Does idling with the heater on damage the car?

[CorbinLynn]

Idling with the heater on will not damage the car if the engine has reached its normal operating temperature. However, if the engine has just started and hasn't yet reached its normal operating temperature, idling with the heater on will slow down the engine's warming process, leading to increased fuel consumption, but it won't cause any damage to the car. The heating principle of a car's air conditioning system is quite simple. When heating, the high-temperature coolant from the engine flows through the heater core, and the air blown by the blower also passes through the heater core, allowing warm air to be emitted from the air vents. The cooling principle of the car's air conditioning system is also relatively straightforward. When cooling, the clutch of the air conditioning compressor engages, and the engine drives the compressor to operate. The compressor continuously compresses the refrigerant and delivers it to the evaporator during operation.