Does using P gear with air conditioning on affect the car?
3 Answers
Leaving an automatic transmission car in P gear with the engine running and air conditioning on for a long time does not damage the car. P gear is the most common gear in automatic transmission models, usually located at the frontmost position of the gear shift console, in front of the R gear, designed to lock the axle when the car is stationary on a slope. However, when the vehicle is idling in place, the gasoline in the engine may not burn completely. If this happens frequently over a long period, it can increase the formation of carbon deposits in the engine, and relatively, fuel consumption may also increase. In addition, if you rest in the car with the air conditioning on in a confined environment, a large amount of gas can enter the car through the vehicle's ventilation system. Staying in the car for an extended period under such conditions can easily lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. If the driver must rest in the car, it is advisable to first park the car in an open and ventilated location. Then, lower the window by about two fingers' width for ventilation, and finally switch the air conditioning mode from internal circulation to external circulation to ensure proper air flow inside the car.
I often encounter car owners asking about this during repairs. Actually, there's no problem at all running the AC in P gear, as P gear is the parking gear and the transmission gears are locked. But you need to be careful not to do it for too long. Once, I had a client who waited in the basement with the AC on for an hour, and the battery ended up completely drained, leaving the car dead. The AC compressor is driven by the engine and really has nothing to do with the gear position. However, I recommend turning off the engine and opening the windows if it's going to be more than 20 minutes. It's quite common to run the AC for a short while while waiting in the summer. The key is to ensure the parking spot is well-ventilated and the engine doesn't overheat.
Last week, my wife specifically asked her driving instructor about this, and the instructor said the P (Park) gear is designed for parking. It's so comfortable to wait in the car with the air conditioning on and music playing, but never do this in an enclosed garage! I once saw a news story on a short video about someone who almost had an accident after falling asleep with the AC on in an underground garage. Oh, and remember to check the coolant and fan. There was a time when my car's cooling fan got stuck, and the water temperature kept rising with the AC on. Actually, the key point isn't the gear, but whether the car can dissipate heat in time.
