How long should you warm up your car in winter?

While you get ready to change into snow tires for protection for winter drives, have you wondered whether you should also warm up your car before heading out of the driveway? After all, you don’t like being cold—so does your car feel the same way? How long should you let it run before taking off on a chilly morning? Let’s find out what’s best for your vehicle.

How long should you let your car warm up?

How long you should warm up your car depends on the temperature where you live, and what kind of vehicle you drive. Some modern vehicles have a temperature gauge that indicates when the engine is warmed up. The normal operating temperature for cars is when the temperature gauge needle is between C (cold) and H (hot). The following overview covers typical warm-up times for different cars and engine types:

Gasoline engines

Modern gasoline cars don’t need much idling time, even in the cold. If you follow winter car maintenance tips, you only need as little as 30 seconds to a minute in mild winter conditions (around -5°C), and you're good to go.

For example, in cities like Toronto, Ontario, where temperatures hover around -5 °C to -10 °C, a quick 30-second to 1-minute warm-up is usually enough before driving.

When temperatures drop to -20°C or lower, you might want to let it run for a couple of minutes. The Canadian Automobile Association says it takes conventional engine oil up to two minutes to loosen up and flow properly at this temperature, though synthetic oil flows much faster.

But if you live in places like Northern Ontario or Alberta, where it can dip below -30°C, you might want to let your car idle for 2-3 minutes to get things moving, but again, driving gently will warm things up more efficiently.

Diesel engines

Diesel engines need a little extra time since they rely on compression rather than spark plugs. In very cold weather, letting a diesel idle for 3–5 minutes can help prevent sluggish performance. Many diesels also have glow plugs that warm up before starting, so waiting a few seconds before turning the key can make a difference.

Electric vehicles

For hybrids and EVs, warming up while plugged in is best. According to AAA, car batteries can lose up to 50% of their efficiency in temperatures below -18°C. Preheating helps save battery range, and many EVs have built-in systems to warm the battery for better efficiency in the cold.

Does your car need to warm up before driving?

Before we get into how long you should warm up your car in cold weather, let’s talk about why people do it in the first place. You’ve probably heard that driving with a cold engine isn’t great for your car, but is that still true today? While the reasons have changed over the years, many drivers still let their cars idle before heading out on chilly mornings.

Back in the day, older cars had carbureted engines that needed a little extra time to warm up. The choke had to adjust the air-fuel mixture just right, or the car's engine might stall.

But modern cars don’t have this issue anymore—they use fuel-injected engines that automatically regulate the mixture, so stalling isn’t a concern. Here’s the lowdown on modern fuel-injected engines:

Modern fuel-injected engines

Modern fuel-injected engines are designed to handle cold weather way better than older carbureted ones. Today’s fuel-injection systems automatically adjust for temperature in real time. So, while you don’t need to let your car idle for long before driving, there’s still a good reason to give it a moment to warm up: engine oil.

In freezing temperatures, engine oil thickens and moves more slowly. Think of it like honey—cold oil doesn’t flow as easily. But when it warms up, it becomes more fluid and coats the engine parts properly. Since oil is responsible for lubricating all those moving components, you want it to circulate efficiently as soon as possible.

When you start your car, the oil pump gets to work, but it takes a few moments to reach all the critical areas. Letting your car idle for about 30 seconds to a minute gives the oil time to flow, reducing wear and tear. So by the time you hop in, buckle up, and get settled, your car might not feel warm yet, but the engine is ready to go. After that, gentle driving will warm things up faster than extended idling, so you can hit the road without unnecessary delay.

Why you shouldn't let your engine idle for too long

Letting your car idle for too long on a cold morning isn’t just a waste of fuel—it also pumps unnecessary emissions into the air. While it might seem like a harmless habit, idling actually contributes to pollution, which increases the effects of climate change.

Gasoline and diesel engines release carbon dioxide (CO₂), a major greenhouse gas, along with other pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. These can harm air quality, especially in cities where thousands of cars idle every day.

In fact, if you live in a city, check your local bylaws for idling. These idling laws will vary by province. Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia have anti-idling bylaws, often limiting idling to 1-3 minutes unless it’s exceptionally cold. Some municipalities even issue fines for excessive idling.

How much fuel does idling waste?

According to Natural Resources Canada, a car idling for 10 minutes can waste up to 0.5 liters of fuel, depending on the vehicle type. If you let your car idle for just 10 minutes a day, that adds up to nearly 180 litres of wasted fuel per year, just for warming up. And if millions of drivers do the same? That’s a massive amount of unnecessary emissions going into the air.

Eco-friendly alternatives to idling

So, what’s a more eco-friendly way to handle cold starts? Engine block heaters are a great option, especially in extreme cold. These small devices warm up your engine before you even start the car, making it easier on the engine and reducing the need for idling.

Remote starters with timers can also help—you can set them to run for just a couple of minutes instead of leaving the engine on for long stretches, avoiding extended warm ups.

Ultimately, the best strategy is to let your car run for 30 seconds to a couple of minutes, then drive gently to warm it up naturally. This saves fuel, reduces emissions, and gets you moving faster.

Common myths about warming up your car

Now that we've explained how long you should warm up your car in winter and why it's good to let your car idle—just not for too long—let's debunk some common myths about warming up your car in the winter below:

1. Idling doesn’t use any gas

As you now know, when your car is idling, it’s still burning fuel. Your engine uses gas while idling, but without driving, it doesn’t generate much heat efficiently. So, instead of helping, excessive idling just wastes fuel and lowers your overall gas mileage. Instead, the best way to warm up your car is to let it run for 30 seconds to a minute, then start driving gently. That way, your engine warms up faster, you save fuel, and you’re not just burning gas while sitting still.

2. Idling warms up the engine

Back in the day, when cars had carburetors, warming up the engine was a must—otherwise, in really cold weather, your car might not even start. But carburetors were phased out in the 1990s, and today’s fuel-injected engines don’t have that problem.

Even 15 years ago, the Government of Canada suggested idling for two to three minutes in cold weather. But now, we know that idling isn’t the most effective way to warm up your engine. It burns fuel without getting you anywhere, and modern engines actually warm up faster when you start driving gently instead of just sitting still.

3. Idling warms up the windshield

Your car’s heater works by using the extra heat from the engine, so when you first start it up, there’s no warm air yet—it’s just as cold inside as it is outside. And since modern engines don’t warm up efficiently by idling, cranking the heat and waiting won’t do much. That means if your windshield is covered in ice, you can’t just rely on the defrost setting to do the job.

To minimize frost buildup without excessive idling, park facing east so the morning sun helps melt ice. Use a windshield cover, and if frost still forms, scrape it manually instead of relying on the defroster—it’s faster and saves fuel!

Tips for driving in cold weather

Driving in cold weather comes with its own set of challenges, but a few simple steps can make a big difference. Here are some tips to help you out:

• Use the right engine oil—thinner, winter-grade oil flows better in freezing temperatures, keeping your engine protected.
• Check your tire pressure regularly since cold air can make tires lose pressure, affecting traction on icy roads and fuel efficiency.
• If you’re in an area with harsh winters, use winter-grade fuel, which is specially formulated to prevent freezing issues.
• Always clear off snow and ice before driving—seeing clearly is just as important as keeping your car running smoothly.

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