{"id":103520,"date":"2024-03-20T02:16:51","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T09:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=103520"},"modified":"2024-10-24T11:46:31","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T18:46:31","slug":"should-you-turn-off-your-a-c-before-the-engine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-turn-off-your-a-c-before-the-engine\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Turn Off Your A\/C Before The Engine?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column103520_7c5475-fb inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-a271d9  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-a28322\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading103520_45caa5-23\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One main reason why people turn off the A\/C is because drivers believe that keeping the A\/C turned on can damage the engine when the vehicle is started. However, this might only be an issue with older vehicles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some users also believe that turning off the A\/C and leaving the blower on before leaving the vehicle allows water inside the vehicle&rsquo;s condenser to evaporate, which leads to less mold and bacteria buildup.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Overall, the practice of turning off the A\/C before shutting down the engine might be more relevant for older vehicles with carburetor engines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Overall, the practice of turning off the A\/C before shutting down the engine might be more relevant for older vehicles with carburetor engines.<\/strong> <strong>Also, whether you start the car with the A\/C off or on doesn&rsquo;t matter that much.<\/strong> But it&rsquo;s common for drivers to turn off their vehicle&rsquo;s air-conditioning (A\/C) system before shutting down their engine. Just like turning off the lights before leaving a room, turning off the A\/C feels like the right thing to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Whether you start the car with the A\/C off or on doesn&rsquo;t matter that much.<\/p>\n<cite>&ndash;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\">Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>However, some people wonder whether the practice can be done in reverse. Is it really bad to leave the air conditioner on in a car? Meanwhile, others even ask whether it&rsquo;s even worth turning off the A\/C at all. We&rsquo;ll go over possible reasons why people do this and give you a definitive answer to the question of whether you should turn off the A\/C before turning off your car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reasons Why You Should Turn Off the A\/C Before the Engine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people say that this practice helps preserve the vehicle&rsquo;s engine and prevents damage to the vehicle&rsquo;s A\/C system. However, others believe that it&rsquo;s unnecessary and that leaving the A\/C on has no detrimental effects. Let&rsquo;s examine the facts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To Prevent Engine Wear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One main reason why people turn off the A\/C before turning off the car is because drivers believe that keeping the A\/C turned on can damage the engine when the vehicle is started. This is because the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/a-c-compressor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"A\/C compressor\">A\/C compressor<\/a> requires engine power. When the A\/C is left on, the compressor will activate immediately when the vehicle&rsquo;s engine is turned on. During startup, the compressor&rsquo;s extra load can put excess stress on the cold engine and accelerate wear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this line of thinking doesn&rsquo;t consider the fact that some vehicles with a compressor mounted down low will engage the compressor while the engine is spinning (regardless of whether the A\/C is on or not) to work settled refrigerant oil out of the compressor piston chambers. Ford calls this &ldquo;C.A.S.S.&rdquo; for Compressor Anti Slugging Strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some drivers wait for the engines to warm up before driving to allow oil to warm up and circulate to prevent accelerated wear on its components. But most drivers just fire up and head out, and this is what engines are designed to do. The caveat is that switching the engine off before it&rsquo;s had a chance to warm up tends to form sludge in the crankcase, so make sure you don&rsquo;t shut the engine off until it&rsquo;s warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the weather isn&rsquo;t freezing, most vehicles can be driven as soon as their engines are started. If vehicle engines can handle the load from moving as soon as they&rsquo;re started, then they can likely handle the extra load from the A\/C compressor without running into issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To Prevent Bacteria and Mold Buildup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some vehicle owners also believe that turning off the A\/C and leaving the blower on before leaving the vehicle allows water on the outside of the condenser fins and tubes. Since bacteria and mold don&rsquo;t grow as effectively in dry environments, this practice might inhibit bacteria and mold buildup, which can prevent your vehicle cabin from smelling funky or unpleasant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some Cadillac platforms have a strategy of running the blower motor after the vehicle has been shut off for this very reason. If you own one of these and hear your blower motor running for a short time after you&rsquo;ve left the vehicle, it&rsquo;s probably programmed into the electronics for it to do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just remember that bacteria and mold buildup in your vehicle&rsquo;s A\/C system is an entirely different issue. Turning off your A\/C might not be a definitive way to prevent or solve this problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To Preserve Battery Power<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The blower remains on even when the engine isn&rsquo;t running as long as your vehicle&rsquo;s ignition is in the &ldquo;on&rdquo; position. This will use up power, which can eventually drain your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/battery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"vehicle&rsquo;s battery\">vehicle&rsquo;s battery<\/a>. This won&rsquo;t be a big concern if your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-check-car-battery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"battery is in good condition\">battery is in good condition<\/a> and you&rsquo;re not going to keep the key in the &ldquo;on&rdquo; position running the blower for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, overall, the practice of turning off the A\/C before shutting down the engine might be more relevant for older vehicles. If you&rsquo;re in a modern direct-injection vehicle, your engine can certainly handle the extra load from the A\/C compressor even after a cold start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The choice of whether you&rsquo;ll turn off the A\/C before the engine might boil down to personal preference. If you prefer to be on the side of caution, then there&rsquo;s no harm in doing it. However, in most vehicles, leaving the A\/C on until the engine is turned off is unlikely to cause any significant harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get a Replacement A\/C System Parts that Fit Your Car<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you turned your engine off before your A\/C one too many times? If you have and your A\/C is no longer working too well, you might have damaged one of the essential A\/C system parts. It&rsquo;s best to bring your vehicle to a trusted mechanic to find out what you need to replace or repair. When it comes to buying replacement A\/C system parts though, why not check out CarParts.com?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/carparts.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"CarParts.com\">CarParts.com<\/a> can help you find the parts you need for your vehicle. Our built-in vehicle selector filters results based on your vehicle&rsquo;s year, make, and model. When viewing A\/C system parts with the selector in action, you&rsquo;ll see only parts that will fit your vehicle perfectly. We even have a 60-day return policy in case you&rsquo;re not completely satisfied with your order. After placing your order, we&rsquo;ll ship your part to your door in as fast as two business days, so you won&rsquo;t have long to wait either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&rsquo;t drive with a bad A\/C system. Purchase a replacement <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/a-c-compressor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"A\/C compressor\">A\/C compressor<\/a> or other A\/C system parts from CarParts.com today.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Overall, the practice of turning off the A\/C before shutting down the engine might be more relevant for older vehicles&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-turn-off-your-a-c-before-the-engine\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":103569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3754],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":{"0":"post-103520","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-air-conditioning-and-heating","8":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Should You Turn Off Your A\/C Before The Engine? - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We\u2019ll tackle possible reasons why people turn off their engines with the A\/C on and give you a definitive answer on what to do.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-turn-off-your-a-c-before-the-engine\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should You Turn Off Your A\/C Before The Engine? - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We\u2019ll tackle possible reasons why people turn off their engines with the A\/C on and give you a definitive answer on what to do.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/should-you-turn-off-your-a-c-before-the-engine\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-03-20T09:16:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-10-24T18:46:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/car-ac-switch.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-turn-off-your-a-c-before-the-engine\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-turn-off-your-a-c-before-the-engine\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. 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