Should the car engine be turned off when parked for 10 minutes?
3 Answers
Yes, the car engine should be turned off when parked for 10 minutes. More knowledge about car parking is as follows: 1. Temporary parking: If you need to make a temporary stop during driving (1-3 minutes), the engine generally should not be turned off to allow for immediate restart. In this case, first press the brake pedal and clutch pedal (for automatic transmission cars, only the brake pedal needs to be pressed), engage the handbrake, then shift the gear lever to neutral, release both pedals, and you may also release the steering wheel to relax completely. Another type of temporary parking is for picking up/dropping off passengers or loading/unloading small items. In the absence of no-parking signs, it's best to change lanes to the outer lane in advance and park by the roadside. For safety, turn on the hazard warning lights. Before opening the car door, always check for bicycles or pedestrians passing by the side of the car (especially on the left side) to prevent the door from hitting anyone. 2. Long-term parking: Parking upon reaching the destination usually involves a longer duration. Before parking, always straighten the steering wheel to align the front wheels in a straight driving position. For manual transmission cars, after parking as described above, to assist the parking brake, you can shift into 1st gear or reverse gear, then release the seatbelt, remove the car key, check the road conditions on both sides before exiting and lock the doors. For automatic transmission cars, after parking, continue to press the brake pedal, shift the gear lever to P (Park), engage the handbrake, then release the brake pedal. Close all windows, turn off all lights and dashboard lights, turn off the engine, release the seatbelt, remove the car key, check the road conditions on both sides before exiting and lock the doors.
It depends on the situation. I used to agonize over whether to turn off the engine when driving older cars, but now with newer models, I'm much more relaxed. Generally speaking, you should turn off the engine if parked for more than one minute, but for brief waits like picking someone up roadside, frequent restarts actually do more harm to the starter. The summer AC dilemma is real – turn off the engine and the car instantly becomes a sauna, but watching the fuel gauge drop while idling hurts. The smartest solution is installing a voltage monitor – if the battery's in good condition, feel free to shut down. Cars with start-stop systems make life even easier. At traffic lights over 30 seconds, I usually engage the start-stop function – saves fuel and is eco-friendly.
Our property manager Old Wang in the community has a catchphrase: 'Three minutes of idling is enough to drive one kilometer.' Actual tests show that my 2.0L car burns two liters of fuel per hour when idling with the air conditioning on. Nowadays, while waiting for my child's class to end, I've gotten into the habit of turning off the engine and reading under the shade—saving enough money in ten minutes to buy an ice cream. However, if your battery is over three years old, you need to be careful. Last time, my neighbor Old Zhang drained his battery by listening to music with the engine off, costing him 300 yuan for roadside assistance. The most cost-effective solution is installing a remote start system for the air conditioning, allowing you to start the car five minutes in advance—cool and fuel-efficient when you get in.
