Does Remote Starting the Air Conditioner Harm the Car?
2 Answers
Remote starting the air conditioner can harm the car. Specific details are as follows: 1. Reason: Turning off the engine before shutting down the air conditioner is harmful to the engine. This is because when the vehicle is started again, the engine will start with the load of the air conditioner, which can damage the engine due to the high load. 2. Best practice: Turn off the air conditioner a few minutes before reaching the destination. This allows natural air to circulate, helping the temperature inside the air conditioning ducts to rise and eliminate the temperature difference with the outside environment, thereby maintaining relative dryness in the air conditioning system and preventing mold growth. Additionally, it is recommended to wait two to three minutes after starting the vehicle, allowing the engine to be properly lubricated, before turning on the air conditioner.
I think remote start air conditioning has some impact on the car but don't worry too much, mainly in terms of the engine and battery. When remote starting, the air conditioning starts working and the compressor will drive the engine, increasing the load, especially during cold starts when the oil isn't warm and lubrication is insufficient, which may accelerate component wear. Frequent long-term use will increase fuel consumption because running the air conditioning at idle raises fuel consumption by even about 10%. Additionally, it puts a burden on the battery as the air conditioning consumes a lot of electricity, and the battery powering it without the car moving may shorten battery life, especially for older cars with aging batteries where the problem is worse. However, I've tested that modern car designs take these functions into account, and short-term use, like turning it on for a few minutes in summer, is basically fine, but it's best not to use it for too long each time to avoid damaging the car.
