How long can a car be left running?

On average, car ideal longer than 5 minutes will cause the engine to go over normal temperature. Many states limit ideal time to 20 minutes during cold temperatures. If you must ideal try to drive the car around the block after every 5 mins.
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What happens if you leave your car running for a long time?

Longer time leaving your engine running causes more motor oil to be circulated and burned up. This will cost you more money due to more frequent oil changes. Is bad for the environment. Your exhaust system produces emissions into the air and contributes to air pollution.
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How long can I sit with my car running?

How Long Can You Let Your Car Idle? Idling your car for 30 seconds to a minute is acceptable, and it will not cause any harm to your vehicle.
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Can you leave your car running all day?

Ray: Well, to answer your first question, leaving the car running all day won't do any damage. As long as the engine's cooling system is working normally, a modern car can run for days and days -- until it runs out of gas -- without causing itself any harm.
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Is it OK to leave car engine running?

For the most part, leaving a gas-powered car's engine running for a long period is fine for the car. However, it risks a mechanical problem, an empty gas tank, or a drained battery. It's also a bad idea for environmental reasons.
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Should You Leave Your Car's Engine Idling? Myth Busted



Does it hurt a car to idle for hours?

Myth: Idling Your Engine For Just A Few Minutes Won't Harm The Environment. Fact: Whether you're warming up your car's engine in your driveway or are at standstill stuck in rush-hour traffic, idling your engine for just 10 minutes releases one pound of harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
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How long can I keep my car AC on while my engine is running but car is parked?

As long as the engine is running and you aren't running low on fuel, you can keep your car idling with the AC on for as long as you'd like. However, you will want to avoid doing this with the engine off, as this will use up almost all of your battery power in a short time, leaving you in need of a jumpstart.
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Can a car idle all night?

It's bad to idle your car overnight, but probably not as bad as you think. It won't destroy your car in a single day, but it will do lasting damage, especially if you idle overnight repeatedly.
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Can I sleep in my car with the AC running?

Answer provided by. While wanting to turn on the AC during a trip to the Southwest is understandable, studies show that sleeping in your car with the AC running may lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. This can lead to a trip to the hospital or even death.
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Can I leave my car running for 4 hours?

It is most likely safe to leave your car running overnight. In a perfect world, modern engines with full tanks of gas can run for many hours without concern.
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How long can a car engine run on idle?

Experts maintain that your car should never idle for more than thirty seconds to one minute. However, the reasons behind that advice pertain to conserving fuel and limiting the amount of exhaust. A car's engine can idle indefinitely outdoors without any safety concerns.
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How long does it take to get carbon monoxide poisoning from a car?

Studies by the Centers for Disease Control found that CO concentrations reach the Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) concentration of 1,200 parts per million (ppm) in only 7 minutes when a small 5 horsepower gasoline engine is run in a 10,000 cubic foot room.
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How long can car AC run battery?

Your car battery can give you an estimated 28 to 30 minutes of air conditioning while your car engine is off; this is true with a 40 amp-hour battery which is the industry standard. For longer AC use, choose a battery that has a large amp-hour rating. But we do not recommend using AC only through your car's battery.
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What is excessive idling?

Excess idling is defined as maintaining a stopped vehicle with the engine running for five (5) minutes or longer. 1.3. Facts 1.3. 1. Idling for more than just 10 seconds uses more fuel than restarting the engine.
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Does idling car drain battery?

If you do leave your car running for too long, you might experience a few unpleasant side effects: As mentioned, your car's engine continues to consume fuel so long as it's powered on. But it also consumes power from your car's battery because the engine and alternator both run slowly whenever your car idles.
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Does the AC drain a car battery?

Turning on the AC puts an additional load on the entire system resulting in the deficiency in the charging system further draining the battery.
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What drains a car battery?

What may drain a car battery when it's off are things such as interior lights, door lights, or even bad relays. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don't have to worry about the battery dying while you're blasting the radio on your drive to work!
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How long can you run a car in a garage?

What all this has to do with garages is that when you run your car in a garage, carbon monoxide levels can rise to dangerous levels in just a minute or two, even if the garage door is wide open.
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Does carbon monoxide make you sleepy?

Most people with a mild exposure to carbon monoxide experience headaches, fatigue, and nausea. Unfortunately, the symptoms are easily overlooked because they are often flu-like. Medium exposure can cause you to experience a throbbing headache, drowsiness, disorientation, and an accelerated heart rate.
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Can my phone detect carbon monoxide?

Carbon Monoxide Detection Systems Mobile App

The Carbon Monoxide Detection Systems Checklist mobile app inspects Carbon Monoxide Detection Systems using an iPad, iPhone, Android device, or a Windows desktop.
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What does carbon monoxide smell like?

Carbon monoxide is a gas that has no odor, color or taste. You wouldn't be able to see or smell it, but it can be very dangerous to your health and even fatal.
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How do you check for carbon monoxide without a detector?

How to find carbon monoxide leaks
  1. Brownish or yellowish stains around appliances.
  2. A pilot light that frequently goes out.
  3. Burner flame appears yellow instead of clear blue (exception: natural gas fireplaces)
  4. No upward draft in chimney flue.
  5. Stale-smelling air.
  6. Soot, smoke or back-draft inside the home.
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How do you know if you have a carbon monoxide leak?

Signs of a carbon monoxide leak in your house or home

Sooty or brownish-yellow stains around the leaking appliance. Stale, stuffy, or smelly air, like the smell of something burning or overheating. Soot, smoke, fumes, or back-draft in the house from a chimney, fireplace, or other fuel burning equipment.
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Can Iphone detect carbon monoxide?

HIGHLIGHTS. Apple has been granted a patent to integrate gas sensors on its devices. The patent talks about gas sensors being integrated on iPhones and Apple Watches. These sensors will be able to detect toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and methane.
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Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from sitting in car outside?

The risk of CO poisoning exists outdoors, too. That's because an engine's exhaust fumes can get trapped and concentrated in an area with minimal air movement.
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