Do you actually need to let your car warm up in winter?

(NEXSTAR) — The cold winter days are now at our doorsteps (though many of us may experience a warmer winter this year), which also means getting into a cold car if you want to go anywhere. 

Maybe you sit in the car, shivering as you wait for the heat to kick in. Or maybe you’re lucky enough to have a car with remote start, so it’s already warm and running by the time you get in. 

Either way, you probably don’t have to let your car warm up at all. 

Decades ago, when cars relied on carburetors, you would need to let your car warm up in order for it to work properly, The Washington Post explained in a 2014 article. If you didn’t, your car could stall. 

That changed in the 1980s and 90s as car makers started using electronic fuel injections instead of carburetors. The new technology uses sensors that don’t need to be warmed up to supply fuel to the engine, according to industry experts.

Drivers were also once advised to let their cars warm up to allow the oil to warm up. When cold, oil becomes thicker, which makes it more difficult for the engine to be lubricated. This could in turn cause wear and tear on the engine, according to Todd Wenzel Chevrolet, a dealership in Hudsonville, Michigan. 

But again, with modern cars and oils, warming up the car for more than a few minutes may not be necessary. Engine oils and modern engines have been designed to work better in the cold. 

Even the U.S. Department of Energy notes that guidance from most car manufacturers says your vehicle is ready to drive after just 30 seconds of warming up.

“The engine will warm up faster being driven, which will allow the heat to turn on sooner, decrease your fuel costs, and reduce emissions,” the federal agency wrote.

Letting your car idle for more than a couple of minutes can not only waste fuel, it can cause pollution — as much pollution as a running car, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. Idling may also be illegal in your state. In Illinois, for example, state law says it is illegal for motorists to leave a car running with a key in the ignition, Nexstar’s WCIA reports.

Once you’re in your car and ready to go, AAA recommends driving your car “normally and avoiding hard acceleration.” This will bring “the engine to a warmer temperature faster” than letting it idle. While you can drive right away, it’s worth remembering that your car won’t be ready to reach interstate speeds immediately. 

It can take your engine between five and 15 minutes to completely warm up, according to Business Insider. Plus, hitting the gas pedal hard right away can cause you to waste gas, MIT mechanical engineer John Heywood told the outlet in 2016, and pose a safety risk if roads are snowy or icy.

However, if it’s an extremely cold day, it may not be a bad idea to let your car run for more than 30 seconds before driving off, Todd Wenzel Chevrolet explains. But in most cases, as long as your vehicle isn’t older than the early 1990s, you probably don’t need to let your car thaw before you hit the roads.