Does a car consume a lot of fuel when idling without moving?

[LeTeagan]

Starting a car without moving consumes a significant amount of fuel. Below are specific details about prolonged idling: 1. Carbon buildup: When the engine idles for extended periods, the throttle opening is small, and the injector sprays high-concentration fuel to maintain engine operation. Therefore, idling itself is more likely to cause carbon buildup compared to high-speed driving. Prolonged idling leads to severe engine carbon deposits, directly affecting the car's power and comfort. 2. Fuel consumption: Fuel consumption is high when the car is idling. Three minutes of idling is equivalent to the fuel consumption of driving one kilometer. 3. Shortened engine lifespan: During idling, the temperature and pressure in the cylinders are low, prolonging the fuel ignition preparation time. Additionally, the cylinder sealing performance decreases, making knocking sounds more likely, which shortens the engine's lifespan. 4. Damage to the catalytic converter: Prolonged idling results in a high concentration of the air-fuel mixture in the engine, with low oxygen content in the exhaust. The unburned mixture combusts at the catalytic converter location, easily damaging the catalytic converter.