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View Poll Results: Does leaving the key on engine on (but without starting the engine) ruin anything?
Yessiree-bob!
20.35%
Neh
52.21%
Dunno
27.43%
Voters: 113. You may not vote on this poll

Does leaving the ignition on with the engine off hurt the engine or ECU?

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Old 09-19-2006, 01:00 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Dave H.
I have the key in the on position while I am cleaning the inside of my car, so I don't have to hear the buzzer. That takes around 45 minutes. Nothing wrong yet.

I keep the key in the accesory position when i wash my car to listen to the cd player. That takes a little more than an hour.

So no, I don't think it will hurt the ECU or anything. THe only thing I see it hurting would be draining the battery. Just make sure you start it up after a while to 'recharge' the battery.

does anyone else see what hes doing? wtf how can you listen to your music with the windows up? thats just a waste of your battery..major waste if you ask me...just invest in a 20-30$ cd playing boom box from walmart...
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Old 10-20-2006, 11:34 AM
  #42  
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To repeat for the 4000th time, leaving the key in this position will only serve to kill the battery. What some people have neglected to mention is that killing the battery is not good for the ECU.
Mechanically, it shouldn't do anything, but it will erase ratios and things the computer has learned through your driving habbits and when the car is started again, it will go back to default values. I jump-started my 99 max once, and the climate control went all wacky. To fix this I left the battery unplugged overnight, and it did fix the problem. However, I noticed the car (auto) shifted differently, and my gas mileage went way down.

The computer will re-learn the settings, and things went back to normal after about 2 weeks, but just something to keep in mind. And before the flamers come after me, remember: ERASING and RESETTING the ecu are two different things.

My .02
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Old 10-20-2006, 12:11 PM
  #43  
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I've never heard of the shifting and gas mileage being effected by disconnecting the battery. I have never had any problems in the....idk know how many times I've disconnected the battery.

Still not sure why this thread isnt locked yet!!
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Old 10-21-2006, 06:25 AM
  #44  
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I left mine on all night by accident after checking engine codes. I just killed the battery, car still runs fine.
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Old 10-21-2006, 01:26 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by Mad_A
1)Does putting your car in reverse for more than 2 seconds kill your transmission?
WHAT! ARE U SERIOUS! OH MAN, I'VE BEEN REVERSING LIKE FOR MORE THAN 5 SECONDS! HOW BAD CAN THE TRANSMISSION GET PER SECOND?!?!
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Old 10-26-2006, 09:09 AM
  #46  
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it definately will not hurt your ecu... the only things that might hurt your ecu are voltage spike from a bad or misconnected alternator.. or thinking your car is a boat and driving into a lake sized puddle and getting it wet.. When I was working at the shop I've seen a lot of nissans come in with crazy problems from their ecu's getting wet..

If you're so worried about leaving the key on just get a Optima Yellow top or some other deepcycle that's meant for that kind of abuse.
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Old 10-26-2006, 10:26 AM
  #47  
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well someone close this d@mn thread?
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Old 10-26-2006, 10:28 AM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by cruzer82
it definately will not hurt your ecu... the only things that might hurt your ecu are voltage spike from a bad or misconnected alternator..
You're not going to get a voltage spike from the alternator when the engine is off unless it lives and breaths on its own. Alternators base their work off of the engine speed so if it is 0 it better not be doing anything.
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Old 10-29-2006, 08:15 AM
  #49  
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Like grace imports said, in the old days with points and condenser if the points happen to be closed, you could burn them up, but now days you would just use the battery up faster then in acc as it run more things using the on setting
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Old 10-29-2006, 03:10 PM
  #50  
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heres a little known fact... if u turn the key to the acc position then honk the horn 3 times, the car will self destruct. ive only honked the horn 2x-i could never push myself over the edge.
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Old 10-29-2006, 03:14 PM
  #51  
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I dont do it cause itll drain your battery faster than accessory because its activating more things than just the radio. Like the Fuel pump and airbags. I'd rather not have those things powered up while I'm hangin out with my girl in the car
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Old 10-29-2006, 03:18 PM
  #52  
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MODS LOCK THIS DAMN THREAD. I am so sick of this thing getting bumped. It is the most POINTLESS thread ever. Give me an intake thread any day over this BS
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