Winterizing the Yaris

[YarisHybrid2016]

Hi,

Looking for some tips to winterize the Yaris.

Someone had earlier posted a suggestion for radiator baffles, that they fit to the lower grill to reduce (not block) air flow. My only concern with this is inability to monitor temperatures, and whether it is worth doing, or risks damaging something (overheating the engine or inverter doesn't sound like a good idea to me). That said, they suggested it helped reduce the rate at which the engine cools (which I can see being advantageous when driving around in EV mode).

It's already hitting -4 C here at night, and I suspect this winter could see it breaking the record low we had some years ago (-18 C). Not a temperature to be messing around in (hint: exposed skin hurts).

I have already been finding cold spots in the doors, and I'm thinking of padding them out with foam. It felt cold in the door pockets specifically, and cool right next to the door, but otherwise not too bad (it's mainly the door pockets that are the problem).

The glass roof is still awesome (especially during those clear late dusk skies), but you can definitely feel the cold near the glass at night. I was thinking of getting some very thin foam sheets and sitting them between the glass and the blind, to offer some insulation.

Does anyone else winterize their vehicle, and do you have any other tips for making it a bit warmer/more pleasant?

[pshawfocus]

3 hours ago, YarisHybrid2016 said:

do you have any other tips for making it a bit warmer/more pleasant?

Call me lazy, but I simply turn the heating up :-)  

[Mike J.]

5 hours ago, YarisHybrid2016 said:

,,,,, and do you have any other tips for making it a bit warmer/more pleasant?

There is an Toyota option to fit an electric engine coolant heater - it is mainly for the Scandinavian market.

[Gerg]

The engine block heater is an option I had considered (not too much) on other cars I've owned.

For more information as to the benefits of these heaters, there is plenty out there if you Google 'Kenlowe block heater'.

I wouldn't choose a Kenlowe over the Toyota part, but they are a very long-established British company, and used as an aftermarket fitment, often on ambulances, fire engines etc, where a ready-to-run engine is essential.

As an alternative to the pipe insulation type grill block (which is a very good way of achieving this) I used some of this:-

https://www.efoam.co.uk/zotefoam-plastazote.php

As I had some knocking about in the garage.  Unfortunately, it is only available in quite large sheets.  But if you were mad-keen on insulating the inside of your car then it is firm enough to be fitted without special support and is fairly hard wearing and presentable!  At least the stuff I had in 12mm thickness was.  I just attached it to the existing grill with two releasable cable ties. 

It is available from, among the many, a trade supplier in Flitwick, Beds, so near to you YarisHybrid2016???

If you are even more determined (!), under the bonnet the protective under-cover can be removed and sound deadener (Dynamat would be an example) could be fitted to those bonnet parts that are single skinned. The Dynamat is foil-backed, and a reasonable heat insulator, so will (very mildly!) slow heat loss from the engine bay.  And it will help a little with road noise, engine noise and maybe even inverter noise (Can a car be too quiet?).  It is within it's temperature limits in an engine environment, both from the Dynamat advertising and personal experience.  One sheet (it's a standard size) would very easily do the single skin bonnet parts to double thickness (£16).  (Tip: always but a blanket over the whole engine bay when removing the under-cover clips, they will drop down and be lost otherwise).  Once the factory protective cover is fitted back on, the Dynamat's invisible of course.

Just a thought, really.

[YarisHybrid2016]

@Mike J.: Interesting thought. I'm not sure it's worth it though? Even at -18 deg. C I'm not sure it is really cold enough? When I read of Americans/Canadians using these, they talk of -30 C or lower!

@Gerg: My location is arbitrary. I was thinking of getting some insulation that you put around pipes for the front grill. Thanks for the link!

I'm trying to think what the material of the foam I had in mind is - it's like a spongy plastic foam (it feels a bit like polystyrene, but isn't, and it's reasonably flexible). I was wondering how it compared to the foam you suggest; I need to find out what it's called.

Do you put it on the mats, or underneath? The driver side would need special consideration so it doesn't block the pedals.

It would seem the footwells are a source of cold as well, as after I blasted the heater downwards for a few minutes, the whole cabin felt warmer.

Strange but true: the cold spots in the cabin circulate as you turn steep corners and you can feel it move past you as the car rotates around the mass of air inside! 

Quote

under the bonnet the protective under-cover can be removed

Is it attached to the bonnet itself?? I can't even remember seeing it! I'll have a look tomorrow!   I just noticed you have an Auris, so may be specific to that.

@pshawfocus: It does work!   I have been experimenting with the best way to keep the cold away while not turning the cabin into a sauna.

I still can't understand why having the cabin temp set to a cool warm setting (19-21) that it is insufficient to keep the mist at bay, even when it is directed onto the windshield. I needed to run it at 23 the other night to stop mist forming. If I directed the air away from the windshield, it would mist up within about 5 minutes (not too much, but enough to notice it).

[mrpj]

Years ago a good solution used to be aluminium foil sheet covering about the lower quarter to third of the radiator core, maybe some still do use that method. Didn't need any means of securing it either.

However, a coolant temperature gauge is essential to monitor what's happening.

[APS]

Growing up in Scandinavia, preparing the car for winter used to be a pretty normal and extensive thing back in the days.

• Winter tyres (studded ones are not legal in the UK)
• Check anti-freeze (gravity check)
• Check Battery acid level
• In older cars you'd change to a 'winter-thermostat' that opened at a few degrees higher temp
• Restrict cooling  airflow (as you described) - in fact you could often get manufacturer supplied inlet covers from most car makers. Lacking that, your creativity was the limit. Anything from cardboard cutouts to rubber car mats cut to size. 
• Increase windscreen wash concentration
• Fuel additives - although this is typically already added when you buy the fuel
• Change oil to lower viscosity at cold
• I'm sure there are more things...

All this said, many of the things on the list are no longer needed. Cars cope much better with the cold nowadays because they are designed and tested for it. Cooling/heating, oils, coolants, fuels, engines, are much better. Even if the temperature drops to -18 C your car will cope with that 'as is'.  

One of the best things you can invest in which provides great comfort and reduces wear on your engine is an electrical pre-heater. This is something that is very common in Scandinavia. It mainly used to be a way to increase your chances of actually getting your engine started but it is also great for comfort as your engine will be warm much quicker.

If it gets really cold (below -25 or lower than -30) you'll find that it is mainly the various liquids in you car that become a problem. It all goes a bit syrupy  / treacly. Even an electric engine heater will struggle to get the engine much above freezing (I used to cover the engine in blankets the night before cold mornings to help the heater warm everything up). With the relatively balmy weather in the UK I really wouldn't worry - how often do you have day temperatures that stay below -10? It is very rare.

That said, even in the climate we have here in the UK, one worthwhile investment would be an electric heater. Nice for you and good for the engine. Defa is probably one of the most well known brands.

http://old.defa.com/en/automotive/warmup/find_your_engine_heater/

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

One of these is what you need:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/engineheater.htm

[CPN]

Lol! I actually used to own one of those "flying saucer" type sump heaters when I lived in the North of Scotland back in the early 70's. Worked well! 

[APS]

Love it!

We may laugh at it, but it is truly effective :)