Your gas mileage doesn’t automatically reduce as you add miles on your car. You should get just about the same gas mileage no matter what provided you maintain your vehicle. If your car, crossover, truck, or SUV is suddenly getting poor gas mileage, there are several things that could be going on. Here is what they are and what you can do to fix them.
Things You Can Fix Yourself
There are some things that you can stay on top of yourself to help your vehicle get the best gas mileage possible. Pay close attention to the following things that reduce vehicle gas mileage:
- If you don’t check your tire pressure regularly and keep the tires filled to the recommended psi, your vehicle’s gas mileage will suffer. Check your tire pressure every other week at a minimum.
- If you run your vehicle’s air conditioner all the time, even when you don’t really need it, you’re burning excess gasoline. Turn it off when you don’t need the cool air.
- If you leave your vehicle on while you’re stuck in the drive-thru lane, you’re wasting gas. Turn it off. Don’t sit and idle. This saves gas and protects the environment.
- If you drive like a maniac with the pedal to the metal, you’re blowing through the gas yourself, not your automobile. Punching it from a dead-stop and flying down the freeway burn gas.
These are some things you can do to help your vehicle stop blowing through full gas tanks. Be honest with yourself and see what driving habits you can change to be more fuel-efficient.
Things Out of Your Control
You aren’t always to blame for your automobile’s poor fuel economy, however. Oftentimes, there is something going with the engine that is to blame. For example, you might have underneath the hood
- A clogged air filter that isn’t allowing the right amount of air into the engine. This can reduce your gas mileage up to 20 percent.
- A failing oxygen sensor that allows the fuel/air mixture to be off. This can also reduce gas mileage up to 20 percent or even more.
- Worn, dirty, or misfiring spark plugs. This affects your engine’s combustion and burns excess fuel. It also makes your engine work harder.
- Clogged or bad fuel injectors. If the injectors are clogged, the engine will work much harder because it isn’t getting enough gas. If they’re bad, they might be leaking gasoline.
- The wrong motor oil type. Make sure the weight and grade of motor oil your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends is the one in your engine. Otherwise, your gas mileage could suffer.
Any of these things can also affect your vehicle’s fuel economy, so bring your car, crossover, truck, or SUV to M&M Car Care Center in Lake Station, IN, today for a checkup. We’ll find out why it’s burning gas and repair the issue.