Ah, winter. The season of chill, blustery mornings, and pure, white snowdrifts. There are plenty of wonderful things to look forward to. Cuddling by the fire with your significant other. Building snowmen and hurling snowballs with your kids. Feeling the sharp bite of a snowflake on your tongue. The rich, comforting warmth of a sip of hot cocoa or the spicy sweetness of a mug of apple cider. Time off work and holidays spent with families and close friends.
However, climbing into a freezing cold truck every morning to get to your nine-to-five job is probably not very high on your list of special winter moments. In fact, it’s likely just slightly above scraping snow and ice off your windshield while your hands are stiff from the cold.
If you’re tired of shivering on the drive to work, this article is for you. You aren’t doomed to have miserable mornings for four months of the year, we promise. There are some simple fixes that everyone can try, no matter the make, model, or year of truck you’re driving.
Here are nine great tips for warming up your truck faster this winter.
Park in a Sheltered Spot
If at all possible, park your truck in a garage. This will keep your ride sheltered from the elements, and the enclosed space will prevent your truck from getting quite so cold. Unheated garages tend to stay about 20 degrees warmer than the outside, which means you don’t have to heat that extra 20 degrees.
If a garage isn’t an option, try to find a sheltered spot, such as under a cover or behind a fence or wall. You’ll avoid cold from the wind chill while getting into the car, and you won’t have to scrape ice and snow off your windshield.
Turn Your A/C On
This may seem counterintuitive, but the A/C is much more effective at warming your truck. You’ll want to turn off the button that circulates cabin air—this is useful only when the cabin is already at the desired temperature.
Instead, turn on your heater and blast the A/C. This causes your truck to pull fresh air in over the car’s heater and send that warmth right into the front seat.
Get an Engine Block Heater
An engine block heater is a great aftermarket option to add to your vehicle if you—or your kids—can’t stand the cold. It uses a timer to start warming the car a few hours before you need to leave. It also wastes less gas by warming the truck without starting the engine.
Invest in a Heated Steering Wheel and Seats
This one is an investment, but it’s worth it if you live somewhere with frigid winters. For your next car, choose one with a heated steering wheel and seats. These upgrades are more expensive, but they sure are nice on chilly mornings.
Install a Remote Starter
A remote starter allows you to start the car before you even step outside. This lets the car start warming up while you’re still putting on your jacket. Win? Win.
Crack Open the Windows
Though it’s frigid for the first few moments, cracking the windows open can make the truck warmer. This is because warm air contains more water vapor than cold air. As the temperature drops, the water molecules inside the car—condensation—freeze.
Opening the window releases any excess water vapor and takes as little as 10 seconds. In addition to making your truck a bit warmer, this will also help you defrost your windshield!
Take It for a Drive
While this isn’t true of older models, modern cars need only about 30 seconds to warm up the engine enough to run smoothly. That said, it isn’t necessary to idle in the driveway for five or 10 minutes.
Instead, start driving! Your car is better at putting out heat while it’s in motion. In addition, this method significantly cuts down on fuel waste and gets you to your destination quicker than if you waited in your driveway.
Bundle Up
If your truck is still too chilly or you can’t wait for it to heat up, consider bundling up before walking out to your car. You won’t need as much warm gear as you would for a day in the snow, but a jacket and a good pair of gloves will work wonders.
This is also a good suggestion for little ones. If you’re driving the kids to school each morning, you’ve likely heard complaints about being cold. Bundle them up in their coats, hats, and mittens, and settle them in the car like that. They’ll likely be more comfortable on the car ride, you’ll lower their chances of catching a cold, and you won’t need to dress them again as you drop them off for school.
And this way, you can talk to them about anything—besides how cold they are—the entire ride to school.
Keep Cold Air Out
Once you’ve got the truck warmed up, maintain that warmth by keeping as much cold air out as possible. A screen for the front of your truck works wonders to prevent that freezing air from seeping into the cabin. If you’re noticing cold air in the cabin, especially while driving at high speeds, you need one of these.
At Fia, we work tirelessly to design high-quality truck gear. Our Fia winter front screen excels at keeping the cold air out. Plus, this custom-fit grill cover doubles as a winter front and bug screen. It’s simple to transition between these two options, depending on road and weather conditions, and is useful year-round, not just during the winter.
We design each grill cover for a different truck make and model to ensure the perfect fit every time. Search your truck’s make and model on our website to find the perfect grill cover and more.
We hope these tips for warming up your truck faster in winter will keep you nice and toasty on your drive to work. After all, no one likes driving with frozen fingers (or frozen kiddos).
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