Dealers may advertise your car as fuel efficient, but its fuel economy will suffer if its driver doesn’t care for it. Below, we’ll explain some of the surprising things that can hamper your car’s gas mileage, from the weight in the vehicle to the weather and how you drive it.
Excessive Weight
Do you like to carry a lot of stuff in your car or treat it like a mobile office? While that may be sometimes convenient for work, excessive weight can hinder your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. It may not seem as if a few extra pounds matter much, but for every additional 100 pounds in your car, it loses roughly one percent of its fuel economy. If you want your car to be as efficient as possible, a good place to start is by hauling less!
Cold Weather
As if winter wasn’t difficult enough, the cold weather can also cost you money at the gas pumps. When a car is cold, it takes the engine longer to warm up and reach its ideal temperature for fuel efficiency. Naturally, the colder it is, the longer it takes to hit its fuel economy and the less efficient the car is. But idling the engine to let it warm up is also bad for fuel efficiency. The only strategy for maximizing fuel economy in the winter is to store it in a climate-controlled garage to keep it at a comfortable temperature.
The Tires
Another surprising factor that can hamper your car’s gas mileage is the tire set. For one, the tires have to be at their peak condition for the car to reach its maximum fuel efficiency. For vehicle owners, this means ensuring the tires are within their recommended PSI range and aligned properly. Regularly check your tire pressure and get regular wheel alignments to ensure the tires operate at peak capacity.
Also, the tire your car has determines how fuel-efficient it is. A tire’s rolling resistance has a major impact on fuel economy, so if you want to make your car more efficient, consider changing tires.
Your Driving Style
Lastly, if your car’s gas mileage has been below what you expected, you may have to look in the mirror at how you drive it. Aggressive acceleration and braking cause your vehicle to exert more energy than intended and burn more fuel. Driving slower is also more fuel efficient, so maintaining an easy, slow speed will help your car stay as efficient as possible. Also, reduce the number of short trips you take—try to take care of all your errands for the day in one trip to maximize fuel efficiency.
You could be losing gas mileage without even realizing it in many ways. But if you keep your vehicle lightweight and warm, utilize the right tires, and drive more cautiously, you’ll surely notice your car’s uptick in fuel efficiency!