Hey guys,

Is it safe to leave the climate control to Auto when I turn the car off or is it a good practice to always turn off climate control before turning off the car?

 

FWIW, I almost always turn mine off before I shut off the car. It's just another thing to tax the system when you turn the car on.

 

Agreed. I've even started to turn off the radio/audio system before i turn off the car. Its just one other thing to start back up, as the car is already starting itself up.

(Plus, if i left the volume on a high setting, it sucks when you get that inital 'WTF AHHHH!' feeling as the car is starting with the radio on..lol)

 

Wow, I've never turned off anything before shutting off the car. Although I have gotten in the habit of ensuring the windshield wipers are off. Can't stand going back to the car a day later and having dry rubber rub across the dry windshield as the car starts.

 

interesting. never thought about even doing it. seems like it may help the weak OEM battery, but if you've upgraded your battery, why bother?

for that matter, why bother unless your weak OEM battery is on its way out?

 

My weak OEM battery is 4 years old this month and often has a hard time starting, particularly when the temp is under 40 degrees, so I do what I can to help it.

 

right

sounds like it's on its way out

 

It doesn't really matter. The car does not start blasting either the A/C or heat until it's able to do so with any effectiveness. If you're car is cold and you start the car, the fan stays off until the engine is warm enough to actually provide heat instead of blowing cold air on you. Likewise with the A/C. It certainly isn't going to hurt anything or cause any additional stress on the car.

I totally agree with the Duke about the wipers though. Even worse is when you end up with ice all over the windshield after driving to work in the snow. At the end of the day you go to start your car so it can warm up while you scrape the windows and before you can do anything to stop it, you have to watch your wipers kick their own ass as they futilely sweep across the jagged ice spires stuck all over the windshield. Then you get to be annoyed the whole drive home by all the streaks your now torn up wipers are leaving.

 

Eh, it's been like this for as long as I can remember.

It's just a weak-ass battery.

 

I leave the radio on and A/C always set to auto. I sometimes leave the headlights on when I'm somewhere unfamilar or without good lighting at night. No problems (yet) starting the car with the headlights on.

 

I never worried about this and never had a problem with it. I leave my system in "Auto" mode only about 25% of the time. Most of the time I have the A/C off and everything else in "Auto".

 

i agree on all counts. besides, when i remote-start the car from the office, the heater has started to blow by the time i get in the car.

 

Having lived in California my whole adult life, it never even occurred to me that it could put added stress on the battery when I try to start my car if I left the hvac or radio on. I probably turn off my radio a few times a year. The car claimed it was 39 degrees during my morning commute a few days ago, and I can't remember it being any colder than that in the time I've had my car. At what temperatures are people with the OEM battery having trouble starting their cars?

p.s. nice watch Duke; my daily wearer is a 2254 and I couldn't be happier

 

I thought most modern cars with ECUs are programmed to start with the AC compressor and radio temporarily shut off so as not to tax the battery. They will come on again soon after the car starts.

Isn't that why the radio blanks out for a second when the ignition is turned on?

 

^^^^

x2

Everything from the heated seats to NAVI to radio blips off while cranking the engine.

 

On the navi when I turn off the engine there is a notice on the screen about turning off the climate control before starting the car or something like that. I forgot exactly what it said.

 

Yes. I believe this is a feature of the way the ignition switch is configured. Accessories are turned off when the ignition is held in the "start" position.

If you turn the ignition slowly from run to start, you will notice that the accessories turn off slightly before you get to the point where the starter engages.