Should I turn off the AC first before shutting down the car, or does it not really matter?
You need to deactivate the flux capacitor first or risk damaging the hyperdrive core. Just kidding—it doesn’t matter.
chozen said:
You need to deactivate the flux capacitor first or risk damaging the hyperdrive core. Just kidding—it doesn’t matter.
Haha, don’t forget the turboencabulator! Make sure the dingle arm is disengaged, or you might warp the logarithmic casing. 
@Howard
Exactly, but only if it’s a pre-2029 model. After that, they improved the malleable casing so the dingle arm adjustment isn’t needed as often.
@Howard
Wait… does this apply to the up-facing dingle arm or the down-facing one? Asking for science.
What difference would it make? Either way, the AC loses power when the car shuts off.
It doesn’t affect the car at all. You’re good either way.
Nope.
The car’s system is designed to handle it either way. Smart engineers figured it all out for us. That said, my uncle swore up and down that leaving the AC on made it harder for gas cars to start. He’d ignore any evidence to the contrary!
@olivia
Same! My wife insists on turning off the AC because her dad told her it was bad for the car. Some habits die hard.
The AC automatically shuts off when you turn off the car anyway.
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Still no.
Back in the day, AC systems used to put a lot of strain on engines when starting up. But for the past couple of decades, that’s no longer a problem. Modern cars are designed to handle this automatically. And for EVs, it’s not even relevant since they don’t have the same systems.
It doesn’t matter to the car. If your concern is moisture buildup or musty smells, check the AC drain instead.
I’d recommend turning off the AC first to let any leftover moisture dry out, then shut off the car.