Poor gas mileage might not be something you’re worried about, but it’s a sign of other issues. In the big picture, poor gas mileage for too long overworks your car’s engine and can cause engine damage. Fountain City Auto Clinic has these tips for you.
Change Your Oil
Your car’s engine needs oil in order to run efficiently. If you’re going too long in between oil changes, you might run into problems with engine performance that you could have avoided. Double-check your owner’s manual for information about how often your car needs an oil change.
Change Your Air Filter
Your car’s engine doesn’t just need fuel in order to run. It also relies on having the right amount of air to mix with the fuel and it can’t get that if your air filter is clogged or otherwise not working well. Changing your car’s air filter helps to improve fuel efficiency and it protects your car’s engine.
Check Your Tire Pressure
But what do your tires have to do with gas mileage? A lot. When your tires don’t have the right air pressure in them, they’re causing the engine to work harder because it takes more effort to move the car. That’s when your gas mileage crashes.
Get Your Wheels Balanced and Aligned
If you were shocked about tire pressure affecting your gas mileage, brace yourself for how to wheel balancing and alignment can also affect fuel mileage. It’s the same concept really because when your wheels are out of alignment and unbalanced, they’re adding drag to the entire process. That’s making the engine work harder than it should have to work.
Check Your Driving Habits
Finally, don’t forget the variable that you can control immediately in this list, which is your own driving habits. If you tend to leap away from a light or a stop sign and stamp your foot on the gas, that’s killing your car’s gas mileage. It also means you’re having to stop harder. Changing your own driving habits, just a little bit, can help you to regain some of the ground you lose with gas mileage.
Routine maintenance protects your car’s engine and ensures that you’re getting the most out of the gas you put into it. Need help figuring out why your car’s gas mileage isn’t so great? Contact us today at Fountain City Auto Clinic in Knoxville, TN. We can take a closer look and get you the information that you need.