[Raven Logics]

My '08 WRX is really sluggish at severe temperatures (-25C right now). Is this normal behaviour for these cars? I previously commented that my car doesn't always feel right, so I am wondering if this is connected or something I should expect as normal. It also takes a while for the steering and braking system to warm up - problems I didn't have with a '98 Prelude last year. Normally I wouldn't care, but as it's a new car I want to know if I should be talking to the dealer about this.

 

[ajd111]

My '08 WRX is really sluggish at severe temperatures (-25C right now). Is this normal behaviour for these cars? I previously commented that my car doesn't always feel right, so I am wondering if this is connected or something I should expect as normal. It also takes a while for the steering and braking system to warm up - problems I didn't have with a '98 Prelude last year. Normally I wouldn't care, but as it's a new car I want to know if I should be talking to the dealer about this.

My car takes a little bit to warm up in the cold weather as well. Nothing major though, I let it sit for a couple minutes before I go anywhere, and everything works fine. I don't think it would be anything serious though, if your really worried about it you can take it to the dealership, but we all know how that goes. They will probably find something completely unrelated and charge you big time for it.

 

[SonicWagon]

How long are you warming it up?

 

[ajd111]

How long are you warming it up?

I usually let my car sit for 2 to 3 min.

Also, since its a new car, you could just not be used to the way it behaves. Give it some time, and you should become familiar with the cars normal behavior.

 

[etshulda]

The thing that seems to suffer the most is the transmission. Gear changes into 1st or 2nd can be tough until it warms up. Also, -25 is mega cold...the coldest the temp has been while driving my car this year is 0. I'm still waiting to see the minus symbol on my temp gauge. In theory, colder weather can give you a minor turbo boost...like .5 psi or something.
I don't think that acceleration would be slower in colder weather. Then again, I haven't driven in -25 conditions.

 

[SonicWagon]

The thing that seems to suffer the most is the transmission. Gear changes into 1st or 2nd can be tough until it warms up. Also, -25 is mega cold...the coldest the temp has been while driving my car this year is 0. I'm still waiting to see the minus symbol on my temp gauge. In theory, colder weather can give you a minor turbo boost...like .5 psi or something.
I don't think that acceleration would be slower in colder weather. Then again, I haven't driven in -25 conditions.

-25C is -13F

I think you ajd111 you should warm up 3-4minutes instead.

Raven logics how long are you warming up, or is this all the time?

 

[AwdTurboWrx]

cold is usually better for a turbo car. Winter?? -13?? its 65 degrees during the day and in the 40's at night, thats about as winter as it gets in california. I love this place. Just to make you guys feel better, it rains once in a while.

 

[SonicWagon]

cold is usually better for a turbo car. Winter?? -13?? its 65 degrees during the day and in the 40's at night, thats about as winter as it gets in california. I love this place. Just to make you guys feel better, it rains once in a while.

:confused1
I get excited like a kid on christmas morning when it snows :thumbup:

 

[AwdTurboWrx]

:confused1
I get excited like a kid on christmas morning when it snows :thumbup:

if i wanna see snow, its a 30 minute drive. Plus thats 1 day out of the winter, how do you feel during the rest?? lol. Christmas this year i was sitting in my yard in 65-70 degree weather smoking my hookah:thumbup:

 

[etshulda]

if i wanna see snow, its a 30 minute drive. Plus thats 1 day out of the winter, how do you feel during the rest?? lol. Christmas this year i was sitting in my yard in 65-70 degree weather smoking my hookah:thumbup:

I am kinda envious because the roads are loaded with salt and slush 6 months out of the year in NH,...bad for the rex...but i'm flyin high over table tops on my snowboard while ur smokin the hookah.....if only i could figure out the chairlift hookah combo I'd say I have it better.

 

[AwdTurboWrx]

haha, idk what bad weather is, it starts raining i start complaining.

thread hijacked, warm up the damn car buddy!

 

[20WRX04]

The thing that seems to suffer the most is the transmission. Gear changes into 1st or 2nd can be tough until it warms up.

I found this to be true with my WRX when it's really cold out. Can't say much for this year though. She's sitting in my garage in time out till spring. :thumbup:

warm up the damn car buddy!

+1.

 

[koogxone]

cold is usually better for a turbo car. Winter?? -13?? its 65 degrees during the day and in the 40's at night, thats about as winter as it gets in california. I love this place. Just to make you guys feel better, it rains once in a while.

+1 :thumbup:
But in Porter Ranch this morning, it was around 37

 

[02radioflyer]

If you notice your engine being sluggish due to initial driving in the cold then back off and drive especially conservatively for 15 minutes or when you feel it loosen up. (ie: stay out of the boost until the temp is up and the engine feels normally rev ready)


+1 warm up the damn car...its not like a prelude.


Cold only makes turbo cars more fun once they get warmed up.

 

[20WRX04]

Cold only makes turbo cars more fun once they get warmed up.

Indeed. :thumbup:

 

[Weasel 555]

in winter months i let the car warm up for atleast 15mins before driving.

 

[Raven Logics]

Thanks for the answers. I usually let the car run for 1 to 5 minutes depending on the temperature (to get the oil moving), and if I have time I'll leave if for the same again. I drive slowly and out of boost until it's warmed up so that I don't risk damaging anything. The steering and gears take a couple minutes to loosen up, but the other two problem are constant even after 20 minute of driving. The brakes apply hard when I barely touch them, so on ice they lock up and trigger the ABS almost instantly. The car remains sluggish at the normal running temperature.

We had a heatwave yesterday evening - it hit 8F - and the car behaved much better. My main concern is whether the change in behaviour is normal (then I can stop worrying about it) or if the temperature is exaggerating another problem (like a leak for example). The car is 6 weeks old so it's not going to cost anything to repair, but from what I hear it's hit or miss as to whether a dealer would put labour into finding out if a problem exists unless it's obvious.

 

[Raven Logics]

Has anyone with an '08 experienced cold weather yet? I'm just looking to see if this is normal behaviour or not.

 

[mrturbo16v]

Seriously cold weather is tough on any car. When I lived in vermont it would routinely hit the -10 to -15 range overnight. I had a VW that wouldn't shift into 2nd gear (had to go 1 to 3) for over 10 min after startup! My '98 integra R wouldn't use vtec for while either. The '88 saab turbo was actually the best...

I've only had my '06 rex here in NC though, so not much insight into the cold startups - I'd say ask the dealer and see what happens. Good luck!

 

[SonicWagon]

88/89 saab 900 SPG FTW.