With the current price of gas eating into our household budgets, it makes sense to try to improve your vehicle’s gas mileage. Fortunate, there are a few ways to improve the return you get on a tank of gas.
1. DO Check Your Vehicle’s Tire Pressure Regularly
Failing to check your car’s tire pressure on a routine basis may lead to various problems, including poor gas mileage. Experts believe that if tires drop one PSI (pounds per square inch), 0.4 percent of the vehicle’s gas mileage will be reduced. The numbers may not seem significant, but this can add up.
The simple way to avoid this being a problem is to check your vehicle’s tire pressure regularly. Refer to your owner’s manual (you can also find it online) for the correct tire pressure. When you note that tire pressure has dropped below that recommendation, it is time to add air to your tires.
2. DON’T Run Your Car’s Air Conditioner Unnecessarily
Try not to run the air conditioning in your vehicle on days that are warm, but not really hot. If you can manage it, open the windows instead. Running your air conditioner constantly will waste fuel and reduce your gas mileage.
When driving on city streets, turn off your air conditioner and open windows. On the highway, switch your AC on as needed.
Also, remember that your air conditioner will need to work harder if your car and engine is running hot. It is logical that when the car is working harder, more gas will be consumed. To avoid overheating your car, park it in a shaded area out of direct sunlight, or park it in a garage if possible.
3. DO Choose the Right Type of Motor Oil for Your Vehicle
Check your vehicle’s owner manual. If your auto calls for a low viscosity motor oil, stick with that type.
Lower viscosity type motor oils are known to increase gas mileage. Your vehicle’s fuel economy may also improve by switching to a synthetic motor oil.
Equally important is that you don’t neglect to change the oil in your car as recommended. Keep track of your last oil change so you will know when it is due for another change.
4. DO Change Your Air Filter
Air filters should be changed at least once a year since they can have a big effect on the efficiency of a vehicle’s engine and fuel usage. The air filter protects your engine from all the dust and dirt in the air that constantly tries to seep into all the mechanical parts. If the filter is working properly, it will capture all the junk in the air and eventually get clogged up. Then your engine will have to work harder to compensate for the reduced airflow and that means using more gas.
5. DO Correct Your Bad Driving Habits
Speeding increases fuel consumption and decreases fuel economy as a result of tire resistance with the road and also air resistance. While vehicles reach optimal fuel economy at different speeds, gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 miles per hour. Reducing your speed by 5 to 10 mph can improve fuel economy by 7%–14%.
Using cruise control on the highway can help you maintain a constant speed; vehicles use the most energy when accelerating. Obeying the speed limit, accelerating and braking gently and gradually, and reading the road ahead can improve the fuel economy of your vehicle by 15%–30% at highway speeds and 10%–40% in stop-and-go traffic. These sensible habits also make driving much safer for you and others.
Make an appointment to visit us for more advice and routine maintenance that may help you boost your vehicle’s fuel economy.