Just like the title states. Do you turn off the AC prior to turning off your car?

Personally, I always have. Just a habit. Turn down the radio, turn off the AC, turn off the car. For no other reason than a long time ago, my mom told me that it was the right way of doing things because it saved some wear and tear on the car, but with today's technology, I kind of feel that this isn't the same method of thinking.

With the amount of cars today that have remote start and the draw to that is getting inside a hot/cold car depending on the time of year. Is leaving the AC on not that big of deal?

The only real support I was able to find through Google was to turn it off 5 min prior to turning the car off to dry out the evaporator so that you don't get the mold smell. I can deal with the 10 seconds of the mold smell if that is all the damage that can be done.

I've always been curious if this is just myth or if there is any merit to it. Plus, I just got the wife a new truck with remote start... So that is the other reason I am questioning this now.

 

I generally turn everything off before killing the engine. That way when I start it in the AM, nothing is running or turned on. I then let the car warm a bit, then turn on the AC/Heat. Of course stuff like lights, radio, etc I turn on immediately...

 

Never bothered doing that.

I try to turn the AC off before starting the car though, and won't touch the brakes.

 

modern cars delay the A/C when the car starts.
so leaving it on or turning it off, doesnt matter any more

 

I always cycled the AC off for the last little bit of my trip (just outside air blowing) to prevent the build up of too much condensation which in turn leads to a car that stinks like a locker room. Then turn off the fan, put car on recirculate.

 

^Beat me to it.


If you turn the A/C off about a 1/4 mile before you reach your destination, the evap/cooler unit will have a chance to reach the ambient outdoor temperature. Then the unit doesn't condesate H2O and collect mildew and start to stink (If you've ever driven your grandma's Buick, you'll know what I'm talking about).

 

Me too.

x3.

 

Me too!

 

 

Since it's over 100 in my car on average I leave the AC on on everything I drive. I turn my AC off maybe 2-3 weeks out of the year.

 

I leave the setting to Auto, so on a cold day the Volvo automatically goes to the heater and A/C on the hot days. Plus, with it in auto on hot days the fan kicks in to cool it off when I am not in the car.

 

On modern cars, most accessories left on when the car is turned off do not power up immediately when the engine is started.

There is no additional demand put upon the battery at start-up when accessories are left on when the car is turned off.

Turning things off is old school thinking. It used to be a "good idea"...like letting the car idle to warm it up.

You don't need to idle your car to warm it up, and you don't need to power off accessories before turning off the car.

Leave the accessories on.
Drive the car at low(er) RPM until it gets to operating temperature.

 

i think you and i were the only ones to answer the question....

 

My reason is totally something that was just pounded into my head when I was young. No other reason..

I guess this question is kind of irrelevant now. The truck turns the AC on for me when I do the remote start. Regardless of weather or not I turn it off when I get out. Wonder if it turns the heat on in the winter

 

I only agree with the turning off of the A/C after a long drive with it on. The risk is small but I've never had a mold/odor problem with my car's HVAC system. Then again I usually run just outside air or have the windows down.

 

When using the remote start, my Grand Cherokee turns on the A/C and A/C seats when it's hot, and turns on the heat, heated seats, and heated steering wheel when cold.

I have yet to experience the heater stuff as it has never gotten that cold around here

....but the A/C is great!

 

 

I used to turn off the AC and radio whenever I got out, but since I got the Charger, I leave everything running and just push the button to shut the car off.

 

I was wondering the same thing myself, but i noticed that when i start up my car it waits about 1-2 seconds until the AC kicks in. Wife's 2012 GTI, turns the AC on as soon as i start the car, which is why i make sure its off before i start it.

Good to know about turning off the AC after a long drive.

 

Same. There's no harm in turning the stuff off. I'm sure I'll break the habit eventually... but the .5 seconds it takes to do it is really not a big deal.

 

^^ Those .5 seconds add up.

 

Prefer turning it off. Feels like more of a ritual before I lay the beast to rest. Same when I wake the beast in the morning. After the engine turns over, start hitting buttons and setting things up so it's alive again! ITS ALIVE!!!!

 

On.

 

In the colder climate, the more you still have turned on when starting the car when it's cold, is hard on the battery.

 

I've been doing this for years. I always turn everything off before killing the engine.

 

Same here, I still turn off by habit since it was drilled into my head years ago.

Oddly enough, I always forget to shut the windshield wipers off when it rains, so the next time I start the car, the wipers are running.

 

haha... touche

And I'm sure that's part of it since I lived the better part of my life in the Northeast. I'm sure being in the south now it's not as bad... but it's been a habit for so long I just do it w/o thinking...

 

I never turn it off and have never had a mold or odor problem either (in over a million miles of driving). If the drain tubes remain unclogged moisture will drain out and it will dry.

Why? It doesnt cause any more drain on the battery. The compressor doesnt kick in until the car is actually started.

Having the AC on doesnt affect it. Having the fan speed on high does though.

 

I turn everything off when I pull into the neighborhood.

 

AC off a few minutes before but radio on. I just turn it down before turning the car off.

 

We need a parallel poll with the voter's age. My hypothesis is older = yes, younger = no. My dad always tried to "drill it into my head", but it didn't stick. It all stays on. No mildew, no issues.

 

I do the opposite. I have to turn off the AC every time i start the car.

Regardless what i do when i turn off the car, the AC will always come back on when i start the engine. Annoying.

I don't like to use AC, i need every single HP when i drive my car =)

 

On. What's the point of turning it off when you get out only to turn it back on when you get in again?

 

With an older system that doesn't bypass accessory electronics on startup, the extra draw of A/C, radio, headlights, etc, strains the electrical system. Like others have mentioned, this is a moot point on most modern vehicles.

 

Interesting, didn't know this. Thanks, and justnspace too

 

I was thinking the exact same thing. I don't specifically remember my Dad drilling it in to me, but picked it up somewhere along the line over the years.

 

My dad swears by turning everything in the car off. I personally don't give it much thought. As others have said, accessories and AC are delayed when starting the car.

 

I never even give it a second thought. Climate control/AC stays on.

 

Hey old fart, you're breaking the trend!

 

I knew someone would throw me into the "old" group...