{"id":130983,"date":"2025-02-07T00:41:06","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T08:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=130983"},"modified":"2025-03-13T20:32:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T03:32:51","slug":"can-leaving-your-car-idling-damage-its-battery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/can-leaving-your-car-idling-damage-its-battery\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Leaving Your Car Idling Damage Its Battery? Plus More Questions Answered About Idling"},"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\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b > .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-column130983_380c48-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column130983_380c48-2b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column130983_380c48-2b inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-6c0f6c  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-48714e\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56\"] 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-heading130983_52a7dd-56 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading130983_52a7dd-56\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Leaving the engine running won&rsquo;t necessarily damage the battery. In fact, the alternator can only do its job of charging the battery while the engine is running.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Idling is simply the practice of leaving your engine on while the vehicle isn&rsquo;t moving.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Idling can become an issue when it becomes a habit that lasts more than 20 minutes. According to the US Department of Energy, modern vehicles don&rsquo;t really need to idle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>While idling won&rsquo;t necessarily damage the battery, it can cause the battery to slowly discharge<\/strong> if the A\/C is on and the blower is on high, and you have some large amplifier in the trunk drawing a lot of current. In these cases, the alternator won&rsquo;t be able to keep up because it isn&rsquo;t spinning fast enough to keep up with the loads during extended periods of idling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related to this, one of the most common questions drivers tend to ask is &ldquo;how long can you leave a car running?&rdquo;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Principle of Idling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Idling is simply the practice of leaving your engine on while the vehicle isn&rsquo;t moving. This practice is often unavoidable, especially when the vehicle is stuck in traffic, stopped at a red light, or when the driver is waiting inside the vehicle instead of parking.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column130983_115443-d6 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column130983_115443-d6 > .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-column130983_115443-d6 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column130983_115443-d6 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column130983_115443-d6 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column130983_115443-d6 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column130983_115443-d6{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column130983_115443-d6 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column130983_115443-d6 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column130983_115443-d6 kb-section-dir-vertical kb-section-sm-dir-vertical inner-column-1 pro-tip-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:start;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:start;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-md, 2rem);padding-top:20px;padding-right:32px;padding-bottom:20px;padding-left:16px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, calc(10% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem ) * 1 )\/2)))minmax(0, calc(90% - ((var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem ) * 1 )\/2)));}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.00;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:100px;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:100%;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{fill:#ffffff!important;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-top-sep{height:100px;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-top-sep svg{width:100%;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-top-sep svg{fill:#ffffff!important;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:px;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:%;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 > .kt-row-column-wrap{padding-top:28px;padding-right:16px;padding-bottom:25px;padding-left:16px;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep{height:px;}.kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 .kt-row-layout-bottom-sep svg{width:%;}}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id130983_fce7b2-56 alignnone pro-tip-wrap wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-right-golden kt-tab-layout-right-golden kt-mobile-layout-right-golden kt-row-valign-top\">\n<style>.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col{min-height:45px;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .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-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col{row-gap:0px;column-gap:0px;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;}}@media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column130983_b98d9b-7e kb-section-dir-horizontal kb-section-md-dir-horizontal inner-column-1 pro-tip-item1\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image130983_ecb6af-61.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image130983_ecb6af-61 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:45px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image130983_ecb6af-61.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image130983_ecb6af-61 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image130983_ecb6af-61 figure{max-width:45px;}.kb-image130983_ecb6af-61 .image-is-svg, .kb-image130983_ecb6af-61 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image130983_ecb6af-61 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image130983_ecb6af-61\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/f_auto,dpr_auto,q_auto,c_pad\/carparts\/blog\/widgets\/protip\/services-icon\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img\"><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .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-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column130983_226b0f-e8 inner-column-2 pro-tip-item2\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"protip-desc\">\n\t<div class=\"help-tip\">\n\t\t<p><strong>Pro Tips<\/strong> are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n    <div class=\"help-caption\">\n        <p>\n            <strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong>\nSince most vehicles and people use mileage to determine when the oil needs to be changed, the amount of time the vehicle spends idling won&rsquo;t be recorded on most cars (some truck instrument displays will keep up with idle time).\n        <\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-data443-irp-shortcode irp-shortcode\"><div style=\"clear:both; margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:1em;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/my-car-wont-start-what-should-i-do\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"dofollow\" class=\"uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6\"><style> .uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; text-decoration:none; } .uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6:active, .uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:#464646; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6 .postTitle { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .uf3fdcd5b57abaf52707cb93c1ec466f6:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } <\/style><div style=\"padding-left:1em; padding-right:1em;\"><span class=\"ctaText\">See also<\/span>&nbsp; <span class=\"postTitle\">Why Won&rsquo;t My Car Start?<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Idling causes the engine&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-a-normal-engine-idle-rpm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"revolutions per minute\">revolutions per minute<\/a> (RPMs) to drop to its resting point. During this activity, the engine is essentially running without any load except for some accessories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to a report from the US Department of Energy, Idling for more than 10 seconds consumes more fuel and produces more harmful exhaust emissions than stopping and restarting your engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Long Can You Leave Your Car Running While Parked?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"driver sitting inside car idling with car running\" class=\"wp-image-130881\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/driver-sitting-inside-car-idling-with-car-running.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Idling can become an issue when it becomes a habit that lasts for more than 20 minutes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Idling can become an issue when it becomes a habit that lasts for more than 20 minutes. But according to the US Department of Energy, modern vehicles don&rsquo;t really need to idle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, driving the vehicle can help the engine reach its ideal operating temperature much faster than idling. In addition, the catalytic converter can also operate much sooner if the vehicle is driven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most vehicle manufacturers recommend car owners to drive off gently 30 seconds after starting the engine, as it can help the vehicle warm up by being at work. This will also help the cabin temperature to increase faster during cold days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was a time when idling was recommended to warm up the engine, so you can&rsquo;t really blame the drivers who keep doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Old models with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/carburetor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"carburetors\">carburetors<\/a> required idling due to the rich air-fuel mixture they start off with, especially during cold days. Idling to warm up the engine helps the carburetor to properly balance the air-fuel mixture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, engines have become more sophisticated, especially with the introduction of electronic fuel injection technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most modern vehicles don&rsquo;t need to idle anymore since fuel injection technology can compensate for changes in the ambient air, resulting in optimized engine performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>From Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>One farmer in Texas reports that he left his pickup truck idling all night and didn&rsquo;t realize it until the next morning when he went back to where he had parked the truck and discovered that the engine had overheated and destroyed itself. Granted, that&rsquo;s an extreme circumstance, but think about what&rsquo;s at stake and what that cost him.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>When you engage in extended periods of idling, especially with the A\/C running, you&rsquo;re putting a lot of stress on your engine&rsquo;s cooling system, not to mention the gas that is being burned in the process.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consequences of Excessive Idling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Leaving your car running while parked can negatively impact the environment and result in drivability issues after some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-data443-irp-shortcode irp-shortcode\"><div style=\"clear:both; margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:1em;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-happens-when-the-starter-solenoid-goes-bad\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"dofollow\" class=\"ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62\"><style> .ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; text-decoration:none; } .ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62:active, .ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:#464646; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62 .postTitle { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .ub77574741f983c0933b3756aea318f62:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } <\/style><div style=\"padding-left:1em; padding-right:1em;\"><span class=\"ctaText\">See also<\/span>&nbsp; <span class=\"postTitle\">Bad Starter Solenoid Symptoms<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Impact on Vehicle Condition and Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sludge Build-Up<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>An engine that&rsquo;s been idling for a long time also means that it&rsquo;s been running at a low speed, resulting in an incomplete fuel combustion process on older vehicles. On newer engine platforms, this isn&rsquo;t as much of an issue due to the PCM\/ECM&rsquo;s control of idle speed, and even temperature on engines with PCM-controlled electric thermostats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incomplete fuel combustion leaves <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-clean-a-spark-plug\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"residue on spark plugs\">residue on spark plugs<\/a> and cylinders that can build up after some time and affect engine performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&rsquo;s also possible for the residue to get mixed with engine oil and reduce the lubricant&rsquo;s capability to protect metal parts from wear and tear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For diesel engines, long idle times can cause the exhaust temperature to drop below the ideal level for the diesel particulate filter to work properly. This can also lead to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-carbon-buildup-and-how-does-it-affect-your-engine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"soot build-up\">soot build-up<\/a> and clog the filter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Poor Fuel Economy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You&rsquo;re losing about a gallon of gas for every hour your car is running at idle. And with the fuel prices at an all-time high these days, it&rsquo;s a must to observe fuel-saving practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a vehicle is idling for a long time, it usually means that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-a-good-air-fuel-ratio-chart-included\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"air-fuel mixture is rich\">air-fuel mixture is rich<\/a>, so the mixture is using up more fuel than air during the combustion process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-data443-irp-shortcode irp-shortcode\"><div style=\"clear:both; margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:1em;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-long-can-a-car-battery-sit-unused\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"dofollow\" class=\"uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc\"><style> .uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; text-decoration:none; } .uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc:active, .uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:#464646; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc .postTitle { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .uc2e605c7c38b653401a3c3eff3ade2fc:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } <\/style><div style=\"padding-left:1em; padding-right:1em;\"><span class=\"ctaText\">See also<\/span>&nbsp; <span class=\"postTitle\">How Long Can a Car Battery Sit Unused?<\/span><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Premature Wear and Tear<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>All engine parts are bound to wear out after some time, but most of these components can last for years without needing a replacement if you stick with good driving habits and keep up with regular maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Idling is not considered a good practice. Excessive idling creates a condition where there&rsquo;s more heat and less oil and coolant flow. As a result, parts such as cooling fans and water pumps are forced to work overtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Impact on the Environment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are about 40 types of contaminants found in gasoline emissions during idling. In addition, approximately 130,000 tons of carbon dioxide are emitted from idling fleet vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Leaving your car running for a long time can result in cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, following the inhalation of these harmful emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An idle vehicle can produce up to twice the exhaust emissions than a moving vehicle, increasing the amount of CO2 that gets trapped in the atmosphere. By leaving your vehicle running at idle, you&rsquo;re essentially contributing to global warming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Idling In EVs and Hybrids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Idling in hybrid and fully electric vehicles isn&rsquo;t as detrimental as internal combustion engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hybrid vehicles contribute to idle reduction since most of their engines automatically shut off when they&rsquo;re not in motion. At the same time, these vehicles enable slow movements even when the engine is shut off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for fully electric vehicles, since they have no tailpipe emissions, idling is fine and safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the only thing you should worry about EVs when idling is that they can reduce battery life. Unlike vehicles with internal combustion engines, EV batteries cannot recharge via an alternator.<\/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\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>While idling won&rsquo;t necessarily damage the battery, it can cause the battery to slowly discharge if the A\/C is on&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/can-leaving-your-car-idling-damage-its-battery\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":130880,"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":[3767,53,3950],"tags":[73],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":{"0":"post-130983","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-driving","8":"category-features","9":"category-for-the-car-owner","10":"tag-battery","11":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Can Leaving Your Car Idling Damage Its Battery? 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Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust."},{"term_id":2985,"user_id":1646,"is_guest":0,"slug":"richardmccuistian","display_name":"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png"},"author_category":"","user_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/","last_name":"McCuistian","first_name":"Richard","job_title":"ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","description":"<div class=\"auth-social-links\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\/\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"linkedin\" aria-labelledby=\"linkedin\">LinkedIn<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/McCuistian\" class=\"btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"instagram\" aria-labelledby=\"instagram\">Youtube<\/a><\/div>\r\n\r\nRichard McCuistian grew up in Alabama learning from his father who ran an automotive repair shop. Richard has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others (published every year since May 2000). He has developed training courses and written or edited training material for companies in the U.S. Canada, and the Netherlands, and even Bulgaria. He maintained an \u201cask a mechanic\u201d website for 10 years answering questions emailed to him from all over the world.\r\n\r\nRichard has an instructional automotive YouTube channel \u201cMcCuistian\u201d with 13,500 subscribers and over 1,300 videos. Much of his professional work requires photography and videography in shop environments, but Richard also enjoys taking pictures of landscapes, skyscapes, old barns and houses, small towns. He has produced a coffee table book of digital watercolors called \u201cMemories of South Alabama\u201d created from his personal photos, along with a dozen Christian fiction short original novels and a collection of short stories, all available in Kindle or softcover format. Richard has written a 2,500-word Bible study every week for the past 20 years and uses it to teach a small group at his church every Sunday morning.\r\n\r\n<strong>Credentials:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"author-list\">\r\n<li><p>ASE Certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Professional Mechanic\/Technician for 25 years with experience on diesel and gasoline engines, vehicles and equipment (including hydraulics).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Spent 5 years in fleet maintenance, 20 years in independent shops and dealerships (VW, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln), specializing in driveability and electronics for the last 14 years of his career at the same dealership.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Senior Contributing Editor at Motor Age Magazine, first published in Motor Age in May of 2000 and every year since. He has won two International Automotive Media Awards for technical articles published in trade magazines.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has attended hundreds of hours of automotive training from OEMs including GM, Volkswagen, Mazda, Renault, Jeep, Chrysler, as well as additional training at events like KC Vision and MACS (Mobile Air Climate Systems Association).<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Taught college level auto mechanics for 19 years.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Has written for automotive training companies (including course development work for training companies in Canada and the Netherlands) and has been hired to teach professional trade show technician courses at multiple training events in Texas and Alabama.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>While still teaching at the college level, Richard launched a new automotive program in Geneva, Alabama, setting up a dual enrollment department in a new building, organizing the shop and classroom, teaching morning classes to high school students for 2 years while still teaching at the college in the afternoon.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<li><p>Richard\u2019s college program at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College worked at professional shop speed during his tenure to prepare graduates for production level work in the real world.<\/p><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130983\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130880"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130983"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=130983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}