Unplug Truck Before Starting It?

I'm in a cold part of the world (-25 celsius today) and so I plug in my truck overnight pretty often.
I've always wondered, does it matter if you start the truck while it's still plugged in or not? I've done both, and I suspect it doesn't matter, but I wanted to be sure.Thanks!

 

Wont hurt a thing!

 

Wait, what? I'm lost here. What do you mean you plug in the truck overnight? What is it that you plug?

 

It should be fine. My buddy worked up in Minot, ND and got a block heater in his rig. Started it up then unplugged it.

 

Yes a block heater

OP, been there done that in both ways, it wont hurt anything

 

Oh, I've never heard of that. Just Google'd to find out what it is. My mind automatically went to hybrid/electric car mode for some reason when I read 'plug in'. Thanks for the clarification guys.

 

On my Diesels I would leave them pluged up, I just looped the cord over the DS mirror to avoid driving off with the cord. Had it set on a timer that would come on for a few hrs at 11-1am and then 4am to 7 so it would be warm by 630 to head out.
Had it turn off at 7am so if I ran late it would still be on, or if sick it would not be on all day.

 

I always unplug my truck before I start it. It's in the manual for the hybrid tacomas.

 

I have heard stories when they are plugged in the heating element can become brittle because of the heat, and the vibration of a running engine can break them off. But I have never actually seen or known anyone who has a problem. I dont unplug before I start my powerstroke.

 

x2

 

As long as you unplug it before you drive it, you're good either way.

 

Yes make sure of that, I've already ripped apart two cords because of it hahaha got a habit of wrapping the extension cord around the drivers mirror now

 

I been around semi's all my life;{my dad had his own},and the "normal" thing was to unplug it before you started.That wasn't just his ideal,but have been told by "people" in the know in maintance shops.

 

I leave my truck plugged in and start it from 15 minutes away . As long as you know your anti-freeze coolant is topped up , you are not going to burn your block heater out .
The engine block heater is in constant contact with anti-freeze .
Works like an electric kettle . If you run an electric kettle dry while making the coffee , the element is going to burn out ,if you keep the element wet , the heater will run forever .

 

Actually, modern Toyota block heaters are the dry cartridge style. But running the engine with it plugged in will not hurt anything with them either.

 

Yeah the toyota one threads into the block itself, it does not go into any coolant etc. It will absolutely not hurt it to start the truck first.

 

Strange ? my block heater is in the water jacket ? I had the cold weather package performed on the truck when I purchased it .
50 below zero up here every day and the block heater is well used
Just assumed all the block heaters on these trucks were the same as mine .
Its good to know that either way the block heater functions , we are ok to leave it plugged in with the engine running . Thanks for the heads up