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Is turning your car on and off bad?
I’ve heard that idling is better than switching your engine on and off—is that true? Is turning your car on and off bad?
Andrew Biro · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Great question! Contrary to popular belief, turning your car on and off is not bad for the engine or your starter, nor will it contribute to excessive wear and tear—in fact, the only “bad” thing it does is momentarily strain your vehicle’s battery. The only exception to this rule is if you drive a vehicle with a heavy-duty starter or an older vehicle that still uses a carburetor.
Of course, that’s not to say that you should switch your engine on and off repeatedly, multiple times a day—if you do, you run the risk of wearing out your starter before reaching its normal lifespan.
But if you only turn your car on and off a couple of times a day, in situations where you’d normally be idling, you don’t have to worry about damaging your vehicle.
Hopefully, this clears things up!
Switching your car on and off isn’t bad for your car—but not having the right insurance is. Make sure you’re getting the coverage you need at a reasonable price with
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