Warming up the engine: Though it is very important not to start driving before your engine is warmed up. Do not warm it up with too long idling - 60 to 100 seconds is usually enough time to allow your engine to idle. A cold engine will warm up faster when the vehicle is being driven than when left to idle for long periods of time. When the weather is unusually cold, remember to drive at slower speeds for a few miles to give your car time to warm up.

Don’t warm up your vehicle. Modern engine management systems do not require an extended warm-up period before driving in cold weather. Even on the coldest morning, running your engine for 30 seconds is all you need before your vehicle is ready to drive. (This is just enough time for the oil to circulate throughout the engine.) In fact, your vehicle will reach optimum operating temperature much faster when you are driving rather than when it is sitting at idle. Today’s engines are designed to run most efficiently and with the lowest emissions when warmed up, so the goal is to reach operating temperature as soon as possible. However, during the first few minutes of driving when an engine is “cold,” try to avoid sudden or severe acceleration.