Gas reached $100 USD a barrel on February 24th, with the news that Russia had attacked Ukraine. And where oil prices rise, the cost of diesel and petrol will quickly follow. There is nothing we can do about the price of gas, however, we can offer some pointers on how to increase your car’s fuel efficiency.
#1 Easy Does It
Our first pointer to making your car use less fuel is in how you drive. Hard and frequent starts and stops will make your vehicle’s engines work harder and as it does, it will consume even more fuel. Instead, try to drive smoothly and at consistent speeds. Instead of breaking hard at stoplights, you can anticipate stopping by first taking your foot off the gas pedal. Naturally, your car will start slowing down, and you may find the lights turning green anyway and you don’t have to stop. A smoother ride is not just easy on the engine but also comfortable.
#2 Keep Tire Pressure
Another reason for fuel-efficiency loss is having poorly inflated tires. As you may know already, tires are important to vehicles because they hold the weight and provide a smooth drive. Whenever tires are not inflated properly, they generate more resistance to the road and so your vehicle needs more energy to go forward. Check your owner’s manual for more information on what the levels of your tires should be at least every couple of weeks so you can top up whenever it’s time.
#3 Regularly Replace Air Filters
Air filters are important to keep the air inside the vehicle free of particles and clean. Air gets sucked in from the outside and passes through air filters. Over time, these filters get clogged and the engine will spend more energy to suck in the same air. The more energy needed means that the engine has to burn more gas to meet the demand.
You should be changing the air filters between fifteen thousand and thirty thousand miles and if you usually drive on dirt roads you should consider changing them even sooner. This will save gas mileage and will keep your car running efficiently.
#4 Tune Up The Engine
Tuning up your engine is a good way to improve fuel efficiency. Over time, you may see that you’re not getting the same gas mileage since you bought the car. Many people assume this is because the car is getting old. However, what cars are lacking is a good tune-up to get them back to their original performance. All you have to do is take your car to an auto repair shop and they can tune up your car.
#5 Do Not Ignore Faulty Sensors
Your vehicle is full of sensors that you may not know about. Sensors are placed to monitor your car’s performance and make you aware of anything that can threaten efficiency.
Sometimes these sensors get damaged and we put off replacing them. Ignoring these can make you miss out on feedback from your car that can be very important for its operation. Some of the most common sensors are tire pressure, oxygen level, engine emissions, and evaporative emissions. An oxygen sensor that is damaged can decrease fuel efficiency by over 20%.
Increase Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency
If you’re doing all of the tips above and your gar mileage is still poor, it could be a good idea to bring your car to Sudden Impact auto. for some light mechanical maintenance work to help save you money in the long run. We have the best tools to look deeper into your vehicle’s performance and find problems you can’t see. Our shop is open and ready to work on your vehicle. Give us a call today at 702-457-3002.
