2014 Golf TDI Defrost in Cold Weather

I just bought a used 2014 Golf TDI w/sunroof and nav. So far I love the car. It is my first diesel vehicle.

I will be parking outside this winter - something I am not used to doing. I used to park in a garage.

A gas powered car can warm up enough at idle to start to defrost the windshield, e.g. while you are scraping the windshield. I know the diesels do not warm up while sitting at idle.

After I scrape my windshield, are there any tips on keeping the windshield from frosting over again while driving off and waiting for the diesel engine to warm up?

I will switch the vent to defrost of course and also turn the temp all the way to hot and turn the fan on.

Is there anything else I can do?

Does turning the knob on the driver's door to heat the side mirrors help? I think I read that also heats the windshield wiper fluid nozzles (is that true?), but I don't think heating the wiper fluid nozzles helps the windshield directly.

Thanks!

Side mirror heater switch won't help the windshield.

Periods of using the recirculate button on the hvac will help the engine warm faster, since you are not pulling outside air through the heater core constantly. However, this will raise the humidity level and eventually lead to fogging the windows, but at first start, I'd use recirculate.

Some washer fluids may have more alcohol content than others, which will aid in defrosting thin layers of ice.

Fan switch on 3, heat on full, DO NOT use recirculation button this will cause high humidity and lead to more frosting on the inside, use the full defrost setting this will engage the AC dryer and pull moisture out of the air.
Turning the mirror switch to defrost will activate mirror heat that's all.

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Thanks for the quick replies!

I thought the newer TDI's came equipped with auxiliary, electric heaters.

JB05 said:

I thought the newer TDI's came equipped with auxiliary, electric heaters.

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They do but don't provide instant heat just a slight improvement in warm up time

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We plug ours in on cold nights, have it on a simple timer set for 2-3 hours before the wife leaves for work. Its nice having heat right away and its great for the engine

A/C compressor will not come on once ambient temperature drops to 50F/10C