Warming up the car in the parking lot. Necessary or harmful? (video)

Low temperatures contribute to increased fuel consumption. The engine that warms up longer, the heating system and other consumers of electricity (for example, heated rear window) work. All this makes the drive run at a higher speed.

However, the driver can do a lot to reduce fuel consumption and save money. Zbigniew Veseli, instructor and head of the Renault driving school, emphasizes that you should not warm up the engine in the parking lot. You can get a fine for this, besides, the engine warms up longer, which means it burns more fuel. Until the engine reaches its optimum operating temperature (approx. 90 degrees Celsius), it should also not exceed 2000 rpm. You should always try to drive as smoothly as possible, in the snow it is worth keeping to the rut to avoid skidding.

- Minus temperatures cause large heat losses not only in the radiator itself, but also in the engine compartment. Therefore, we need much more energy to warm up the engine. In addition, because of the cold, the car has to overcome much more resistance, because all the oils and greases become thicker. It also affects fuel consumption,” says Zbigniew Veseli, director of the Renault driving school. We should also not forget that in winter the road surface is often icy and snowy, so in order to overcome snow obstacles, we often drive in lower gears, but at higher engine speeds, which increases fuel consumption. – The reason for the increased fuel consumption is also errors in driving technique, often caused by a lack of knowledge and skills, adds Zbigniew Veseli.

Source: TVN Turbo / x-news

How long our car burns depends not only on weather conditions, but also on our driving style.

– Acceleration of a cold engine to high speeds significantly increases its combustion. Therefore, for the first 20 minutes, it is better not to overload it and make sure that the tachometer needle is at around 2000-2500 rpm, say Renault driving school instructors.

In addition, if we want to warm up the interior, do it slowly, do not set the heat to maximum. Let's also limit the use of the air conditioner, because it consumes up to 20 percent. more fuel. It is worth turning it on only when the windows fog up and this interferes with our visibility.

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Winter car inspection

Changing tires to winter tires is primarily a safety issue, but tires also play a role in a vehicle's fuel economy. They provide better traction and shorter braking distances on slippery surfaces and thus avoid harsh and jittery pedaling. Then we don't waste energy trying to get out of a skid or trying to drive on a snowy road.

“We must also remember that a drop in temperature is associated with a decrease in pressure in our tires, so we must regularly check their condition. Tires with insufficient pressure cause a significant increase in fuel consumption, lengthen the braking distance and impair the car's handling, Renault driving school instructors say.