5 Reasons Your Vehicle Isn'T Giving You The Gas Mileage You Expect
Many people purchase a car specifically because of the gas mileage that they are going to get out of the vehicle. When a vehicle is well taken care of, it should get the gas mileage that was advertised when you purchased the vehicle. However, a wide range of small issues can cause your vehicle not to get the gas mileage that you expect it to get. Here are five things you can look into if your vehicle isn't getting the gas mileage that you expect it to get.
#1 Bad Spark Plugs
Spark plugs do not last forever. When just one spark plug is not working correctly and misfiring, it can have a negative impact on your gas mileage. If you have more than one spark plug that is not working correctly, that impact can be even greater.
Your mechanic can really quickly check your spark plugs and change out any ones that are not firing correctly. You can have this done at your regular auto mechanic shop and at some drive-through oil change locations.
#2 Incorrect Oil
As your vehicle ages, its oil needs can change. Conventional motor oil is just fine when your vehicle is young, but as the engine gets older, your vehicle's oil needs can change. Synthetic and high mileage oil are two ways that you can take better care of your engine as it gets older.
#3 Poorly Inflated Tires
Your tires factor into your gas mileage as well. If your tires are either over or under inflated, they will not perform as expected. You should check and adjust the pressure in your tires on a monthly basis. Your owner's manual will let you know the desired pressure rating for your tires. You can get a tire pressure gauge and check the tire pressure yourself, or your oil change place will happily check your tire pressure for you.
#4 Old Fuel Injector
The primary job of your fuel injector is to pull the fuel from the fuel tank into your engine. The secondary job of your fuel filter is to remove impurities from your fuel so that they don't clog up your engine.
When the fuel filter gets really dirty, it isn't able to remove impurities from the fuel. When the fuel filter is dirty, it also isn't able to deliver the right amount of fuel to your vehicle's engine.
#5 Bad Oxygen Sensor
If your check engine light has been on and you have been ignoring it, one or more of your oxygen sensors may not be working right. When your oxygen sensors are not working right, your engine is not able to achieve the correct balance of air and fuel. Achieving the correct balance of air and fuel is a trick that is used to make engines more fuel efficient. When your oxygen sensors are not pulling in the right amount of air into your fuel, you can feel it directly through lower miles per gallon.
If your vehicle isn't getting the gas mileage that is used to you could have a bad spark plug, oxygen sensor, or oil fuel injector. You may also need to change up the oil that you put in your engine. Your mechanic can work through each of the above ideas and determine what needs to be done to get your gas mileage up to where it used to be. Schedule an oil change service for more help.
