2007-09-13 17:06:44 · 18 answers · asked by Ricardo R 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Yes, it does. The air compressor comes on with the a/c on, and the engine powers the compressor. This makes the engine need more gas to produce more power...Hence why when your air conditioner is on, you don't accelerate as quickly, and if you notice if you are sitting at an idle (and have a tachometer) watch your RPM's. Without air on, the needle will be around 750 or so...cut the a/c on, and it will drop slightly.
Easy way to tell is for you to drive your normal route every day with the air conditioning on...Start with a full tank. Record how many miles you get, then fill your tank up and try without the a/c on. Record mileage, and try with the windows down. I have done this, and notice a significant difference in mileage with the a/c on. It is a big difference, with the best mileage being with the a/c off and windows up. However, windows down doesn't drop it as much as having the a/c on. BTW, I drive a 2007 mazda 3.
2007-09-13 17:12:42 · answer #1 · answered by zanilth1984 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on the speed that the car is traveling. On the highway it actually saves gas to run the AC because opening the windows reduces the car's aerodynamic qualities. At slow speeds though it does use more gas when running the AC.
2016-05-19 01:18:47 · answer #2 · answered by melba 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You bet it does.
When you run uphill, don't you use more energy? The same with the car engine. The AC has a compressor that uses energy to turn it and compress the freon into a liquid. That puts more strain on the engine and uses more fuel to do it.
good luck
2007-09-13 17:18:14 · answer #3 · answered by Fordman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, unless you have 260 AIR
What is 260 Air? 2 windows down at 60 mph
2007-09-17 17:10:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it does.... but when it is hot outside there is erally no choice!
So to obtain maximum gas mileage when it is hot...
drive with the windows down while in the city and roll em up and turn on the AC while on the freeway.
2007-09-13 17:11:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, but it's not as bad as having the windows down, which causes significant wind drag and actually puts more strain on the engine than the a/c does.
2007-09-13 17:11:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes.
2007-09-13 17:11:17 · answer #7 · answered by liddabet 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not as bad as they used to with the old style piston A/C compressors....with the new rotary compressors it is hardly noticeable even though with a slightly greater load on the engine the end result will be slightly higher consumption...
2007-09-13 17:10:59 · answer #8 · answered by RiverRat 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
yes and the car will lose 1-3 mpg with it on
2007-09-13 19:23:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. A little.
2007-09-13 17:09:57 · answer #10 · answered by Ha! Invisible! 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋