How to Avoid Avoiding Unnecessary Car Idling?
By Admin
Reading time: 8 min read
Published on: 09 / 04 / 2025
One of the severe health issues in India is Air pollution. Out of the 30 most polluted cities in the world, twenty-one cities were in India. According to a study, at least 140 million people breathe air ten times worse than the world health organisation’s safe limit.
While most of it is caused by industries, crop burning or fireworks, vehicles account for twenty-seven per cent of it by car idling majorly. Let us understand the concept of car idling, its drawbacks, how to avoid it, and its car idling problems.
What Is Car Idling? Is idling bad for your car
Car idling or engine idling is when there is a running engine while the vehicle is not in motion, for example- when you are stuck in traffic etc. Vehicle idling is a common occurrence among car drivers, but the truth is it is awful for your fuel consumption or the environment.
Car Idling Problems Or Drawbacks - How long can a car idle
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Fuel wastage- Car gas consumption
An engine consumes more fuel when it is idle than restarting it. When a vehicle is idle for 10 to 12 minutes, it consumes approximately 1 / 3 litres of fuel which can change according to your vehicle. Thus, car idling can reduce the car’s fuel efficiency.
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A major cause of pollution - Idling vehicle emissions
Idling vehicle emissions are the major reason for air pollution, which directly links with global warming leading to heart diseases or lung diseases.
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It is damaging to the engine -
As an idle vehicle, it’s the engine. It does not operate at the optimum temperature leading to incomplete fuel combustion and leaving fuel residue condensing on cylinder walls to damage the engine components. It can also cause rust in the vehicle's exhaust by allowing water to concentrate in its exhaust.
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Drains car battery
Car idling leads to no allowance for the battery to charge and more strain on it.
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Decreases performance
Car idling can lead to deteriorating head gasket or cylinder rings, directly affecting the vehicle’s performance.
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Bad for children
As car idling leads to more vehicle emissions or pollution, children become more vulnerable to deteriorating air quality as they tend to breathe faster than adults.
How To Avoid Car Idling?
Turn off your engine if your hault is for more than ten seconds, restarting your engine does not burn more fuel while halting for just ten seconds can consume more fuel.
The engine should be warmed up by driving the car instead of idling as the engine warms up twice as quickly when the car is driven while idling makes it more time consuming and harmful. Car engine maintenance can be achieved if car idling is avoided.
Benefits Of Avoiding Car Idling
By avoiding car idling fuel costs can be reduced along with engine maintenance cost, engine’s life can be extended, more well being of the operator can be ensured by decreasing the noise levels, and fewer emissions which are harmful to the environment leading to less respiratory diseases due to air pollution or global warming.
Car Idling & The Engine: Idling Car Bad For The Engine
Avoiding car idling can lead to a healthy engine life avoiding spark plugs becoming dirtier, which causes increased fuel consumption and corrosion in the exhaust.
In various cities, a fine is levied if you leave your car on while idle. Such a penalty should be imposed worldwide to protect our environment and for various other benefits primarily.
Car idling is even more harmful to used car engines or second-hand cars to maintain fuel efficiency or performance. With time, the car’s performance starts deteriorating if it is not maintained correctly.
Myths Around Car Idling - Is idling bad for your car
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Myth 1
Especially in winters, before driving engines should be warmed up.
Fact- engine’s today does not need more than 30 seconds of warming up, which will be faster if you drive rather than keeping your car on while idle.
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Myth 2
Car idling is good for your engine.
Fact- On the contrary, car idling can lead to harmful effects on your engine’s components like spark plugs or cylinders.
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Myth 3
Cold starts are rough on the engine due to which idling is better.
Fact- restarting your car has little to no impact on your car or engine while car idling reduces mileage or performance by the engine.
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Myth 4
Restarting your car produces more pollution.
Fact- After restarting, driving a car immediately leads to heating of it faster and its catalytic convertor becoming more efficient with regards to reducing emission up to ninety-nine per cent mostly seen in newer models
Car maintenance can only be initiated if the engine is taken care of. This can be achieved by avoiding car idling.
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