FUEL ECONOMY
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Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned And Click Here to Set Up Your Next Service Appointment. |
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Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done.
Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent. |
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
4% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
$0.15/gallon |
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Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly
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Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine.
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
up to 10% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
up to $0.37/gallon |
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Keep Tires Properly Inflated
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You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. |
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
up to 3% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
up to $0.11/gallon |
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Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil
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You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 % by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives. |
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Fuel Economy Benefit: |
1-2% |
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Equivalent Gasoline Savings: |
$0.04-$0.07/gallon |
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Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.72/gallon |
How changing the way you drive can help increase your fuel economy.
Here are some small changes you can make to your driving habits to help conserve gas.
Combine Trips
Making lots of short trips means you’re driving with your engine cold. And that uses more fuel than making one long trip with an engine that’s warmed up. Try combining your short trips around town as much as possible to optimize your fuel economy.
Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than just gas money.
Observe the Speed Limit
While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your miles per gallon (mpg) by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling gets 0 mpg. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines. If you know you’ll be stopped for a while, it’s actually better to turn off your engine instead of idling.
Use Cruise Control
Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.
Use Overdrive Gears
When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
Source: www.fueleconomy.gov
