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Myth #3: a diesel engine can’t heat a car in winter. Driving in a 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel during a week of exceptionally cold weather.
January 2009 was particularly frigid, at least in Montreal, with temperatures constantly below -10 °C, and lows approaching -30 °C. I had to change the batteries in two of my brother-in-law’s cars, and also the one in our station wagon. Every Canadian knows that cold is very hard on engines. Luckily, my personal car, a vintage model from the early 80s, got a new battery in the fall, so I’m good for a while.
But what concerns us here is the heating capacity of the 2009 TDI Clean Diesel in our climate. One visitor to our blog commented that it left something to be desired when temperatures get cold enough to split stones. So, how does a modern TDI provide heat in winter?
Answer: very well, thank you very much.
In fact, I have noticed almost no difference between the 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel and our big family of gas-powered cars. In -15 °C temperatures, it took the TDI four minutes and the gas car three minutes to get the first warmth pumping into a painfully frozen interior. I always follow the technique recommended in the owner’s manual: start to move as soon as possible (less than 15 seconds after starting) and drive slowly for several minutes.
Once the temperature reaches normal levels, both vehicles do a good job of keeping things warm. The TDI can pump a lot of heat inside the passenger compartment, like any modern car. An interesting point is that the TDI engine stays warm for a long time once it has been turned off, probably because the engine block is made of cast iron, which conserves heat better than aluminum.
Let it be said that the old technique of leaving the engine idle during long periods is a bad idea and that it’s even discouraged by carmakers. In some cities like Montreal, the practice is even prohibited by law. Trying to warm the car up by letting the engine run while stopped is useless: diesel engines cool down a great deal when idling, to the point where they won’t generate any heat inside. In addition, the practice causes needless pollution, especially given that an idling engine, even a green one, produces greenhouse gases. One more reason: particulate filters don’t like long periods of idling because it causes greater quantities of soot to be created, soot that will later have to be cleaned off.
Do you already drive a diesel? Do you share my views? Do drop me a note to share your opinion.
See more myths here.
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