The most effective and easiest way to improve the car’s fuel economy is to modify the driving habits of the car owners. In this article, we will provide recommendations and tips on how to save fuel while driving.
Minimize the cold engine operation of the vehicle – To save a lot of gasoline, start the vehicle’s engine and drive it normally to help warm the engine in its operating temperature a lot quicker.
Do conservative driving – Avoid at all cost “jackrabbit” engine starts, hard braking and rapid acceleration. It can lower the fuel usage by at least 15% to 30% at highway speed and at least 10% to 40% in heavy or stop-and-go traffic.
Efficient gear shifting – If your vehicle uses manual transmission, shifting gears as soon as practical. When planning to stop, use the brakes instead of downshifting to help slow down the vehicle. Visit https://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm to know more how manual transmission works.
Anticipate the road condition – If you are planning to go out and drive, monitor the traffic condition ahead and time every stoplight on the way to maintain momentum, as well as avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration.
Observe the speed limit – Fuel economy usually peaks at around 40 to 50 miles per hour (or 65 to 80 kilometers an hour for people who use the metric system) on most vehicles, and it drops off as the speed of the car increases. Reducing the speed by five to ten miles an hour can help save gasoline by 7% to 14%.
Use the car’s cruise control feature – Minimizing the speed fluctuations on the road saves a lot of gasoline. But don’t use the cruise control feature of your car on slippery roads because it can cause loss of vehicle control.
Use the fast pass on toll roads – The electronic transponders of the vehicle can help save fuel by eliminating or at least minimizing stops and slowdowns.
Avoid too much idling – Car engines consume at least one quarter to half a gallon of gasoline per hour when it is in idle mode, but warm engines will only take more or less ten seconds worth of gasoline to restart the engine. When it is safe to idle the vehicle, shut off the engine if you are planning to stop the vehicle for more than one minute.
Plan the trip beforehand – Combine your errands and the route of your other travels to minimize backtracking. Identify business locations that only require one stop where you can do different tasks like grocery shopping and banking, without extra driving.
Avoid at all cost, the rush hour traffic – If your company supports flexible working hours, take advantage of it to commute and do errands during off-peak traffic hours.
Practice good vehicle maintenance
A poorly maintained car is less efficient, and it uses a lot of gasoline over time. Here are some care tips to help save fuel:
Remove items from your car that are not important – An additional 200 pounds can help reduce gasoline cost for up to one percent. Remember that the weight of the cargo can affect the mileage of smaller vehicles more than bigger ones.
Perform regular maintenance at intervals recommended by the car manufacturer stated by the owner manual or as specified by the automobile maintenance reminder system. Just be sure to check a site shows the importance of regular auto maintenance and repair, so make sure to regularly check them out and find out the latest updates on when is the best time to do maintenance or repairs.
When it is time for the oil to be changed, make sure that you use the right type. Most modern car models require an energy-saving, low-viscosity, full or semi-synthetic car oil.
Make sure to use quality gasoline – Use gasoline grade – either premium, mid-grade or regular gasoline – recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer, and choose top-quality brands to prevent engine and fuel system deposits that help reduce fuel efficiency.
Check tires for proper inflation regularly; once a month is enough – Under or overinflated tires can increase or decrease rolling resistance and can reduce fuel economy. It can also overheat tires and can cause a blowout.
Make sure that the air filter of the vehicle is clean – Dirty air filters can reduce fuel economy for cars with an old carburetor. However, it only affects the maximum power output on modern vehicles that uses direct-fuel-injection engines.
Head to the repair shop immediately for a car service if the check engine light comes on. The light indicates a faulty engine and can decrease fuel economy and increase exhaust emissions.
Avoid using rooftop luggage carrier – Items that are being transported on top of the automobile dramatically increase the aerodynamic drag of the car, which in turn reduces its fuel economy.
When parking, choose a spot with shade – Every summer, the sun’s heat buildup will require your vehicle to use its air conditioning system more often and can reduce gasoline efficiency.
Use block heaters – During the winter, block heaters can help engines reach their operating temperature – where it’s more fuel-efficient – a lot quicker.
Turn the air conditioning system and roll down your window to save gasoline. This technique works, even at highway speed, but the heat and noise it produces can be very uncomfortable and can increase fatigue to the driver.
Track the vehicle’s fuel economy regularly – Sudden drops in the mileage can indicate a need for vehicle service.