warming up car

I have 2006 corolla, I would to be able to warm it up in the driveway on these cold mornings. But the stupid thing wont let me lock the door with the engine running if I'm not in it. I've tried putting things in the drivers seat-thought there might be a sensor-but even using the remote it wont lock the car. I dont feel comfortable leaving it running unlock. My friend has a 2006 Highlander and its set up the same way. Are all newer Toyotas like this? Is there a way to defeat this feature?

If you have a second key and use it to lock the door from the outside, it might work that way.

Hondas and Toyotas are designed like that... this is why I install remote starters.....the perfect answer to your dilema..

Tried the second key, no joy. I been doing a little research since posting, I'm screwed. A remote starter would work, but I'm not really interested in one, guess I'll just live with the really poor design. I will keep it in mind the next time I'm shopping for a vehicle

There may be a way of changing the programming of the ECM which controls this function. Ask the dealer or call Toyota directly. There may be instructions in the maintenance manual.

Its to keep you from locking the keys inside the car. you propbably knew this already.

Many newer cars do this to prevent one from locking yourself out with the key in the ignition...even my '92 Camry will immediately unlock the doors if the engine is off and I try to lock them with the key in. As Brian mentioned, some can be reprogrammed by the dealer to disable the auto-lock/unlock feature.

Installing a remote starter is another option as well. I have one on my truck that is nice to have. I don't drive it much so I'll hit the button to run it a few minutes to keep everything lubed if I haven't moved it in a few weeks. But I haven't used it long enough to warm it up since I personally feel it is a waste of gas. However, I can certainly understand the need for it in some areas, especially during these nasty cold snaps. I would recommend having it installed by a professional, especially if you're trying to tie it into your car's current remote-operated systems. There may even be a dealer-installed option that utilizes the existing system with just an added logic box and hood sensor. Good luck!

Since letting a car sit at idle isn't good for it, I start mine, adjust a few things, (defroster, lights, etc.) and then drive it after no more than a minute. Just drive easily for a couple of km. Much better for the engine.
If you need to warm it up, how about a block heater?

Since letting a car sit at idle isn't good for it, I start mine, adjust a few things, (defroster, lights, etc.) and then drive it after no more than a minute. Just drive easily for a couple of km. Much better for the engine.
If you need to warm it up, how about a block heater?

Good to see a sensible accurate answer Drew.

Other methods do nothing but add pollution and waste fuel. Then again, there are those who don't care about either.

Good to see a sensible accurate answer Drew.

Other methods do nothing but add pollution and waste fuel. Then again, there are those who don't care about either.

It is good that you think so, but nothing is so easy to understand or as obviously correct as you seem to think.

Question: Ignoring the use of a block heater which wastes a different type of energy, do you use more gas and create more emissions starting the car in the morning, idling (where the only fuel you are using is to make the engine revolve) for two minutes then driving when the engine is warmer, in contrast to idling for ten seconds and then driving with the engine colder and having to drive it longer and further cold, under less efficient operating conditions under power, and in open-loop mode?

Uh-huh, I hear you Brian,
It's six of one or half dozen of the other.

There has to be a best way, but I don't know what it is....

I recall a similar thread on this a while back.

Put simply, driving the car when cold will get better fuel economy than when it is sitting idling, going nowhere. It can take up to 5 minutes or more for a car to warm up to normal op temp when idling...that's nearly 2 miles down the road at 20 mph. Let's also not forget that there are other components that need to warm up as well...transmission, differential, wheel bearings, etc. I've been meaning to sit down and do the calcs, but got waylaid by other stuff then forgot about it.

I do what drew does...get in, start it, check gauges, mirrors, etc., then drive away slowly. It's how they are designed to run. This also serves to warm up the car faster than when idling. If they weren't, then all cars would have remote starters with warnings on the dash or interlocks preventing the car from moving until it was warmed up.

However, this thread is centered on comfort, which is a person's own preference, and to some extent a safety issue. I know I'm not as fast-moving when I'm cold, and many people have arthritis that is exacerbated by the cold. This can lead to poor response time when quick action is needed. So, some will wear heavier clothing and some will opt to pre-heat their vehicle...that's their choice.

To help get you toasty, I have seen some heated seat pads that plug into your car's 12V power outlet, tried one too. They do work, but try them out first to be sure they aren't too lumpy for comfort. The one I tried had big lumps where the vibrating motors were....annoying and not worth it compared to the massage it gave. But the heat was nice.

Finally, a block heater won't help much to warm up a car. They're really designed to keep the coolant just warm enough to prevent freezing. It may warm up a little quicker, but don't expect nice hot air blowing from the heater right at start-up. Good luck!