I am not a car idiot, but wouldn't call myself savvy. So, here is the situation I would like some feedback on. My wife got to her car this afternoon after work only to realize that she left her keys in the car...in the ignition...with the car still running. That's right folks...my teacher wife who educates our future leaders/brain surgeons/cigar smokers left her car running for 9 hours. Now my question is, can this cause any real damage other than about 10 gallons of wasted gas?

She has a 98 Acura RL with 24,000 miles on it. The car is in great shape but is obviously a few years old.

thank you in advance for your comments regarding the car and also mocking the Mrs...
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nope, and mocking the Mrs. should be the farthest from your mind, if you have been married for long enough. :-)
I just wouldn't...






Now if it was Wanger?????? Full steam ahead.
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Motor is all about heat if it did not overheat should be ok, probably time for an oil and coolant change.

Mocking: Take her out for a nice dinner and a drink telling her no damage done and could have been you, if I put up a school room full of kiddies every day I would be glad if locking the keys in running was the worst I did. :-)
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She didn't hurt anything outside of maybe some pride and that carbon footprint thing.

The motor was just doing what it's designed to do - run. So nothing to do, no oil changes, no coolant changes, no belts or hoses. Good to go.


Ron
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Like others have said, should be fine as long as it didn't overheat. Might check your fluid levels to be on the safe side however.
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I'd say no also. I have driven my car for 13 hours straight (except 2 stops for gas and that other reason) no problem. Lucky cars have electric fans.
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well, if it starts in the morning, you're good.:-)

I would suggest an immediate oil change and replace the antifreeze.

Problem with it sitting and running - not a lot of airflow in and around the engine.
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Might need to get a new battery, that one probably got overcharged.:-)

Seriously though, that is some serious funny. My advise, don't overplay it. Subtle funnies dropped once a month should last you well past 2020.
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Save that story for the next time she calls you an idiot which comes up a few times in a marriage when you do something "not so bright",,,,always good to have an ace in the hole.
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Had a girlfriend that did that once. She was dropping me off for duty and had to catch a cab. Funniest thing in the world seeing her waiting for a cab, trying to hide that she had no bra on....
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The car will be fine.

God help the students though. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3UGhRjPry4
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Hahaha awesome Tim. "What's that sound. It only happens when the keys are in the ignition." lol Kudos to Jim's wife on the 98 Acura. I have a 98 Acura 3.2TL. Runs like a champ. Wouldn't mind upgrading to an RL with 24,000 miles on it. :-)
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Being a previous mechanic, you don't have to worry about some of the previous items. The engine will not overheat and you don't need to change the fluids. The idle enviornment is actually less damaging then stop and go traffic. Don't worry about the battery overcharging as there is sensors that turn the alternator on and off to prevent that from happening.

The item that you do have to worry about is the fuel pump. If the car finally turned off due to running out of fuel, you are going to have that fuel pump go out shortly. The reason is that modern fuel pumps have no source of lubrication other than the fuel that is going through it. When you run out of gas, the pump is essentially running dry and causes pre-mature failure.
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Part of the testing of cars is idling them for hours on end. You could let the wife know the car has terrible gas mileage, 10 gallons to the park.
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I did that about 14 years ago. Thank god I had a extra door key in my wallet in case I ever locked my keys in the car. The car was fine. one and only time...knock on wood. :-)
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Thanks for the help folks. The car is still running like a champ, but it was AWESOME filling the tank for the second time in two days...
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Hey now! WTF did I do to get called out in this thread? LOL


...and yeah, if I did this, I'd deserve the mocking, but would NEVER do it to my wife. I actually enjoy having relations with her. :-)
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Awesome!!

18 gallon tank in those, dropping $40, it could have been worse.
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:-)
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