how long do you warm up on a cold start?

[mediocrity]

I have a 2013 2.5 and it takes a good 5 minutes before that **** cold engine blue light goes away.

[OBnube]

Start it. Drive it. Take it easy until the light goes out. Sitting in the driveway waiting for the light to go out only benefits the gas companies.

[oldboy]

I wait until the engine begins to smooth out and idle rpm starts coming down. About 20 - 30 secs....
Then drive non-agressively until water temp is about half way from cold to normal. Then, just drive....

[Ifly1956]

I agree - I give it about 30 seconds for the oil to circulate, then I drive it fairly easy until it is warmed up. Engines warm up faster under load. Just take it easy until it is warm. I totally ignore the blue light.

[rico567]

Never sit and let an engine idle on cold start:

1. It wastes fuel.

2. It wastes your time.

3. It is not particularly conducive to enabling the engine to warm up (engine will reach operating temperature faster under load).

Start up; drive.

[grossgary]

what they said - just ignore it. pull the bulb if you need to.

a few seconds is good for oil to circulate, anything more is meaningless.

a properly built engine sees no difference in driving lightly or your average driving. given the combustion process and what those parts are doing, that difference is almost negligible.

gasoline engines operate most efficiently in a very narrow RPM range, and they are not optimized to run at low RPM's. so in some sense idling for no reason isn't a good thing for a gasoline engine.

i am not familiar with all aspects of engine break-in for new engines, so consult your owners manual for that, though I don't anticipate any difference there in regards to this question.

[Saint J VT]

It all depends on how cold it is outside.

I treat a "cold-start" at 30 degrees differently than I treat a "cold-start" at 40 below zero - which is 70 degrees colder than 30 degrees above zero (F).

Anyone who would start up a car at 40 below zero and just take off is asking for problems. The tires all have flat spots and the upholstery doesn't give at all, it's like sitting on a board.

[wonderings]

Originally Posted by rico567

Start up; drive.

+1

In Canada here, it gets pretty cold. The only reason I have ever let any car I have owned warm up, is to have heat in the car when I am ready to go. Even then, I rarely ever do that. When I want to go, I just get in and go.

[Saint J VT]

Originally Posted by wonderings

+1

In Canada here, it gets pretty cold. The only reason I have ever let any car I have owned warm up, is to have heat in the car when I am ready to go. Even then, I rarely ever do that. When I want to go, I just get in and go.

Just wondering, how cold does it get where you are?

[grossgary]

Originally Posted by Saint J VT

It all depends on how cold it is outside.

I treat a "cold-start

right, we're painting a broad picture. most folks living in extremes are using different weight oils, engine heaters, etc.

so to the original poster if you're living in an extreme environment, do let us know, most of us are assuming you're not living in 120 degree desert or frigid climate.