Freezing in my car!

[Poison Ivy]

So my car is taking FOREVER to start blowing out warm air. It's not hot at all so I'll sometimes just turn it off. Thank goodness for my heated seats. Is there something I should look for or DIY fix? Or do I need to get my car serviced?

[wahoo_shoe]

I noticed that mine last night took awhile to start blowing hot air too (I set mine to HIGH, full blast...soooo cold). I figured it might be the fact that it was 15deg when I started driving.

 

I would try letting your car warm up a few minutes before turning on the heat, then time how long it takes. If it doesn't continuously blow warm/hot air once you get it going (starts hot, goes lukewarm, goes hot again) I would get it checked.

 

One weird thing I've noticed in the MINI is that it's kinda...drafty. The door seals let in a bit of cold air while driving and the windows stay freezing the entire time. I do love those bum-warmers though :love:

[Poison Ivy]

I warmed up my car for 20 minutes this morning. Still cold. Drove the 2 miles (yah 2 miles) to work, still cold. I left it on full blast on 'Hi' while the car was warming up.

[wahoo_shoe]

I warmed up my car for 20 minutes this morning. Still cold. Drove the 2 miles (yah 2 miles) to work, still cold. I left it on full blast on 'Hi' while the car was warming up.

 

No bueno. I would get it checked

 

Global note while we're on the topic: remember to run your A/C once in awhile during the winter. Keeps everything lubed up and running smooth!

[cmcveay]

I warmed up my car for 20 minutes this morning. Still cold. Drove the 2 miles (yah 2 miles) to work, still cold. I left it on full blast on 'Hi' while the car was warming up.

 

I'm sure everyone knows that the heat in the car comes from the engine coolant. Cold engine/coolant = no heat.

 

In the morning - or even this afternoon, warm the car up with the heater turned OFF. Give it 5-10 minutes and then turn the heater on. If you still don't get any heat, try turning the front windscreen defrost on. It actually uses the A/C system to give you warm air to defrost the windscreen. That'll help warm it up inside the car a little.

 

When warmed up, the MINI runs a bit warmer than any other car I've owned (normal coolant temp runs between 214-218 degrees for the MINI from what I've seen) and they have very, very efficient cooling systems. If you run your heat at full blast while warming the car up, you added another radiator to the cooling system and that cold air inside the car was being pushed through the heater core (located in the center stack, just above the floor board) and helping keep the coolant cool/cold.

 

Now, if Lola warmed up for 20 minutes before driving and the heater was still blowing cold air, it would be worth hitting the service center as it sounds like the heater controls aren't sending the warmed up coolant to the heater core.

 

Just a reminder for everyone. Leaving a vehicle running while unattended is an open invitation to car thieves. During the winter months, this is a pretty common event as thieves are out there just waiting for someone to start their car up and run back into the house while it warms up.

[LostDenverite]

I warmed up my car for 20 minutes this morning. Still cold. Drove the 2 miles (yah 2 miles) to work, still cold. I left it on full blast on 'Hi' while the car was warming up.

 

I've a one-mile commute and I do have heat by the time I get to work, but it's the bun warmers that really get the job done.

[Edge]

This is why I love the automatic A/C option and hate the manual controls. The automatic A/C won't blast you with inappropriate air temps until the system is ready to deliver what you want. Just set the temp and let it do its thing!

 

It definitely takes a while to warm up the MINI... contrary to Craig's experience, the best heating capability I've ever felt in a car is not a MINI, but my own Mustang. Ford's heater systems really crank the heat! Ironic for me since I don't drive my Mustang in the winter any more.

[Bert]

This is why I love the DCMM forum... everyone chips in and helps out.

 

Catalina, check Lola out again tomorrow and if the same happens get her checked out.

[LostDenverite]

This is why I love the automatic A/C option and hate the manual controls. The automatic A/C won't blast you with inappropriate air temps until the system is ready to deliver what you want. Just set the temp and let it do its thing!

 

It definitely takes a while to warm up the MINI... contrary to Craig's experience, the best heating capability I've ever felt in a car is not a MINI, but my own Mustang. Ford's heater systems really crank the heat! Ironic for me since I don't drive my Mustang in the winter any more.

 

Ahhhhh. I have automatic as well. Didn't think about that.

 

Best get-hot-fast car I've ever had was a '96 Eclipse, I could cook a turkey in there. Mornings when it was snow covered, I'd crank it up and go back inside. 15 minutes later it was glistening in the sun with all of the snow circling it on the ground. Car after that was an Integra. Stinkin' efficient engine wouldn't get hot unless I drove it. Had to learn to get up early to clean the snow/ice off

[FAST060]

I was told, before my first Winter as a MINI-Momma, to not sit idle to warm up the MINI. Let it warm in motion?

 

Has anyone else heard this MINI-specific non-idle suggestion? I think I saw it in the Owners Guide somewhere.

 

I will rock the seat warmers until the engine sounds like it's warm, before I crank the heat on.

 

It was something I picked up during those freezing TX Winters. If I didn't give myself enough time to warm the car up, I had to sacrifice the heat for a few miles. Not to mention it saves us a few more pollutants in the air.

[LostDenverite]

I was told, before my first Winter as a MINI-Momma, to not sit idle to warm up the MINI. Let it warm in motion?

 

Has anyone else heard this MINI-specific non-idle suggestion? I think I saw it in the Owners Guide somewhere.

 

I will rock the seat warmers until the engine sounds like it's warm, before I crank the heat on.

 

It was something I picked up during those freezing TX Winters. If I didn't give myself enough time to warm the car up, I had to sacrifice the heat for a few miles. Not to mention it saves us a few more pollutants in the air.

 

That is true, in my manual it says to slowly drive to warm the engine up. Every car I've ever had I always let it idle until the RPMs dropped to below 1K before pulling off.

 

"Freezing TX winters"?!? I went to college in Pittsburgh and lived in Denver before moving here. You're from Houston, right?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Houston#mw-mf-search

The Climate of Houston is classified as humid subtropical. Houston's warmest month (on average) is July at 94.4 °F (34.7 °C), and the coldest month being January at 53.1 °F

 

50's. Brrrrrrr

[elpollodiablo]

Catalina, does the water temperature gauge needle read at the middle (the mini gauge doesn't read anything but dead center unless it's way cold or way hot. . .apparently there are less repair inquiries this way) after 20 minutes or is it still pegged at zero?

If it's at the midpoint, you should be pumping out heat. Have you checked your coolant levels (only do it when the engine is cool!

Even if you're seeing near-zero temps (assuming there's not ridiculous wind) your car should be warming up as sits and idles.

[TheMichael]

Catalina, does the water temperature gauge needle read at the middle (the mini gauge doesn't read anything but dead center unless it's way cold or way hot. . .apparently there are less repair inquiries this way) after 20 minutes or is it still pegged at zero?

If it's at the midpoint, you should be pumping out heat. Have you checked your coolant levels (only do it when the engine is cool!

Even if you're seeing near-zero temps (assuming there's not ridiculous wind) your car should be warming up as sits and idles.

 

You have a water temperature gauge????

 

I'm jealous!

[elpollodiablo]

Hmmm, maybe the gen 2's don't have a water temp gauge. It's standard on an R53 (like mine.)

Anyone got a scangauge Catalina can borrow

[Edge]

I was told, before my first Winter as a MINI-Momma, to not sit idle to warm up the MINI. Let it warm in motion?

 

Has anyone else heard this MINI-specific non-idle suggestion? I think I saw it in the Owners Guide somewhere.

 

I will rock the seat warmers until the engine sounds like it's warm, before I crank the heat on.

 

It was something I picked up during those freezing TX Winters. If I didn't give myself enough time to warm the car up, I had to sacrifice the heat for a few miles. Not to mention it saves us a few more pollutants in the air.

I used to let my car sit and warm up for 5 minutes before I went anywhere... especially when I had the remote-start installed on my Mustang. My thinking was the same - warm up the car before putting any strain on it.

 

...Then I heard on one of the car shows on the radio that it's a bad idea to do that. Why? Because sitting the car at idle only warms up certain parts of the car. Then, when you start to move, you have some parts warmed up, other parts (that require motion) still cold, and a false sense of confidence that everything is OK.

 

Their advice was to start the car and drive it right away, but drive it in a much more relaxed/cautious fashion (especially don't rev the engine too high) until the engine had warmed up. Since the car is in motion, you can be confident that the other parts (that don't have a thermostat) have also warmed up along with it.

 

It made perfect sense to me, so that's what I do now.

[wahoo_shoe]

I do the same. I've been mostly starting my car in a garage this winter, so it doesn't get as super-duper cold. I usually let it sit for a minute or two to get the fluids going again, as it is sometimes a week in between drives. If it's cold in a parking lot, I let it sit for the same minute or so, usually until I can feel the Level 3 Bum Warmer. Then, off I go.

 

Idling a car is generally the worst state for a car and the environment. As long as you don't tax the engine, you're good. I do notice lag in my engine if I go after only 30sec or so and step on it, nice reminder to go easy and give it an extra second or two.

 

My '98 Jetta was a champ at warming up. Germans know their heat I guess

 

I used to let my car sit and warm up for 5 minutes before I went anywhere... especially when I had the remote-start installed on my Mustang. My thinking was the same - warm up the car before putting any strain on it.

 

...Then I heard on one of the car shows on the radio that it's a bad idea to do that. Why? Because sitting the car at idle only warms up certain parts of the car. Then, when you start to move, you have some parts warmed up, other parts (that require motion) still cold, and a false sense of confidence that everything is OK.

 

Their advice was to start the car and drive it right away, but drive it in a much more relaxed/cautious fashion (especially don't rev the engine too high) until the engine had warmed up. Since the car is in motion, you can be confident that the other parts (that don't have a thermostat) have also warmed up along with it.

 

It made perfect sense to me, so that's what I do now.

[Bert]

JAKE, my 14 yr old Jeep, doesn't have all the diagnostics to run through upon start up. I start it and then drive conservatively until the temp. gauge moves some, that is what the manual states.

 

With ERNIE (2012 - 2nd Gen.) you can hear the engine running through the start up diagnostics and you can hear the oil lubing the valves. After it has calmed down some I drive it conservatively for a few minutes before getting spirited. I'm waiting to install the temp. gauge... hopefully in the Spring.

 

Let's remember... starting your car and leaving it to warm up is illegal in most jurisdictions. I know it is the law in MD and DC, I'm not sure about across the Potomac. Also, if any thing happens (theft, someone injured from it rolling, etc.) your insurance will not cover you for an unattended vehicle. Sorry for the buzz kill. :embarassed:

[Edge]

Let's remember... starting your car and leaving it to warm up is illegal in most jurisdictions. I know it is the law in MD and DC, I'm not sure about across the Potomac. Also, if any thing happens (theft, someone injured from it rolling, etc.) your insurance will not cover you for an unattended vehicle. Sorry for the buzz kill. :embarassed:

Yep, I once got a ticket from a cop in DC for just that. My Mustang was parked in front of my parents' house in Georgetown, and I used the remote start feature of the high-end alarm system I had bought to fire it up and run the A/C before I had to leave. This particular alarm system was designed so that even though the car was running, you could not drive the car until the key was put in the ignition and the key turned to the ON position. Any attempt to drive before that would immediately shut the engine off.

 

I saw the cop writing the ticket and came out to try to stop him, explaining that it was locked and also undrivable, but he wouldn't hear it and wrote me the ticket anyway. I ended up fighting the ticket, including getting a signed statement from my alarm & stereo shop about the security of the system I had installed, and I managed to get the ticket dismissed.

 

The "unattended running vehicle" laws are well intentioned, but as remote start becomes more commonplace (recall the VW ad with the kid dressed as Darth Vader, showing off the factory remote start option), they will need to be revised.

[VioletDC]

That was my understanding, as well ... MINIs aren't supposed to 'warm up' 4 however long we did w/other cars back in the day. I just wait 'til my temp gauge made it 2 the 1/2 mark b4 turning the heat on. Prior to that, I turn on the bun warmer, which makes it a bit more comfy 'til the car completely gets warm. :top:

 

 

I was told, before my first Winter as a MINI-Momma, to not sit idle to warm up the MINI. Let it warm in motion?

 

Has anyone else heard this MINI-specific non-idle suggestion? I think I saw it in the Owners Guide somewhere.

 

I will rock the seat warmers until the engine sounds like it's warm, before I crank the heat on.

 

It was something I picked up during those freezing TX Winters. If I didn't give myself enough time to warm the car up, I had to sacrifice the heat for a few miles. Not to mention it saves us a few more pollutants in the air.