Comments on: Follow up to Turning Your Car Off

By: Himanshu

Himanshu — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:45:09 +0000

If you want to save fuel then don’t wait for a rain storm to check your lights and wipers. Make a habit of checking both at regular intervals, when the weather is good like when you fill up at the gas station. Seeing and being seen are critical anytime, but especially while driving in the rain. Functioning lights are important not only for your ability to see, they’ll help other drivers see your vehicle. Windshield wipers should be replaced at the first signs of trouble, like streaking or noisy operation, in order to provide the best visibility while on the road.

By: John

John — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:46:24 +0000

This is not a good idea. You may save a few pennies in gas but you will make up for it many times over by wearing your engine and starter at a much faster rate.

Startup is the most brutal time for an engine so if you take a car from 5-6 starts/day to 80-100 starts/day you are going to wear the engine out.

Keep it idling and turn off your A/C compressor at red lights if you want to save a little, but don’t start it over and over and over. You’re just asking for trouble.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:30:45 +0000

I have no idea which is better and am not sure if the data in Ricks blog is accurate or inaccurate. I’m interested in a reputable source of “any & all” savings by turning off the auto’s engine for 1.25 minutes. I also need the calculations or rationale to prove this. If you have the data/info. please email me at biojoe@comcast.net thanks!!

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Tue, 20 May 2008 18:36:08 +0000

I think that by turning off your engine at every stop light you may save some gas, but we should also consider the impact on the environment, since amount and quality of gases generated by turning on your engine may be worse that by those while idling.

By: Get it!

Get it! — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:05:34 +0000

I started turning off my engine and now I am getting on average 65 miles to the gallon in a 95 Accord I cant beleive the difference! I can now afford to feed my cat

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:29:16 +0000

just to add on, that’s a little less than a quart of gas. Hint: most engines are about 1.5L which translates to .4 gallons. So the claim that you can idle for 15 minutes and be better off assumes that when you start your engine you *literally* fill it half-full with liquid gasoline. and not even that, because if I understand correctly how engine size works, at any given moment you only have .75L of *space* due to piston movement. Soo… we fill every single cc w/ liquid gas and start it. Yes?
I’m sorry… it’s just so ridiculous.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:25:20 +0000

To be honest not using A/C will save more fuel than nitpicky little things like this

frankly I’ve always been of the opinion the whole ‘oh I can sit at idle for 15 minutes and use less fuel than I do when I start’ was a little ridiculous. If you assume 0.015 gal per minute to operate the motor at idle, 15 minutes later that’s .225 gallons. Do we really think that a car uses a FIFTH OF A GALLON TO START? that’s ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
maybe part of this myth comes from cold starts, which *do* consume a lot more gas. but your engine isn’t cold at a stoplight.

By: Caz

Caz — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:14:44 +0000

I’m just worried my car won’t start again. Not that it’s ever done that recently, but that didn’t happen to me once and few people are less forgiving that those stuck behind you.

I do turn off the engine in drive throughs regularly. The reason I don’t get out of the car is I have a small child and it’s REALLY COLD OUT!

By: daniel

daniel — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:45:04 +0000

another question can you still use your a/c while the engine is turned off? in this case just for a minute or 2?

By: daniel

daniel — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:33:52 +0000

so is it better for people to shut their engines off during a 1 minute stop light or just leave it on idle?? does the feul consumption out weigh the car maintenance?