Is it safe to keep a USB drive plugged in the car for a long time?
2 Answers
It is safe to keep a USB drive plugged in the car for a long time. Here is some relevant information about USB drives: 1. USB drives do not affect the car: They will not cause harm to the vehicle. However, if left plugged in continuously, the USB drive remains in a powered state, and over a long period, it may burn out. Whether you unplug it or not makes little difference. This is because the USB interface is fixed to the circuit board as a whole, and normal plugging and unplugging have no impact (retractable USB drives simply have the circuit board placed on a movable base—only the base moves in and out, while the USB interface is fixed to the circuit board like a regular USB drive). 2. Remove the USB drive vertically: When unplugging, apply force vertically to remove it. Avoid shaking it side to side even if it feels tight (frequent lateral shaking can lead to poor contact in the USB port or damage to the USB drive's interface).
I always feel that leaving a USB drive plugged into the car for a long time is quite risky, especially when the car is turned off. This is because the USB port might still be supplying power in the background, which can slowly drain the car battery and lead to a failure to start in the morning. Last year, I experienced this myself—my battery was so drained it almost caused me to miss an important event. The mechanic told me this issue is quite common in older car models. Additionally, USB drives themselves aren’t resistant to extreme temperatures. When the interior temperature soars in summer, it can damage the chips, leading to data loss, which would be a huge hassle. To stay on the safe side, I recommend unplugging the USB drive after use. This not only protects the drive and extends its lifespan but also saves power and avoids unexpected malfunctions.
