It might be a simple way to keep your vehicle running while you head inside to the store for a short errand. But idling can have a lasting negative impact on the performance of your vehicle. Few Canadians know the truth about the costs associated with the idling of their vehicles during that daily commute to work. And so within this blog, we’ll look at five facts on the true cost of vehicle idling.
- Idling Causes Exhaust System Corrosion.
It’s now known that excessive idling allows water to become condensed within the vehicle’s exhaust system. This condensed water infiltrates the entire exhaust and causes lasting corrosion to take place. The replacement of an exhaust system can cost up-to $1000 depending on the make and model of the vehicle.
- Idling for More than 10 Seconds Uses More Fuel than Restarting Your Engine
One of the leading beliefs among the Canadian driving population is that shutting off and restarting their vehicle uses more fuel than idling. This is simply not true. An idling vehicle will use more fuel in 10 seconds than the equivalent amount required to restart an engine. This disparity in fuel use increases the longer the vehicle remains idling. And so drivers could be diminishing the value of their fuel use through the idling of their vehicle.
- Every 10 Minutes of Idling Costs a Quarter of a Litre in Fuel
With fuel costs rising incrementally after a brief lull in the last few months, it’s important to make the most of every last drop. Keeping your vehicle idling for 10 minutes will cost you the equivalent of a quarter of a liter in fuel. This will offset any of the recent economic benefits you’ve achieved due to reduced gas prices in recent months!
- Most Vehicles Don’t Need Much Warm Up Time in Winter
With today’s computer-controlled engines, only a minute or so of idling time is required to ensure the engine is at the optimal temperature for use. Any further idling time is excessive and will cost more in engine wear and fuel consumption than benefits gained from the warming up process!
- Every 10-Minutes of Idling Produces One Pound of Carbon Dioxide
While there are numerous financial benefits to reducing your idling, there are also numerous environmental advantages. For example, you’ll reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the local atmosphere, helping preserve the ecosystem by limiting the level of greenhouse gas emissions.
Idling wastes money and has an exceptionally damaging impact on the natural environment. To learn more facts on the damage caused by the idling of your vehicle, speak with our expert team directly!
