Can i drive when the COOL indicator light is on?

[hans_fh]

I just wonder if I need to drive until the COOL indicator light if off?

Thanks

[eTiMaGo]

You can, but it's not recommended, engine needs to warm up a bit no matter what

[jmew0ng]

I thought it was recommended to actually drive the car to warm it up :x

[esquiva]

i always wait for it to warm up..it would run smoother and would lessen the wearing of the engine.... u could experience knocking running on a cold engine, and u would feel less power...plus a cold engine burns a lot more fuel

[gonzo452001]

the owners manual says not to warm it up guess they never heard of frost. I have a garage my 04taco says to run it for a minute to get the oil pumped up

[nsmitchell]

Of course you can drive it when the cold light is on.
A cold engine does not run as efficiently as a warm engine, so they let you know this, and on automatics, the transmission will hold 3rd gear and not go into 4th until the engine has reached operating temp. Has nothing to do with "warming" the car before "driving". Not driving it is just wasting gas. It is recommended that you not "gun" an engine that has not warmed up yet, but that is true of any car. Gunning an engine that has not warmed up yet will waste a lot of gas. It's kinda nice that that little function is built into our cars. Scions too.

As usual, if you are worrried about freezing temps and warming your engine, use a synthetic oil. Synthetics unlike conventional doesn't thicken up in cold temps and pumps perfectly no matter how cold.

About a 10 second wait before driving of is sufficient.

[eTiMaGo]

yeah, it's a really COOL function :wink:

[ChinoCharles]

Keep the RPM's low until the cool light goes off to ensure you don't cause any unnecessary wear on your engine. It doesn't mean you can't/shouldn't drive it.

[pxpaulx]

I thought it was recommended to actually drive the car to warm it up :x

That is right, it is in the manual. you're supposed to drive it conservatively until the light goes off.

[07WYarisRS]

Running an engine as you normally would when cold will shorten the life of the cylinders, pistons and rings. (three different metals all expand at different rates)
You can drive it cold but you must drive it easy
Most cars it 130-150 degress before the lights go out or guage starts to climb.
You don't need to wait for the light to go out but you do need to drive it very easy until it's warmed up to normal operating temps(5 minutes of driving)

Lately in the mornings it takes a couple minutes for the windshild to defrost and I have not noticed much of a difference in fuel mileage with the extra minute or two.

Remember Toyota is in the business of selling cars, not handing out tips that will let your car last 1,000,000km. Driving with out any warm up is a great because people don't like to wait and it does save a bit of fuel. But it will shorten the life of the engine.
Thats why it seems like engines now days don't seem to last like the engines from the 60's 70's and 80's. Back then the old carbed engines had to be warmed up before you could drive them with out stalling or hesitating badly. These engines lasted for ever even with garbage oils back then due to the long slow warm up.
Todays engines are FAR better in design and with proper care and warm up will last 2X as long. But EFI systems allow you to drive with a stone cold engine and that shortens the life of the engine. And that's why so many engines are dead before they ever hit 250,000km.

[Driver]

:thumbup: Absolutely, no reason why you can't.

[Katana]

I completely agree with the guys above!

[KSIbucky]

for my car i just start it up see the light dont think drive away almost right away its off

[Kitt]

2 years driving like that with the light on and no problems so far... (of course the light goes off after a while)

[ECHOKnight2000]

yeah, it's a really COOL function :wink:

:laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove:
Funny guy! Where does he get them, where does he get them!?!:laugh: :thumbsup:

[Kitt]

Of course you can drive it when the cold light is on.
A cold engine does not run as efficiently as a warm engine, so they let you know this, and on automatics, the transmission will hold 3rd gear and not go into 4th until the engine has reached operating temp. Has nothing to do with "warming" the car before "driving". Not driving it is just wasting gas. It is recommended that you not "gun" an engine that has not warmed up yet, but that is true of any car. Gunning an engine that has not warmed up yet will waste a lot of gas. It's kinda nice that that little function is built into our cars. Scions too.

As usual, if you are worrried about freezing temps and warming your engine, use a synthetic oil. Synthetics unlike conventional doesn't thicken up in cold temps and pumps perfectly no matter how cold.

About a 10 second wait before driving of is sufficient.
And actually when the engine is cold and the COOL light is on, the engine runs faster untill it reaches the normal operating temp

[nsmitchell]

You guys are COLD hearted! :biggrin:

[eTiMaGo]

Nah actually I figured it out, called a Toyota engineer in Japan and everything.... that light is a reminder to the driver that he/she is driving a COOL car... So it stays on for a couple minutes every day, just so they don't forget!

Ah Toyota, what will they think of next?

[pxpaulx]

And actually when the engine is cold and the COOL light is on, the engine runs faster untill it reaches the normal operating temp

yeah, the cold engine light actually coincides with the RPM drop - when it gets to 1K RPM at idle the light goes off.

[raysem]

Up here at 53 degrees North, the "Cool" light stays on for some time on our frosty mornings.

Threw me the first time I seen it - but I tend to ignore it now....

-- Ray --

[Kitt]

what a COOL thread!

[07WYarisRS]

The FIAV is temp controled...
it's basically a throttle plate bypass.
It works like a thermostat and once it's up to temp it closes and the RMPs drop down to normal.

[regulus]

Running an engine as you normally would when cold will shorten the life of the cylinders, pistons and rings. (three different metals all expand at different rates)
You can drive it cold but you must drive it easy
Most cars it 130-150 degress before the lights go out or guage starts to climb.
You don't need to wait for the light to go out but you do need to drive it very easy until it's warmed up to normal operating temps(5 minutes of driving)

Lately in the mornings it takes a couple minutes for the windshild to defrost and I have not noticed much of a difference in fuel mileage with the extra minute or two.

Remember Toyota is in the business of selling cars, not handing out tips that will let your car last 1,000,000km. Driving with out any warm up is a great because people don't like to wait and it does save a bit of fuel. But it will shorten the life of the engine.
Thats why it seems like engines now days don't seem to last like the engines from the 60's 70's and 80's. Back then the old carbed engines had to be warmed up before you could drive them with out stalling or hesitating badly. These engines lasted for ever even with garbage oils back then due to the long slow warm up.
Todays engines are FAR better in design and with proper care and warm up will last 2X as long. But EFI systems allow you to drive with a stone cold engine and that shortens the life of the engine. And that's why so many engines are dead before they ever hit 250,000km.

No, too much generalization and oversimplifying.