'Saves Your Starter:' Ram Driver Says Turn Off Your A/C When You Turn Off Your Car. Does It Matter?

'Bruh got a tip from his grandpa in 1971.'

Driver says turn off your A/C when you turn off your car

Photo by: @walthoyt

Chad Swiatecki

By: Chad Swiatecki

Jun 26, 2025 at 9:00pm ET

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Leaving the air conditioning on when you turn off your vehicle is probably something you don’t think about much, if at all. But according to one viral TikTok, that habit could be costing you more than comfort—it could be shaving years off your starter’s life.

Creator Walt Hoyt (@walthoyt) posted a TikTok from behind the wheel of his Ram pickup truck in which he gives the old advice that it’s wise to shut off the air conditioning before turning the engine off.

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“Then when you turn it back on, it’s easier on your starter,” he says. Hoyt’s post has been viewed more than 355,000 times as of this writing.

People who commented on it aren’t convinced.

“Turn your radio off,” joked one. “It will keep your tires from going flat.”

Another quipped, “Bruh got a tip from his grandpa in 1971 and hasn’t looked back.”

The familiar refrain about turning everything off before you shut the engine down isn’t just an urban legend spread by mechanics and old school drivers. In some vehicles, having fewer things running when you start your car means less load on the starter, which translates to more life in the parts.

Modern HVAC and Startup Logic

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Component strain from having the AC and other things running when starting a vehicle was more immediately felt in older vehicles.

Today’s vehicles are built far more intelligently than their predecessors, however.

Climate control systems now rely on electrically actuated compressor clutches that are designed to remain off during engine start-up and only engage after the engine has achieved idle. The circuit that energizes the AC compressor clutch is not enabled in the ‘start’ position in most modern cars, only in the ‘on’ position.

In a discussion on Tacoma World, owners describe a several-seconds delay between starting their Toyota truck and the air-conditioning fan/spinner reaching full speed, especially in triple-digit heat.

One owner noted, “It’s about 10 seconds before the fan climbs up to max speed.”

Similarly, a comment on a thread in Toyota Nation Forum mentions that “there is a 30–40 second delay before the climate control starts. Everything is disabled (heat, a/c, rear window defroster, fan speed), and the only thing I see is the tiny green LED light on the Auto switch.”

Exceptions to Every Rule Of Thumb

In certain scenarios, it still makes sense to turn the AC off before you shut the car down. Some examples include older vehicles, those with weak batteries or failing alternators, and in high outdoor temperatures.

Older vehicles, especially those with carburetors or early electronic fuel injection, lack modern load-management systems. If you had the AC on when shutting down, the compressor would re-engage at start, adding measurable strain.

Vehicles with weak batteries or failing alternators already operate with minimal electrical reserve. Any added load or the perception of added load could tip them into starter fatigue.

In scorching climates, high under-hood temperatures intensify alternator and battery stress. A heavy AC draw can exacerbate that strain, especially when idling in heat.

In such cases, switching off the AC before shutting down is a low-effort precaution that might prevent unnecessary wear. It’s not a magic bullet to give your vehicle longevity, but it won’t hurt, and could be to your and your vehicle’s benefit.

What do you think?

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For newer vehicles with built-in safeguards like compressor clutch controls and load management systems, it probably won’t make any difference if you leave the AC on or not. But in older or struggling vehicles, the habit remains a harmless and potentially helpful step.

Motor1 contacted Hoyt via TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if he responds.