In this climate block heaters are an every day occurrence, at least in the winter. Most of the ones I see are either hanging loose out of the grill, or through the crack of the hood. What you probably don't see is that the plug end of the cord whips around furiously as you drive. The result is almost always broken wires and no connection. From experience, most people plug them in, assuming they work, and unless it's extremely cold, the car starts anyway. I have repaired dozens of cords by replacing the plugs on them. The other problem is the brass contacts becoming heavily corroded by moisture and road salt. My suggestion is to keep the plug under the hood, or short enough that it doesn't whip around in the wind. I've said before that I don't use block heaters, except in extreme cold. My Prius Prime has a separate cord and connector on the bumper, so that nothing is hanging loose.
Yeah, we ripped the cord off our Avalon hybrid right before we had a week long of -30 °F or colder mornings. Personally I don't feel the stock block heater does much anyway. If plugged in at -30 °F the engine warms up to only around 0 °F.
I brought mine out through the lower front grill (gen 3, no active grill shutters). I zip-tied it to a horizontal grill in two locations, just inches apart, both very tight, and have just enough extension beyond the zip-ties to be easily able to connect the extension cord, but not enough to drag on the ground if forgotten. I’m using an extension cord that plugs straight in at the end, easy pull out. The stock block heater cord plug comes with a friction fit cap, keeps it out of the weather. When I disconnect it I push the cord plug body partway back between to grill slats, and the friction is enough to hold it there.
When I discovered years ago, that my block heater cord was faulty, and my car was starting fine with synthetic oil, I stopped plugging it in. Been doing that for over 20 years.
^ That's the outlet? Looks very neat/professional. I think Toyota Canada mandates block heater install for the Canadian prairies. Your car will "start fine", but it'll frown at you, especially at -30C. Your car though.
I keep my cord rolled up in it's special nook under the rear deck. Haven't used it yet, and i don't plan to unless we get some extreme cold (like -40C) some day. No need to frown, my car is doing just fine, thanks.
I'm sure it was a marketing decision. A lot of customers would be cheesed off if it arrived with no block heater.
Well, if Alberta doesn't need block heaters, I don't know who does, lol. Meanwhile, over on the west coast, California North, I got the block heater installed eight-o'clock-day-one, use it year-round. One of us is nuts. Maybe both of us?
It's my experience, and it's my vehicles. If I thought I'd save a nickel by plugging in my block heaters, I'd be doing it. But I stopped doing it over 20 years ago, and I've had nothing to regret. If you think I don't know what I'm doing, noted.
