Warm Up Your Vehicle The Right Way

December 12th, 2022 by

woman driving a car in cold weather wearing a yellow coat and a gray hat and gloves.

We don’t get a lot of cold weather here in Wesley Chapel, but if you plan on traveling north during the winter season you’re likely to wake up to a few cold mornings. Follow these steps to properly warm up your Lexus.

Why You Need To Warm Up Your Car

If you’re driving an older vehicle, you will need to warm your car up every morning because of a component called a carburetor. Carburetors don’t operate well in cold temperatures and require that the vehicle is allowed to idle for a few minutes before you pull out of your drive way. If you’re driving a more modern car, you’re vehicle probably uses a fuel injector instead. The fuel injector is controlled by a computer which can detect the temperature and make the proper adjustments to keep your car riding smoothly. Does that mean you don’t need to warm your car up at all? No. You probably don’t want to drive in a icy vehicle and if your windshield and windows are iced over, attempting to operate your vehicle without defrosting them is a huge safety hazard.

How To Warm Up Your Car

To warm up your car you might think the best thing to do is to just crank it up and turn the temperature knob as high as it will go, but there is a better way. Follow these steps.

  1. Instead of immediately cranking your car up, turn the key enough to turn on the electrical system. This will start the fuel pump and after just a few second, you can go ahead and start your engine.
  2. If you turn on your heater right away you’re likely to be hit with a blast of cold air, so wait a minute or two before you turn it on.
  3. When your vehicle is fully online the heater will start to work.
  4. Let your vehicle idle for a few minutes until the warm air begins to flow steadily.

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Lexus of Wesley Chapel Service Center

If you’re going on a road trip and you need to make sure your vehicle is ready for the adventure, schedule an appointment with the Lexus of Wesley Chapel Service Center. Our team will make sure your vehicle is ready for the road ahead and your heater is ready to keep you warm.

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Posted in Vehicle