Does idling the engine with AC on for half an hour damage the car?
1 Answers
There will be some impact. Idling consumes gasoline, which is no different from being stuck in traffic. However, the three-way catalytic converter does not work fully, polluting the air. Moreover, prolonged idling leads to incomplete combustion in the engine, resulting in more carbon deposits. If the temperature is low, even more deposits will form. Therefore, prolonged idling to warm up the engine does not effectively protect it but rather reduces its health. Below is additional information: The purpose of idling in place: Idling to warm up the engine means starting the engine in neutral to heat it up. This method mainly warms up the engine's lubrication and temperature. Regarding lubrication, about 30 seconds is generally sufficient.