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Can leaving a car radio on drain the battery?

Sometimes when I’m parked and waiting somewhere, I just listen to my car’s radio without having the engine running. Is that bad? Can leaving a car radio on drain the battery?

avatar
Melanie Mergen · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Leaving a car radio on can drain the battery life from your vehicle. However, how long it takes for that to actually happen will depend on your car’s sound system and how much power it uses.
Car radios generally don’t require a lot of power, but they do use some. Most newer cars with standard audio systems could allow you to listen to your car radio for four to six hours before the battery drained, while extra features like a high-power subwoofer could reduce that to just an hour or two. Certain factors like listening at a higher volume will require more power, too.
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