Does Prolonged Idling Damage the Car?
2 Answers
Prolonged idling does not cause significant harm to the car, but it directly leads to increased fuel consumption and a buildup of carbon deposits. The accumulation of carbon deposits increases with the duration of vehicle operation, so it is advisable for car owners to perform necessary cleaning every six months to maintain the engine's operational efficiency. Idling to warm up the engine, also known as soft warm-up, involves allowing the engine to idle naturally without pressing the accelerator after ignition and before driving. The engine speed during idling is referred to as the idle speed, which can be adjusted by modifying the throttle opening size.
Long periods of idling in place can indeed harm your car. Over the years running my auto repair shop, I've seen too many cases where incomplete fuel combustion during engine idling leads to carbon buildup on pistons and spark plugs. In severe cases, this can cause the car to shake when starting and lose power. Engine oil also fails to lubricate all parts evenly, accelerating component wear. It can also cause a sharp increase in fuel consumption, wasting gasoline unnecessarily. Prolonged idling may even lead to insufficient output from the air conditioning system, making it difficult to regulate the cabin temperature. My advice is to turn off the engine if you're stopped at a red light or waiting for someone for more than three minutes—this protects your car and saves money. If you need to warm up the car in winter, 30 seconds is enough; don't let the engine waste energy unnecessarily.
