Anyone taught how to drive by older parents or family members would have probably been told that you need to let the car warm up before leaving.
After all, anything that can prolong the life of the car is a good thing, right? Especially when it’s in the colder months of winter.
Well, the act of leaving your car running before you set off could actually land you a number of different fines.
Is it illegal to warm up your car before driving?
There is a lot of conflicting information online regarding this question, but in Australia, it could be considered a breach of the law to leave your car idling.
While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that “idling is not an offence” – in NSW there is a specific law called "do not stop the engine of a stationary vehicle". This is a noise complaint infringement that would likely score you a fine of $235 if you have a modified or loud exhaust.
In a clearer-cut law, it is illegal to leave your car unattended while it is idling. Regulation 213 of the Australian Road Rules states that if the driver intends to venture more than three metres beyond the vehicle, they must switch it off. If there is nobody in the vehicle, or only a child younger than 16, they must remove the keys from the ignition. If there is nobody in the vehicle, they must put the windows up and lock the doors.
There are subrules that are $140 each in New South Wales – not restrain vehicle properly, leave engine on, not remove ignition key and not secure windows/lock doors (vehicle unattended). You could end up with $560 in fines by leaving your car unattended and idling.
In Victoria, the fine for failing to make a vehicle secure is $201 and one demerit point, or up to $600 if imposed by a court. Leaving your car idling and unattended in Tasmania could see you hit with a fine of nearly $1000.
Considering all factors, is it actually beneficial to warm up your car in the morning?
Do I need to warm up my car before driving?
Unless you own an old car, your car has been sitting for a while, or your windows are foggy, no.
Modern cars are very different to those of years past. Modern fuelling solutions and accelerated oil development mean that sitting and leaving the car idling for a few minutes has been rendered obsolete.
"Oil has become more technologically advanced and is now much more efficient," says James Boer, who has been a Bentley and Rolls-Royce mechanic for five years.
"It doesn't break down over hot and cold temperatures, the viscosity stays the same, and it circulates through the engine much more efficiently.
"When it comes to modern-day fuelling, there are a heap more sensors on the engine that let the computer know the optimum fuel/air mixture."
In fact, by leaving your car idling, you’re actually wasting a decent chunk of petrol. Let's say that you have 10 minutes of idle time per day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year. That's 2600 minutes a year or 43.3 hours. Studies have shown that idling engines use around 0.6L/hour per litre of engine size. That equates to 26 litres of fuel wasted per litre of displacement per year.
If you had a 2.0-litre engine, you are essentially kissing away 52 litres or around $105 worth of fuel just sitting there.
To find out more about the effects of idling, you can read our previous story here.
Zane Dobie comes from a background of motorcycle journalism, working for notable titles such as Australian Motorcycle News Magazine, Just Bikes and BikeReview. Despite his fresh age, Zane brings a lifetime of racing and hands-on experience. His passion now resides on four wheels as an avid car collector, restorer, drift car pilot and weekend go-kart racer.
