Does the air conditioner in your car use up your gas in the tank?

Question

My dad was saying this and I wanted to know what everybody else thought about...I just don't understand how.

Answer 1

Since the A/C doesn't work unless the engine is turned on and running; I'd have to say it uses gas. How much it uses varies from car to car and whether the car is moving or not.

Answer 2

It bumps the RPMs up like 300 max. Overall no it doesn't. Keep your windows up and the drag will be reduced and the engine won't have to work as hard.

Answer 3

YES!  It does.  The AC compressor is bolted to part of the engine block, which is driven by a belt, which is attached to the crankshaft of the engine via a pulley.  The crankshaft has pistons attached to it via connecting rods.  The gas is burned in the combustion chambars, which pushes on the pistons, which makes the car GO and provides you with electronics to lower you windows, listen to your radio, and charge your cell phone so you can talk and drive.  It does eat gas.  My last engine was so weak I didnt even run the AC because it robbed my car of HP.  I could feel the difference.

Answer 4

No, it runs on water.

Answer 5

nope. i just saw this on 2 different news stations. they said it has little or no effect on your gas. one of the stations said it actually saves gas keeping the windows up and AC on. my mom thinks it wastes gas. on older cars it used to, but it doesnt anymore.

EDIT: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

you can look at that about the same thing, but what i saw on the news, and from experience, it makes no difference.

Answer 6

Using the ac does increase the work that your engine has to do. so It will cause your engine to consume more gas. Does it consume more gas to use the ac than to drive with the windows open I don't know.