Repair Tips For Improving Your Car's Fuel Consumption

Fuel costs can be significant, especially when gas prices rise and you have a long commute to work. The good news is that there are ways that you can reduce the fuel consumption of your car and cut your weekly gasoline costs. Here are a few tips to help you improve your car's mileage per gallon.

Check Your Tires

Many drivers don't realize that the air pressure in the their tires can have a significant effect on how well the car uses fuel. If your tires are underinflated, it can actually cause your car to struggle with forward motion. The added surface area of the tire that's in contact with the road when it's underinflated will create drag. This drag causes your car to work harder to move forward, consuming more fuel. Check the pressure in your tires regularly and make sure that they are properly inflated. You can find out your car's recommended tire pressure by checking your owner's manual.

You can also improve your fuel mileage by replacing your tires with a model that has low rolling resistance. Since a higher rolling resistance can create more drag, you want the lowest rating you can use safely on your car.

Get A Tune Up

When your car's engine isn't working at its best, it can affect how efficiently it uses fuel. One of the things that you should do is to have the oil and filter changed frequently. Dirty oil can introduce particles to the engine, which will slow it and create resistance in the engine.

Replace your air filter. Dirty air filters will actually suffocate your engine. This reduces the power of the engine and makes it work harder. The harder the engine has to work, the more fuel it will consume. Make sure your engine can breathe by keeping the air filter clean.

Use The Right Fuel

Even if you think that the premium fuel may be best for the engine, that's not always the case. Make sure  you use the octane rating that is recommended for your car according to the recommendations in your car's owner's manual.

Make Sure Your Spark Plugs Are Working

If your engine's spark plugs aren't gapped properly or they are burned out, that can slow down the car's engine. It may not trigger a misfire warning yet, but it can affect the way that the engine runs. Check all of your spark plugs, or replace them if necessary to help get the engine running properly again.

Reach out to professionals at a place like Western Avenue Nissan for more help. 

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