Is this normal for a stationary car? Help!

Aside from this not being very effective, likely invalidating your insurance if your car is stolen, costing you loads of money in fuel and being terrible for your engine, for the love of all that is holy and unholy, don't do this people. Anywhere. Bedtime reading in links below.

Increased exposure to air pollution and particulates from cars is not only linked to increased risk of respiratory disease but also cancers, heart conditions, neurological disease, strokes. It's particularly bad for children.

I wish that exhaust was bright pink or something so that people could see it.

Knowing how bad it is for the occupants of a car and the people around them makes it really frustrating walking down any street in the UK, there is always someone sat running their engine. We need some sort of public information campaign.

Do everything you can to limit your own and your children's exposure, even walking one metre further back from the edge of the pavement is significant so another reason for them to always walk on the inside.

Every time I see reports that this or that disease has seen significant increase in yhe past fifty years I always wonder.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/06/air-pollution-particles-in-young-brains-linked-to-alzheimers-damage

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/air-pollution-linked-with-increased-risk-of-autism-in-children/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-30877-5

https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/research-london-links-air-pollution-dementia-risk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzvOypu_T3gIVwpTVCh3UwQ3LEAAYAiAAEgJ8HPD_BwE

http://www.escapeproject.eu/publications.php

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-health-england-publishes-air-pollution-evidence-review

https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a19086/warming-up-your-car-in-the-cold-just-harms-engine/

https://www.businessinsider.com/should-i-charge-my-phone-in-my-car-2017-10?r=US&IR=T

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.sparetheair.org/understanding-air-quality/air-pollutants-and-health-effects/particulate-matter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.sparetheair.org/understanding-air-quality/air-pollutants-and-health-effects/particulate-matter

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/08/air-pollution-could-shorten-childs-life-seven-months/

https://www.citymetric.com/horizons/air-pollution-london-now-so-bad-it-s-affecting-lung-development-4367

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/air-pollution

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00145-5/fulltext#:~:text=The%20risk%20for%20ischaemic%20stroke,disease%20or%20small%20vessel%20disease.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4448375/

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/sep/10/cancer-breakthrough-is-a-wake-up-call-on-danger-of-air-pollution

I once managed to lock the car with the engine running and the keys inside doing this one morning. I have no idea how it was even possible but ended up having to wait an hour for the AA to come and break in. I haven't done it since!

What kind of car do you have? Last winter (and many before) I could spend up to 15 minutes sat there waiting for the mist on the inside to clear after scraping. For a good 5 minutes my car was blowing out cold air which made it feel even colder in there. Luckily I have an electric car now and can set it to warm up before I leave the house but not everyone has that option.

I run my engine on my driveway early morning before work, if its icy. I use my spare key to lock the car door.

In 30 years of driving I’ve never needed the engine running to clear a car windscreen. I live halfway up a mountain and even thick ice can be cleared with a decent scraper and some de icer.

That only covers ice on the outside. I still have to wait for the windscreen to demist.

However, OP don't do this as it completely invalidates your insurance when someone comes along an pinches your car.
If you think the little one will be cold, chuck a blanket over them until the heat comes through, but I'm not sure how you think babies have managed for the rest of history.

Casper, so a blanket then

I have an old tea towel in the car for precisely this problem. It’s amazing!

I last saw someone do this in 1980.

Just get in the car and in a few minutes the frost will have cleared. Hardly worth sitting indoors for.

The Dangers of Winter Coats and Car Seats - Consumer Reports

If your car is diesel it could be doing a regen, where it tries to burn off all the built up carbon. If you aren't giving it a proper run where it can do this, it will be doing it on your drive.

Bad for the engine and worse for your lungs. Take it for a good run on the motorway.

😂😂😂😂

If the cars on your drive I'd be more concerned (than it being illegal) that the car will be stolen and because you've left it unattended with keys in it you won't be insured.

I'd also be more worried about the fumes your baby is breathing in than them being cold for a few moments. Cars heat up pretty quickly.

In answer to your question OP, yes it’s completely normal. The car runs rich on a cold start along with a slightly raised idle. This normally happens for the first couple of mins.

I’ve a heavily modified car which is mapped to run rich for safety reasons, it smells like that most of the time, I’ve had people comment on it who’ve been following. That and the massive flames 🤣🤣🤣

Extra layers? Blanket?

Not in a car seat.

It shouldn't be doing that - the inside of your car is damp. Get that sorted and you don't need to do it anymore. I've had decades of elderly damp cars with crap heating (one winter of no fucking heating and driving with the windows down due to being skint) but reusable bags to soak up the excess water in the car cured the problem. It's not necessarily a leak, usually things like wet coats getting in and out the car, wet dogs, the usual.

I use Pingi bags (other brands available!) - they colour change to show when they are wet, you microwave them to dry them out again and just chuck back in the car. Absolutely worth every penny.

How do you warm up the air when you take baby out in a push chair

Can't baby just wear a coat

I don’t recall it freezing inside no. Car is 18 years old and all the fancy bits are in the engine. No heated seats or steering wheels etc.

I want to know what car has a windscreen which clears with a quick 30 second blast...

Maybe fancier cars than my no frills 1 litre basic model have better windscreen heaters?

As per a pp I find being able to see out of the windscreen quite helpful when driving and it takes a while with the engine on to demist. I normally scrape the car while it's clearing to keep warm...

Stop nagging the OP if you can't help her.

Don’t be surprised when your car gets pinched and your insurance won’t pay out

@DoIReallyNeedToDoThis Does the inside of your windscreen never freeze up? Mine does and it takes more than a quick blast of the blower to clear it.

In 30 years of driving I’ve never needed the engine running to clear a car windscreen. I live halfway up a mountain and even thick ice can be cleared with a decent scraper and some de icer.

These days I stick a thermal cover on the windscreen and do no scraping at all.

Actually, it does if you go off and leave it running. If your behind the wheel at the time, it's fine unless you're in a zoned area which prohibits this.