Does Engine Idling Damage the Car?
2 Answers
Engine idling does damage the car. Here are the specific details: 1. Idling for twenty minutes can cause certain harm to the car: The main damage is that prolonged or frequent idling can easily lead to carbon buildup inside the engine cylinders and affect the throttle. When carbon deposits accumulate to a certain extent, they can reduce the car's power performance and, over time, easily cause engine wear. 2. The vehicle does not perform external work while idling: In idle state, the engine only overcomes its own resistance, so the engine should be turned off during prolonged waiting. Here are some additional details: 1. Introduction: Idling is a working condition of the car, referring to the engine running in neutral gear. 2. Repair and adjustment: When the engine is running, if the accelerator pedal is completely released, the engine is in idle state.
I often encounter situations where I idle while waiting for my child to finish school. Running the air conditioning while idling for half an hour does cool down the car, but experienced drivers tell me this can cause carbon buildup. When the engine runs at low speeds, combustion is incomplete, and gasoline doesn't burn fully, leading to black sludge buildup on the throttle body and spark plugs. Over time, this can make acceleration sluggish. However, short idling like waiting at a red light is completely fine—cars aren't that delicate. I've seen a repair shop owner's car idle daily to serve customers, and the engine didn’t need major repairs even after ten years. The key is maintenance frequency. Taking a weekly highway drive to rev the engine can clear out carbon deposits, which is more practical than worrying about idling.
