Poor MPG? You Might Need Auto Maintenance

When you bought your vehicle you enjoyed 18 to 20 MPG. Now, you realize you are only getting 15 or even lower. What gives? Poor MPG (miles per gallon) can have various causes, and many of them are relatively simple. Often, auto maintenance will make a difference. Here are a few of the ways you can usually increase your vehicle’s MPG:

  • Check the tires –Low tire pressure makes your vehicle work harder due to more rolling resistance. Learn the proper pressure for your brand and make of tires, and keep the air pressure at that level for optimal MPG. Also, remember that overinflating may increase the MPG, but it is dangerous and should be avoided.
  • Check the oil — You already know that proper auto maintenance means having the oil changed regularly. It is also important to check the level from time to time. If it is low, your vehicle will not be running as efficiently. If you want the engine to run with less resistance and thus more efficiency, consider using a high quality synthetic oil.
  • Check other fluids –Check the transmission fluid and coolant levels. If your vehicle’s transmission is working harder because it is low on fluid, it will in turn make the engine work harder, lowering fuel economy. An engine not kept to the right temperature with a properly working coolant system is also going to work harder.
  • Get an inspection — Have a technician check out your vehicle. There are various diagnostic checks that can be done and additional things to check for that go beyond the simple checks you can do yourself. They can check the intake ducts, air filter, spark plugs, brakes, and check for any malfunction indicator lights.

If your vehicle is not getting the fuel economy that you know it could be, bring it in and let our professionals at Highway Tire Auto & Lube find out what is causing the problem. Often, there are numerous auto maintenance factors in play, and we won’t stop until we locate all of them so you can get the best MPG possible.