Piston Slap: Fear No Polar Vortex!

Joel writing :

My family is a Volvo family. Volvos come from Sweden and they take winter very seriously. There are a number of “winter” weather options that were, at least at one time, available on Volvo cars. For example:

• parking heater

  Sometimes known as “Fuel Driven Heater” or after one of the popular brands Webasto, Espar, Eberspacher.
  It’s basically a small gas or diesel furnace (from the car’s fuel tank), mounted under the hood, that’s connected to the car’s cooling system and linked to the climate controls. It remotely turns on the heater, heats the coolant and pumps it through the system, heating the engine and providing heat to the cabin heat exchanger. Some can even use the car’s air conditioning systems to turn on the fan and fully heat the cabin.

• warm up break

  Sometimes known as “residual heat” or “idle heat” on BMWs. This is an electric coolant pump, connected to the cabin heat exchanger. When you turn off the car, there is a large amount of heat stored in the coolant, but only a small amount remains in the cabin heat exchanger. You press the “Rest” button and the electric pump moves the coolant so it can run the cabin heater for about 10 minutes after the engine stops.

• Electric cabin heating

  This is an electric heater that you place inside the cabin. Of course, it is equipped with overheating and tipping systems so that nothing catches fire.

Are any of these options currently available on ANY car sold in North America?

Sajeev answers:

Questions like these remind me why I love feedback from the best and brightest in this series. But I have a plan, son. I found Google and we got the best and the brightest, baby!

Anyway:

1. Parking heater: Well, Volvo still has it! But it’s a dealer installed accessory, if that matters.
2. Webasto still makes one, which fits many VAG products in Europe. I’d be surprised if North American manufacturers followed suit, even though the concept has been proven in American RVs and 18-wheelers. Regardless, Webasto’s own video implies that it’s something universal:
3. Pause heater: The BMW Rest system is/was a hallmark of the brand, but there is conflicting information on the net as to whether it still exists in the era of i-Drive and start-stop equipped BMWs. A trip to your local dealership may be in order to interrogate the i-Drive skills of a sales expert!
4. Electric Cabin Heater – This is standard fare on all Nissan Leafs and Tesla Model Ss, as they don’t have internal combustion to supply you with hot air. The hot air is the work of their green marketing departments! Just kidding, just kidding!
5. Even the darling of the hybrid world, the Toyota Prius has electric heating. Super super luxury cars may very well use this electric assist and a conventional heating core of the cooling system. But, but, BUT… many cars have heated sport seats, steering wheel heaters and (drum roll please) the new S-Class has armrest heaters!

Given the electrical burden of trying to heat an entire cabin, don’t be surprised if heating your butt, back, hands, and elbows does the same thing but much more efficiently. the radiator will support you. And all the rest Literally.

Send your questions to [email protected]com. Don’t skimp on the details and ask for a quick fix if you’re in a hurry… but be realistic and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.