How Long Can a Car Idle Continuously Before Causing Damage?

[Grant]

Continuous idling for more than half an hour can damage a car, particularly harming the engine. The hazards of car idling include: 1. During idling, the vehicle's cylinders contain a high amount of exhaust gases, leading to increased emissions; 2. When the engine remains in idle for extended periods, the vehicle's braking system may loosen, increasing the risk of unintended vehicle movement; 3. Prolonged idling results in excessive engine exhaust, and unburned fuel mixture may ignite at the catalytic converter's location, potentially damaging it. Idling is not a speed but an operational state. It refers to the engine running without load, and when the accelerator pedal is fully released while the engine is running, the engine enters idle mode.