Since the colder weather is coming soon, I wonder what everyone does when it comes to warming up the RX before setting off.
Do you start-up and go?
Do you let it idle for about a few seconds, a minute, or until the needle goes to "C" on the temperature gauge before driving off?
Just wondering what you do.

Thanks!

 

I wait about 30 seconds for the oil to get up to full pressure and moving around. Spend the time putting on seat belt, adjusting radio etc. However mine is kept in a garage attached to the house.

 

^ I do the same except for when the temps are in the 20 degree range or lower, then I usually giver it about a minute. And then I usually take it easy for the first several minutes of driving.

 

Oil pressure typically comes up while I'm backing out of the garage. If I'm not in the garage, I'll give it a few seconds. Then I try to keep the RPMs as low as I can until the oil temp starts to come up. There is no oil temp gauge, but I figure it's OK after a 3 or 4 miles. On our NX, I'll let it idle a bit longer to let the turbo get the oil circulating.

I used to have a neighbor that no matter what the outside temp was, she would immediately hit about 5000 RPM on startup, before letting it drop back to idle. It was painful to hear every morning.

 

start and go easy for a while that's what i usually do.

 

This I never understood, I have a neighbor that does the same thing and then speeds away like a nut.

 

On modern vehicles, there is no benefit whatsoever to "warming up" a car. That concept was valid when vehicles had manual chokes, and used single-grade motor oil. Your oil pressure should come up within 3-7 seconds of start. For the person that indicated 30 seconds for the pressure to come up...there is something wrong there. In really cold areas, you should consider using 5-20 or 0-20 weight motor oil.

If the car starts well, all instruments show proper readings, and there are no warning lights, you are good to go. As most have said, however, it is NOT a good idea to rip off a burnout until the car is up to full operating temp. Cold tires don't grip very well, and your tran's fluid stays cold/cool until the water temp comes up. Drive sensibly, and there is no need to warm up the car.

 

I usually start driving after 20 seconds.

 

Considering there is no oil pressure gauge in the RX, my decision to wait 30 seconds is only based on being an old guy with a gut feeling that the motor seems smoother after that amount of time. Of course the oil pressure light is off. I do drive more slowly for the first couple miles to let the transmission fluid and other components warm up.
I am pretty sure the oil gets up to pressure in a few seconds because my other vehicle is a hybrid, an HS250h (Camry engine) and that motor restarts while you are driving and appears to engage almost instantaneously. Toyota/Lexus manuals advise there is software that prevents the motor from engaging the drivetrain until oil pressure has built up, well it must build up really fast considering the way it acts. My prior hybrid, a CT200h (Prius engine) acted the same way.

 

where is the oil pressure light on these rx`s anyway? iv looked for it when i start the vehicle and cant seem to find it?

 

Our RXh is in a garage where it never drops below about 50°F, even in the coldest winter temps here in Birmingham, AL. That said, since the garage is attached to the house, I do not want the vehicle's exhaust building up from any kind of extended warm-up time, and besides, with the hybrid configuration in our RXh, the gas engine shuts back down if you don't move within about 45 seconds or so from the initial startup. That said, I'm not a real fan of warming up my RXh as it really is not necessary for me, not helpful. The reasonable rule of thumb, though, for all vehicles is to drive as you need to, but be rather gentle until the oil hits normal operating temperature as indicated by your coolant temperature gauge. At that point, the oil has reached the proper design viscosity for your engine and you can then tromp the pedal as much as you want.

As for various oils in colder climates, you generally want to vary the first number (reduce) in the Xw-## oil weight format... not the second. The first number indicates the oil's viscosity (thickness, or, propensity to flow) when the oil is at ambient temperatures. The second is the oil's viscosity at operating temperatures, and is therefore the true "design" viscosity for your engine. Lower viscosity oils flow more easily, but can also offer a reduced "film layer" of oil between contact surfaces, and that can be OK as long as those surfaces don;t see excessive forces cause them to push past the film layer and end up with direct hard metal-on-metal contact with no lubricating film layer between because THAT is when you get premature wear. That said, I am always a proponent for using an oil (synthetic) with as low a number as possible to ensure that the oil flows to where it is supposed to as quickly as possible when the engine is cold (i.e. 0w30 or 5w30 as compared to a 10w30 oil). However, to reduce the second number from a 30 to a 20 is to have a thinner oil running at operating temperatures, and you can end up with premature internal wear because of what I described above.

NOTE on 10/25/16: The remaining two paragraphs of my initial comments have been removed as they do not pertain to the core purpose of this thread, and were in no way helpful for anyone..

 

Same here, if there is no benefit to warming it up that is fine. But it makes me feel better in the cold weather to wait 30 to 60 seconds before driving.

 

I wait for the RPMs to drop off a bit, which usually takes about 30-60 seconds after starting. Should help to lube a cold engine where most of the wear and tear takes place until warmed up.
My RX is garaged and the garage temp is about 10-15d F above the colder outdoor temps. (currently about 35- 45...soon to be in the low teens! )

 

F250,

You stated, " The previous post would suggest that anything since the old manual choke days is "modern". No such thing was ever suggested. I described the time frame where the idea of warming up an engine came from, not where the idea ended, or where the idea of "modern" came from. Also, we are not discussing whether or not vehicles "15-25 years old", would be considered "modern", or need a warm up time. We are talking about what the OP asked about, a specific type of vehicle, the RX350, and the general feeling about warming up a vehicle of similar age...not 15-25 years old, and not turbo-diesel engines. I will restate what I know to be a fact...there is no reason for an extended warm up of the RX350, or any similar vehicle.

Your first two paragraphs were enlightening. Your knowledge was obvious, and impressive. In the final two paragraphs, your arrogance was equally obvious, and not at all impressive. I do not know why you felt a need to trash my input, which was absolutely correct as it pertained to the original post.

 

11bravo:

Thank you for your response, and I appreciate your straight forward and gracious, yet firm, manner. Today is obviously my day for "crow" and "shoe leather" to be a part of my diet (I had a small initial snack of it served by my wife before leaving the house this morning!)..


Understood, and I stand corrected. My premise obviously included some presumption on my part, and I apologize for that... sincerely. I did agree with your basic premise, though, (at least I tried to) in terms of an extended warm up period not being as necessary as it used to be. I did qualify that with a general approach of simply "taking it easy" on the engine, though, until it reaches full operating temperatures. Aside from that small qualification, I do not disagree with you.


Again, sir, your admonition has been most graciously offered. Thank you. I did not mean to be arrogant at all, nor to come across that way. I also did not intend to "trash" your input. Sometimes, I simply presume and say too much and am off-putting in how I do that... it is something of which I am deeply aware, occasionally painfully reminded of (as now), and am continuing to try to learn how to avoid and control. I failed in that regard here, though, and am sorry for that as well.


I must say again to you, 11bravo, and any and all others who may have been put off by my post above, I sincerely apologize and will try to keep my input more in tune with the primary issue at hand. I have also now edited my comments above and removed the unnecessary information which did not address the OP's inquiry.