A cold start is an attempt to start a vehicle's engine when it is cold, relative to its normal operating temperature, often due to normal cold weather. A cold start situation is commonplace, as weather conditions in most climates will naturally be at a lower temperature than the typical operating temperature of an engine. Occasionally, the term also refers to starting the engine of a vehicle that has been inactive or abandoned for a significant amount of time such as months, years or even decades.
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Cold start (automotive) Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA