Should Idaho Drivers Warm Up Their Cars In The Winter?

Drivers all over the Treasure Valley are gearing up from what is going to presumably be a pretty harsh winter season. And while there's not much driving "practice" you can do to prepare for the winter months, there are plenty of precautions Treasure Valley drivers take.

"You need to let the car warm up before driving in cold temperatures.”

Many of us heard this saying growing up... and many of us still believe it.

It seems to make sense too, right? You need to let your car or truck sit idling before you take off for your adventure. Once it "warms" up, you're free to go... even if it's totally illegal to let the car idle but it needs to be done!

The logic? You’re allowing the engine’s fluids to flow throughout and literally “warm up” the car. We've even heard someone share a quote from their dad comparing warming up a car to the human body: “You don’t ever see someone just hop out of bed in the morning and start sprinting at full speed.”

When you think about it, it makes total sense. Why would anyone do that? You can’t expect the car to get out of bed and just go 65 miles an hour without first idling in the driveway for a few minutes… right?

You've been living a lie

Unfortunately for those who believe in warming up your car before taking off... we have some bad news for you: you've been living a lie.

According to experts with Accuweather who specialize in debunking winter driving myths, “there is no benefit at all to letting your car run for a while before driving it.”

Apparently, it used to be true back when cars weren't computer-controlled or fuel-injected. Today, Accuweather says "today’s technology allows a car’s computer to compensate for the temperature difference in order to make it work immediately and efficiently."

So, the next time you hear someone say something about warming their car in cold weather... let them know the truth: they're living a lie.