Does Running the Air Conditioner While Parked Damage the Car?
1 Answers
Running the air conditioner while parked can damage the car. Here are the specific details about how it can harm the vehicle: Turning on the AC immediately after ignition: Starting the air conditioner right after the engine is turned on increases the engine load. Over time, this can damage the engine. Additionally, turning on the AC when the car's interior is very hot makes it difficult to cool down quickly. Running the AC during traffic jams: During prolonged traffic jams or while waiting for someone, keeping the AC on forces the engine to idle for extended periods, which places a heavy burden on it. Moreover, incomplete fuel combustion during idling produces high concentrations of carbon monoxide. If the surrounding air circulation is poor, this carbon monoxide can enter the car's interior, potentially causing poisoning to the occupants. Setting the temperature to the lowest: Exposing oneself to extremely cold air for long periods can lead to conditions like arthritis, frozen shoulder, or colds. For small-displacement cars (below 1.4L), it's also important to keep the AC at the lowest setting when starting the car, as a high AC setting can make it difficult for the car to start. Using the recirculation mode continuously: Prolonged use of the recirculation mode can make the air inside the car increasingly stale, leading to dizziness or discomfort.
