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Quirky Quebec

Those cords hanging from cars in winter: the block heater, explained

Those cords hanging from cars in winter: the block heater, explained

In Quebec, people plug in their cars in the cold. A block heater warms the engine before you leave: easier starts, less fuel, a better-protected engine.

Vieauqc TeamAugust 27, 2026
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Key points

  • A Quebec winter mystery. In cold weather, you will see cars with a small electrical cord sticking out of the front grille, plugged into a wall outlet.…
  • When and how long to plug it in. You should plug in the block heater as soon as the temperature drops below -5 °C, and it is strongly recommended in deep cold, at -15 °C…
  • Is it really worth it? Yes, on two counts. A plugged-in vehicle can use up to 15% less fuel, because its components are already warm at start-up.…

A Quebec winter mystery. In cold weather, you will see cars with a small electrical cord sticking out of the front grille, plugged into a wall outlet. In the parking lots of condos, offices, or shopping centres, you sometimes find outdoor outlets (bornes) meant for exactly this. That cord is the block heater.

What it does. A block heater is an electric device that warms the engine, the coolant, and the oil before you start the car. The result: the engine starts more easily in the cold, the cabin warms up faster, and the engine wears less, according to CAA-Québec.

When and how long to plug it in. You should plug in the block heater as soon as the temperature drops below -5 °C, and it is strongly recommended in deep cold, at -15 °C or below, again according to CAA-Québec. Good news: 3 to 4 hours before leaving is enough — no need to leave it plugged in all night. Most block heaters plug into an ordinary 110-volt outlet using an extension cord.

Is it really worth it? Yes, on two counts. A plugged-in vehicle can use up to 15% less fuel, because its components are already warm at start-up. And an easier start spares the battery, which suffers badly in deep cold. Not every vehicle comes with a factory block heater, but a garage can install one.

Good to know for newcomers. If your car has a small cord poking out of the grille, don't cut it: it is the block-heater cord. Check whether your building or workplace offers outdoor outlets, and keep an outdoor extension cord handy. For the rest of the cold season, see our guide to surviving the Quebec winter.

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Blue, a white cross, four fleurs-de-lis: Quebec's flag is everywhere. Adopted in 1948, it tells centuries of French history in America.

A flag you will see everywhere. On public buildings, on balconies, at events: Quebec's blue-and-white flag is everywhere. It is called the fleurdelisé, and every element of it has a story. What it represents. In heraldic terms, the flag is defined as "azure, a cross argent between four fleurs-de-lis" — in plain words, a blue field, a white cross dividing it into four, and a white fleur-de-lis in each of the four sections, according to the Assemblée nationale du Québec. The fleur-de-lis recalls the French heritage in America: Jacques Cartier already used it as an emblem on his voyages. A very old flower. The fleur-de-lis is one of the oldest emblems in the world: it appears among the Assyrians three thousand years before our era, then in India, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Gaul. It later became the symbol of the French monarchy — hence its link to Quebec's history. Official since 1948. On January 21, 1948, the fleurdelisé took the place of the Union Jack, the British flag, atop the…

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Three words on every plate. Look at any Quebec license plate: below the numbers, it reads "Je me souviens." It is the province's official motto, and it has appeared on the plates since the late 1970s, replacing the old slogan "La Belle Province." Where the motto comes from. While designing the plans of the Palais législatif in Quebec City — today the Assemblée nationale — in 1883, architect Eugène-Étienne Taché had the words "Je me souviens" carved in stone, beneath Quebec's coat of arms above the parliament's main door, according to the Assemblée nationale du Québec. It became official in 1939. The phrase served as Quebec's motto for several decades. It was the adoption, in 1939, of a new coat of arms — on which the motto appears — that firmly established its official status. What does "Je me souviens" mean? That is the whole mystery: Taché left no text explaining his intentions. The meaning is understood through context. The architect had designed the parliament facade as a…

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