Why idling your car in the cold for too long may not be good

• Preventative maintenance ideal
• Change oil before storing seasonal vehicles away

While getting into a cozy, warm vehicle on cold winter days is preferred, idling your car for too long may not be in the best interest for your car.

“The onboard systems are designed so that you don’t idle the vehicle for very long,” Kevin Delaney, owner of Valleypro Autohouse told Kelowna10.

“Starting it and running it for a minute or two at most is probably ideal.”

He said running the engine for extended periods of time may be harmful to the car if done on a regular basis.

Oil deposits can form in the engine over time, eventually requiring maintenance. He said that’s especially true for diesel engines.

It can also lead to increased oil consumption, decreased fuel economy, and other unwanted side effects.

“All you want is the oil to circulate through the engine and a little bit of warmth in there so you’re not running stone cold,” Delaney said.

Over the holidays, temperatures dipped to near record-breaking lows. The daytime highs were consistently in the minus teens and overnight lows in the minus 20s in Kelowna.

Delaney explained the best thing you can do for your car is preventative maintenance.

Ideally in the fall before winter, it’s best to book an appointment for fresh oil, change any filters, and make sure components are ready for the cold.

“There’s a lot to be said for preventative maintenance. In these temperatures you need everything to be thrown at it.... The cold air cannot be blocked by a dirty air filter. The fuel cannot be starved by a clogged fuel filter. Spark plugs being weak will not do you any favours,”

Preventive maintenance is also beneficial for anyone who drives seasonal vehicles, like motorcycles.

While some people intend to change the oil and perform maintenance at the start of a vehicle’s season, Delaney said it’s best to book an appointment before it goes into storage.

While the vehicle is parked for an extended period, acids can build up in the oil and eat away some of the metal bearings inside the engine.

Valleypro has seen interior bearings of a crankshaft in the connecting rods eaten away from acids in dirty oil.

It’s also best practice to put fuel stabilizer in the gas tank to maintain proper octane levels.

“Honestly, seven out of 10 things that go wrong in vehicles is due to people not doing maintenance,” Delaney said.

“As much as people hate dealer recommendation on servicing, it’s usually there for a pretty good reason.”