Struggling with Poor Fuel Economy? Top 10 Causes and Solutions

 Poor fuel economy can be frustrating, especially when you are watching your hard-earned money evaporating at gas pump. Falling miles per gallon is a huge red flag which isn’t right under the hood or with your driving habits whether you drive a compact car, SUV or pickup truck. The good news is you can simply resolve this issue and boost your fuel efficiency with just few adjustments or repairs. You don’t need to shop used engines, here are the top 10 causes of poor fuel economy along with practical solutions to help you get back on the road instead of buying.

Underinflated Tires

Cause: Low tire pressure increase the rolling resistance which directly forces your engine to work harder and burn more fuel.

Solution: You need to check your tire pressure on monthly basis and inflates the tire as per the manufacturer recommended PSI which you can find on the owner’s manual. Properly inflated tired can improve the gas mileage by up to 3%.

Dirty or Clogged Air Filter

Cause: Restricted air filter reduce the airflow to the engine by disrupting the ideal-air mixture and reduces the combustion efficiency.

Solution: You must replace your engine air filter after every 12K to 15K miles or more often in dusty environments. A clean air filter will simply improves the poor acceleration and poor fuel economy.

Aggressive Driving Habits

Cause: Rapid acceleration, hard braking and speeding can significantly increase the fuel consumption.

Solution: You must drive smoothly, accelerate gently and maintain the steady speed to improve the poor fuel economy. Avoid the tailgating which leads to unnecessary braking and re-acceleration. This change alone can improve the fuel efficiency by up to 30% on highways.

Worn Spark Plugs

Cause: Faulty or worn-out spark plugs causes misfired, inefficient combustion and reduces the engine performance and all of these highly affect the miles per gallon.

Solution: You need to replace the spark plugs as per your vehicle manufacturer maintenance schedule. And replace it with high-quality plugs which improve the engine performance and fuel economy.

Faulty Oxygen Sensor

Cause: Oxygen sensor measures the air-fuel ratio. If it malfunctions than engine will consume too much fuel which directly reduce the MPG.

Solution: You need to have our oxygen sensor tested and replaced, if necessary. A failing oxygen sensor can reduce the fuel economy by up to 2%.

Excessive Idling

Cause: Idling gets zero miles per gallon and modern engines don’t need to ‘warm up’ for very long. Unnecessary idling wastes the fuel without any gain.

Solution: You need to turn off the engine, if you are waiting longer than 60 seconds. Also, consider using start-top technology, if your vehicle is equipped with it.

Heavy Loads and Roof Racks

Cause: Carrying unnecessary weight or using the roof rack increases the drag and makes your vehicle work harder, especially at highway speeds.

Solution: You must remove the unused roof racks, carriers, and heavy gear when not needed. Every 100 extra pound can reduce MPG by 1%.

Bad Wheel Alignment

Cause: If the wheels of your vehicle are misaligned than it can cause tires to drag instead of roll freely which leads to increase the resistance and lower fuel efficiency.

Solution: You must get a wheel aligned if your vehicle pulls to one side because your vehicle steering feels off or your tires ear unevenly. Proper alignment of wheels can improve the poor fuel economy.

Old Engine Oil or Wrong Oil Type

Cause: Dirt engine oil reduce the lubrication which causes increase of friction and resistance inside the engine. With the use of wrong oil grade, you can affect the fuel economy of your vehicle.

Solution: You must stick to regular oil change intervals and use the oil grade which is recommended by your manufacturer. Synthetic oils with fuel-saving properties can enhance the miles per gallon.

Malfunctioning Thermostat or Engine Sensor

Cause: Faulty thermostat can keep the engine from reaching optimal operating temperature, while bad engine sensors will send the inaccurate data to the computer which leads to poor fuel economy.

Solution: You must have your vehicle engine diagnostics checked by professionals. Replace the bad thermostat or sensor which can help the engine run more efficiently and restore the lost MPG.

These are the major 10 causes and solutions of poor fuel economy. Your vehicle may run fine on lower-octane fuel but some engines are optimized for premium gasoline. Using the wrong type can reduce the fuel efficiency. Always stick to recommended fuel grade on your owner manual.

Final Thoughts

From the above gist, we concluded that poor fuel economy is very inconvenient and it is a sign that something might be wrong with your vehicle or driving habits. The sooner you address, the better your chances of avoiding costly repairs. If you need any quality replacement parts at affordable prices then you must shop from carpartsstoreusa.com, it is a great source to find everything from air filters to oxygen sensors.