'Puffing' is Illegal in Texas to Warm Your Vehicle Up

(Tyler, Texas) - It's been a weird winter so far in East Texas. It has basically felt like spring across our area. A couple of cold fronts have finally given us some cold mornings but we're still getting some mild afternoons.

When it's cold in the morning, riding in a cold car, with a heater that hasn't heated up yet, is a bit miserable for a little bit. Letting the car warm up before heading out is a common thing for us to do so we'll have a warm cab to sit in. Just be careful, there is a way that warming your vehicle up could result in a misdemeanor and/or a fine in Texas.

Illegal Practice of "Puffing" in Texas

The common practice of letting out vehicle warm up without us inside the car is called "puffing" (nbcdfw.com). This is in reference to the smoke that can come out of the tailpipe due to the warm air of the engine hitting the cold air outside. While it does make that morning commute a little more comfortable, it is illegal in Texas.

I'm going to preface this by saying that your local police department is not driving through neighborhoods looking to see if someone is warming their car up without them inside it just to write a ticket. However, if you do leave the keys in your vehicle, leave it unlocked and go back inside to let it warm up and someone steals your vehicle, that's where the fine could be written up.

Punishment for "Puffing" in Texas

It is a Class C misdemeanor and a $500 fine if you leave your car running, unlocked and unattended. So yes, if you stop at a convenience store, hop out of your car and leave it running to go inside and grab a soda and someone steals your vehicle, you could get a ticket.

The best thing to do is to either have automatic start installed on your vehicle or just wait inside your vehicle for the few minutes it takes to warm up the engine and/or clear the windshield before leaving.