Does idling with the AC on in summer consume more fuel?

[Camargo]

Idling with the AC on in summer does consume more fuel. Running the AC's cooling function while the car is idling leads to increased fuel consumption. Prolonged idling can also accelerate carbon buildup, which over time may cause symptoms like engine shaking at idle, increased fuel consumption, and sluggish acceleration. Relevant details are as follows: 1. Running the AC while idling: The engine needs to power the AC compressor, water pump, oil pump, etc., but only the AC compressor is actually working. This results in wasted energy, leading to higher fuel consumption. 2. When the AC is cooling: The engine must drive the compressor, which consumes a portion of the engine's power. Keeping the AC on for extended periods while idling does indeed result in significantly higher fuel consumption.