Is it okay to start the car and turn on the air conditioning without moving?

[VonCarter]

It is acceptable to idle the car with the air conditioning on. Here is some relevant information: 1. Idling precautions: The main concern when idling the car with the air conditioning on is the water temperature, especially for older cars with mechanical fans. Mechanical fans are driven by the engine crankshaft, and at idle speed, the crankshaft rotates slower, causing the cooling fan to spin slower as well. Prolonged idling can lead to insufficient engine cooling and result in overheating. 2. Carbon deposit formation: Carbon deposits form whenever the engine is running, not just when idling with the air conditioning on. In fact, idling with the air conditioning on produces minimal carbon deposits. The amount of carbon deposits generated during idling is similar to that during steady-speed driving and is much less compared to the deposits formed during acceleration and deceleration while driving.