Car maintenance is not cheap – the lion’s share of expenses are fuel costs. What does fuel consumption of a vehicle depend on and how to take care of it?
The problem of fast fuel consumption concerns a large part of drivers. Fueling costs are one of the biggest expenses during every trip – many people wonder what to do to reduce fuel consumption and save money at the same time. Combustion is affected by a large number of factors that not everyone is aware of. Here are the most common causes of high fuel usage – it’s a good idea to keep them in mind before you hit the road.
There can be many reasons for this, but most of them can be prevented by taking proper care of your car. Maintaining the vehicle in a good technical condition and ensuring efficient operation of all mechanisms will translate not only into more economical driving, but also into greater safety on the road. It is worth remembering about this on an ongoing basis and regularly check the condition of the car, which will allow us to avoid similar problems while driving.
Tire pressure can have a significant impact on the fuel consumption of your vehicle. We can feel the effects even with a slight deficiency. To avoid this situation, you should regularly check your tire pressure, either with a tire pressure gauge or at your car mechanic. The correct pressure can be found on the tire.
The reason for this may seem mundane, but in practice the air conditioning system can lead to significantly higher fuel consumption. The problem usually occurs on warm days, when most drivers turn on the air conditioning to increase comfort. An overloaded air-conditioning system can have a negative impact on the operation of the engine and, consequently, cause higher fuel consumption.
The situation usually occurs when we carry heavy objects, similar in weight to the maximum load of the car. It may also occur when we carry an additional luggage carrier mounted on the roof. Such a piece of equipment may also increase air resistance, so that our vehicle will have to use more engine power.
Clogged air filter is one of the most common causes of excessive fuel combustion. This type of situation is most common in the case of vehicles that often move around the city. The task of the filter is to collect dirt and to prevent it from entering the engine. When the filter is dirty, much less air reaches the engine, which results in increased fuel consumption.
Another reason for excessive fuel consumption can be oil – both engine oil and gearbox oil. You should remember to change any operating fluid in your vehicle regularly. Old, too dirty or improperly selected oil will not properly perform its function, which is to reduce friction between individual parts of the systems. Greater friction translates into higher fuel consumption by our vehicle.
Malfunctioning parts of the braking system is primarily a huge safety hazard, but can also have a negative impact on fuel consumption. Most problems associated with this system occur as a result of inadequate or old brake fluid. If the braking system is not working properly, certain parts can become overused and lead to malfunctioning, resulting in higher fuel consumption
Many elements can have a negative impact on increasing fuel consumption in our vehicle. The points presented above show the most common problems that drivers may face. However, there are many more causes – they can also include worn out spark plugs or incorrectly set wheel alignment. It can also be damage to systems, such as air conditioning or cooling, and various types of defects after accidents.
Keep in mind that excessive fuel consumption may be a signal that lets us know that our vehicle is not working properly. If after following the above points we do not notice any difference in fuel consumption, we should take the next step, which is to go to the mechanic. A specialist with appropriate qualifications should show us the main cause of excessive burning and help eliminate it.
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