When you decide to buy a new car, it’s up to you to maintain it properly to get the best fuel economy possible. However, despite advances in fuel efficiency and technology, poor gas mileage can be caused by a number of reasons.
So, do you know why your car wastes a lot of gas? In the following article, we will explain some of the main reasons for poor gas mileage in new and older vehicles.
Why does a car burn a lot of gas?
A vehicle could be burning more gas than usual for multiple reasons. If your car is burning more gas than usual, the problem may be mechanical or otherwise. Here are the 8 main causes of excessive gas consumption in a car:
- loose gas cap.
A loose gas cap can cause poor fuel economy. This occurs because gasoline vapors can evaporate out of the tank. In fact, studies show that a loose gas cap can cause a decrease of up to 10% in fuel consumption.
To avoid this inconvenience, it is best to turn the gas cap three times. This ensures that the cap is tightly sealed and that gasoline vapors do not escape.
- Vacuum leak
When a vehicle has a vacuum leak, it could cause the air-fuel ratio to weaken. Once this happens, the oxygen sensor communicates with the electronic control unit to increase fuel. This allows the engine to continue its work.
As expected, this results in a richer fuel mixture, leading to poor fuel economy. Therefore, it is important to detect the symptoms of a vacuum leak to prevent this problem from occurring.
- Fuel injector leaks
Having bad fuel injectors will definitely cause poor fuel economy. Fuel injectors are responsible for spraying fuel into the combustion chamber. If they leak, more fuel will be sprayed and that gasoline will be wasted.
Some people choose to repair their fuel injectors rather than replace them. However, depending on the condition of your injectors, you can decide whether a replacement or repair is necessary.
- Fouled or fouled spark plugs
Spark plugs are responsible for combustion in the engine, so if these parts are dirty or have debris on them, they can negatively affect fuel consumption. This happens when fuel is sprayed into the combustion chamber, but the spark does not ignite the fuel.
When gasoline is added to a cylinder and not burned, it is wasted. This results in poor fuel efficiency. To solve this problem, it is best to replace the spark plugs with new ones, as it will ensure good idling and better fuel economy.
- Dirty air filter
Bad oxygen sensors and air filters can reduce gas mileage by up to 20%. When an air filter is dirty and clogged, the engine works twice as hard to perform as it should. This can even lead to other problems such as overheating the engine.
Replacing the air filter with a new one, or cleaning it, can improve miles per gallon by up to 10%. In fact, it has been shown that clean air filters can help in saving gas.
- Clogged brakes
Clogged brake pads and calipers can definitely cause poor gas mileage. In most cases, this can be the result of over-greasing the calipers. This causes air pockets that do not allow the caliper to rest in the correct position, which causes the brake pads to press against the disc.
In some cases, the brake caliper is in poor condition and needs to be replaced. Therefore, we recommend that you make sure that the brake pads and calipers are correctly positioned. This will help you get the best fuel economy.
- Low tire pressure
Incorrect tire pressure is one of the most common causes of poor gas mileage. A vehicle with low tire pressure causes the engine to increase its RPM (revolutions per minute), resulting in a loss of miles per gallon.
To avoid this problem, you should inflate your tires following the correct PSI air pressure range, as this range will ensure that your vehicle gets the best fuel economy. If you don’t want to complicate things, you could use the rule of thumb, which is to inflate the tires to four or five PSI less than the maximum amount.
- Driving with a cold engine
A vehicle achieves maximum fuel economy when the engine reaches optimum temperature. Some engines warm up faster and others more slowly. Therefore, it is important to warm up the engine before driving.
In addition, driving at high speeds can also negatively affect fuel efficiency. Try to accelerate smoothly and try to maintain a driving speed of 88 kilometers per hour. That speed is best if you want to get good fuel efficiency.