly the time it takes to secure your seat belt.
"Drive normally and avoid hard acceleration to warm the engine faster and reduce wear and exhaust emissions," AAA managing director of Automotive Cliff Ruud told USA TODAY. "Naturally, a little longer idle time is OK in the winter while you clear snow and ice from the windshield and other car parts."
Here's more on traveling in the cold as Canadian arctic air brings subfreezing temperatures and 68 million Americans are under a winter weather alert Tuesday.
JD Power says uncharged batteries may prevent your car from starting in the cold. When the starter is slow, the consumer intelligence business stated drivers may notice this.
However, this may not be the only reason the automobile won't start in cold weather. Last year's J.D. Power blog post claimed winter often reveals hidden issues.
J.D. Power suggests these ways to start your car's battery in the cold: Flash the high beams for 20–30 seconds to warm the battery. Start the engine. If your car has an injector, wait a few seconds for the fuel pump to work.
If your carburetor doesn't choke automatically, pull the lever. Manual transmission cars: depress the clutch pedal before starting the engine. Start the car for 10–15 seconds to avoid overheating. If your automobile won't start, wait a minute.
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