Myth Buster
Myths about car idling exist.
See if you fall for any.
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| Turning the key on idling is an example of a small change, like turning off the lights when you leave the room, that can have a big impact if widely adopted. |
Myth #1 Cars like to be warm and toasty before hitting the road.
Myth #2 It takes more gas to restart the car than to let it idle for a few minutes.
Myth #3 Frequent restarting harms the ignition and engine.
Myth #4 Idling in a no-parking zone keeps you from getting a ticket.
Myth #5 Switching off the ignition does little to save the environment.
Truth to #1
It’s unnecessary to warm a car up for more than a few seconds, even on cold mornings. The best way to warm up the car is to drive at moderate speeds so that all parts are heated at once.
Truth to #2
Idling for 10 seconds or more uses more fuel than restarting.
Truth to #3
For most cars restarting causes little harm to the ignition and engine, and those costs associated with wear are recovered in fuel savings. (Environment Canada)
Truth to #4
Having the car on won’t necessarily save you a ticket, and it definitely wastes gas.
Truth to #5
A passenger car that idles for 10 minutes a day emits just under 500 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. It also uses more than 25 gallons of gas per year.
Sarah Crespi is a second-year master’s student in the journalism program at MSU. This is her third appearance in EJ. Contact Sarah at crespi@msu.edu
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