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How long can your car idle?
Is it bad to leave a car idling for a long time? I’m an Uber driver and I sometimes have to wait for customers for quite a while. I’m hoping this doesn’t damage my vehicle.
Hana Sabah · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Best-case scenario, your car should only idle for 30 seconds to a minute.
Idling is the act of leaving your car running without invoking any movement. But if you don’t plan to move for several minutes, then it’s best to shut off your engine.
The good news is idling for longer periods of time won’t necessarily damage your car. In fact, you can essentially keep your car idling for as long as there’s fuel in it—but that doesn’t mean you should.
Excessive idling may decrease the lifespan of your engine, not to mention it wastes tons of gas and pollutes the environment. And some states will even ticket drivers who leave their car idling—so idler, beware!
As an Uber driver, you’re on the road more than most people, so it’s imperative to make sure you’re protected by great car insurance without overpaying for it. The
Jerry
app can help.Jerry will gather competitive quotes from over 50 top name-brand insurance providers and deliver the best deals straight to you. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, Jerry will even help you switch plans and cancel your old policy.
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