How long do you wait to turn on the heater?

Just curious… how long do you wait to turn on your car’s heater? I usually wait until the engine warms up about halfway to normal operating temp. My thinking is it’s better for the engine since the coolant isn’t being diverted too early. I’ve noticed the temp needle dips when I stop at a light with the blower on max. Anyone else do the same?

I do that too, especially with older cars. Newer ones with auto climate control won’t even turn on the blower until the car’s warmed up a bit, which is nice. My old Scion used to take forever to heat up, but my Tundra gets warm super fast!

@Kirby
Yeah, I don’t have auto climate control, but it sounds convenient. Guess I should’ve upgraded when I had the chance!

I use it right away. The coolant cycles as the engine warms, so it doesn’t take long for hot air to come through.

Bailey said:
I use it right away. The coolant cycles as the engine warms, so it doesn’t take long for hot air to come through.

Wait… does ‘coolant cycles’ mean the heater doesn’t slow down the engine warming up?

Bailey said:
I use it right away. The coolant cycles as the engine warms, so it doesn’t take long for hot air to come through.

Yeah, pretty much. As long as it’s not freezing out, you’re good to use the heater right away.

Depends how cold it is. I keep the blower on the lowest speed until the engine’s fully warmed up. Then I rarely go past speed 1 or 2.

Casey said:
Depends how cold it is. I keep the blower on the lowest speed until the engine’s fully warmed up. Then I rarely go past speed 1 or 2.

That’s a solid strategy. I’ve noticed higher speeds really cool the engine down faster.

I wait about a mile before turning it on. By then there’s usually good heat coming through. Living somewhere mild, I just layer up if it’s cold. No big deal.

Keir said:
I wait about a mile before turning it on. By then there’s usually good heat coming through. Living somewhere mild, I just layer up if it’s cold. No big deal.

Smart. I guess I’m overthinking it… lol. Layers solve everything, huh?

I don’t touch the heater until the temp gauge is halfway up. If I use auto climate control, the fan goes full blast, which slows down the engine warming. Manual systems are way better IMO.

Wynn said:
I don’t touch the heater until the temp gauge is halfway up. If I use auto climate control, the fan goes full blast, which slows down the engine warming. Manual systems are way better IMO.

Auto systems usually won’t blow air until the coolant hits a certain temp. My Camry warms faster than my F-150, but the Ford’s heater is way stronger. Asian cars just run cooler overall.

Wynn said:
I don’t touch the heater until the temp gauge is halfway up. If I use auto climate control, the fan goes full blast, which slows down the engine warming. Manual systems are way better IMO.

That makes sense. I still prefer the control of a manual system, though!

I skip the heater unless I need the defogger. Heated seats and dressing warm are all I need. If the car breaks down, I can walk without freezing.

True said:
I skip the heater unless I need the defogger. Heated seats and dressing warm are all I need. If the car breaks down, I can walk without freezing.

Practical approach! Heated seats are a lifesaver in the cold.