Does starting a car more than 10 times a day have any impact?
3 Answers
Frequent engine shutdowns and restarts can cause some degree of damage to the car, primarily affecting the starter motor and battery, along with several other hazards such as loss of brake assist, loss of power steering, or heavy steering. Specifically: 1. Spark plugs may lose their ignition capability. 2. The throttle may malfunction. Both of these issues can lead to engine shaking and unstable RPM. 3. Carbon deposits can cause incomplete fuel combustion, resulting in engine shaking. 4. Overloading the transmission can degrade the quality and frictional properties of the transmission fluid, increasing friction and wear. This leads to transmission noise, and sludge (impurities or dirt) may also form inside the transmission (e.g., in the valve body), causing symptoms like jerking, gear slippage, impact, slipping, stalling, abnormal noises, delays, overheating, and oil leaks.
Speaking of starting the car more than ten times a day, I often do this myself. The most direct wear and tear from frequent starts is on the battery. Each ignition requires a high current discharge, and doing it more than ten times in a row means the battery can't keep up with charging, leading to power depletion within a year or two. Engine wear during cold starts is also significant, as the oil hasn't fully lubricated the system yet, causing severe friction between the pistons and cylinder walls. I recommend not starting the car too frequently in short intervals; after starting, let the engine run for at least a few minutes to allow the battery to recharge and the oil to circulate properly. For short trips, it's better to combine errands to reduce the number of ignitions. Of course, new cars might handle it, but older cars require more attention to maintenance.
Once when I was working as a ride-hailing driver, starting the car 20 times a day was quite normal. The main components affected are actually the starter motor and the battery, as both have to work at full capacity with each start—it's like a person repeatedly sprinting, which can easily lead to exhaustion. Short trips are even worse; the engine doesn't get a chance to warm up properly before being shut off, leading to more carbon buildup than usual. It's recommended to wait at least half an hour before turning off the engine to avoid frequent cold starts. During maintenance, make sure to check the battery life, and consider replacing it with a higher-capacity one for better durability. In cold weather, keep the interval between starts to at least five to ten minutes to allow the engine oil to circulate and lubricate.
