Does idling for 1 hour harm the car?
3 Answers
Idling for 1 hour does harm the car. Idling for twenty minutes can cause certain damage to the vehicle. The main harm is that prolonged or frequent idling can easily lead to carbon buildup inside the engine cylinders and also affect the throttle. Carbon buildup caused by idling: When carbon deposits accumulate to a certain extent, they can reduce the vehicle's power performance and, over time, easily cause engine wear. During idling, the vehicle does not perform external work. In the idling state, the engine only overcomes its own resistance, so the engine should be turned off during long waits. Idling increases fuel consumption: A significant portion of fuel consumption during vehicle use is due to idling. Therefore, it can be observed that vehicles often have lower fuel consumption when driving on highways, precisely because there is little idling time on highways, and the engine operates in its optimal state, resulting in higher fuel efficiency. If driving in congested urban areas, fuel consumption will increase significantly due to the longer idling times on city roads.
In my years of observing automobiles, idling for an hour is indeed not good and can potentially harm the car. Keeping the engine running at low RPM for extended periods leads to incomplete fuel combustion, which can cause carbon buildup in the cylinders and on the spark plugs. Over time, this reduces engine efficiency and may lead to shaking or difficulty starting. Additionally, oil circulation becomes less effective, diminishing lubrication and increasing the risk of component wear, especially in older vehicles. Modern car designs have improved to tolerate short idling periods, such as warming up for a few minutes in winter. However, frequent idling can raise maintenance costs, such as needing to clean carbon deposits or replace parts. To avoid trouble, it's best to limit idling to under 10 minutes and then drive to warm up the engine. Develop good habits: regularly service the car to check oil condition, ensure the cooling system works properly, and save some fuel costs.
As a budget-conscious car owner, I believe idling for an hour is quite costly and poses hidden risks to the vehicle. The engine consumes a significant amount of fuel when idling, though not as much as highway driving, but wasting gasoline unnecessarily is uneconomical – it can add up to dozens of dollars over a month. Moreover, incomplete combustion leads to increased carbon deposits, which over time impair engine performance and may invite expensive repairs, such as clogged fuel injectors or damaged oxygen sensors. An occasional short idle, like warming up the car for a few minutes in freezing temperatures to protect components, isn’t a major issue, but making it a habit is a big loss. I recommend minimizing this practice; instead, start driving gently after waiting just tens of seconds post-ignition – the engine warms up faster and saves fuel. Additionally, maintain the fuel tank above half full and avoid frequent short trips with prolonged idling to prolong your vehicle’s lifespan.
