Does idling with the AC on damage the car and consume more fuel?
1 Answers
Idling with the AC on does damage the car and consumes more fuel. Here are the relevant explanations: 1. Increased air intake: The engine control unit raises the engine speed by about 100 RPM, thereby increasing the engine's air intake. This leads to more fuel injection and a richer air-fuel mixture. The engine computer uses this method to improve engine stability. However, a richer mixture can result in incomplete combustion of gasoline. Prolonged idling with the AC on can cause increased carbon deposits, making the engine less fuel-efficient. 2. Cooling fan: When the AC is on, the engine needs to reduce the heat from the AC condenser, so the cooling fan runs continuously. If there are issues with the cooling or heat dissipation systems, it can lead to high engine coolant temperature, which may adversely affect the engine.