With rising gas prices impacting household budgets, every driver is looking for ways to maximize fuel efficiency. Fortunately, simple maintenance practices and driving habits can significantly improve your car’s MPG and save you money at the pump.
**Easy Ways to Boost Your Gas Mileage:**
* **Check Your Gas Cap:** A surprising number of vehicles have damaged, loose, or missing gas caps. This seemingly small issue leads to significant fuel vaporization, costing drivers money. Ensure your gas cap is in good condition and tightly sealed.
* **Maintain Proper Tire Inflation:** Underinflated tires increase rolling resistance, forcing your engine to work harder. This can decrease fuel economy by a mile or two per gallon. Regularly check and inflate your tires to the recommended pressure.
* **Replace Worn Spark Plugs:** Spark plugs ignite the air/fuel mixture in your engine. Over time, they degrade due to heat and erosion. Dirty or worn spark plugs cause misfires, wasting fuel. Replace them according to your vehicle’s maintenance schedule.
* **Keep Air Filters Clean:** A clogged air filter restricts airflow to the engine, reducing power and wasting gas. Replacing a dirty air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
* **Drive Smart:** Aggressive driving habits, such as rapid acceleration and hard braking, can drastically reduce fuel economy. Aim for smooth, consistent speeds.
* **Avoid Excessive Idling:** Idling gets you zero miles per gallon. Modern engines warm up quickly, so limit idling to a minute or two.
* **Observe the Speed Limit:** Fuel efficiency decreases significantly at higher speeds. Maintaining a steady speed within the speed limit, ideally using cruise control on highways, will save gas.
* **Combine Errands:** Multiple short trips, especially when starting with a cold engine, consume more fuel than a single, longer trip covering the same distance. Plan your errands efficiently.
* **Reduce Weight:** Carrying unnecessary heavy items in your vehicle reduces fuel efficiency. Remove any extra weight from your trunk.
The Car Care Council’s “Be Car Care Aware” campaign offers a free service interval schedule to help you stay on top of routine vehicle maintenance. Following these simple tips can help you save money and reduce your environmental impact.