G'day, I have a 2009 Xtype sport 2.1 and in the owner's manual it recommends that you "warm up" the car on start-up. What it doesn't say is how long to do this for. Does anyone out there know how long I am meant to warm up the car from cold before driving off?
Currently I have been waiting 3 minutes - is this too short - too long?

 

I think that 'warming up' like that went out with the Ark.
Basically don't give it full beans until the engine is up to normal operating temperature; the idea is warm the oil and make sure it gets through the whole system before putting any major loads on it.
Keeping the engine just ticking over from cold doesn't do it much good in the long run as the oil doesn't get hot enough to lubricate properly.
Plus, you'll be wasting a lot of fuel just sat there.

 

wait until the fast idle has dropped back to normal, should give the lambda sensor heaters to get up to temp and allow the readings to feed back to ecu to set mixture .

 

What is the exact verbiage from the owner's manual and in what context? You should not have to wait at all from start up to start driving. When cold you don't want to beat on the car, but you can certainly drive off in a normal fashion until it warms up, even when it is very cold.

 

From page 129 In the handbook - chapter title "Driving Information", Sub Heading "Warming up". Extract states: " Do not operate the engine at high speed when first started, but allow time for the engine to warm up and the oil to circulate".

 

There you go, don't run it at 'high speed' until it is up to temperature.

 

Exactly what I thought. It basically means start it and drive away normally and you are fine.