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Transportation Program: Tips for Improving Your Vehicle's Mileage
Car Maintenance
Keep Your Vehicle Tuned-Up
There are several items you can check to ensure that your vehicle is running efficiently:
- Clean or Replace Air Filters
- Check Tires for Good Condition
- Maintain Proper Wheel Alignment
- Check and Replace Spark Plugs
- Use Motor Oil Grade Recommended by Vehicle's Manufacturer
Remove Snow Tires During Good Weather Seasons
Snow tires work by increasing friction with the ground. This helps prevent sliding on ice, but more friction means your engine has to work harder.Inflate All Tires to Maximum Limit
Under-inflated tires mean more friction with the road, making your car work harder.
Aerodynamics
Smooth Air Flow is Key
Aerodynamic drag (wind resistance) is one of the most important elements in getting good mileage. This is especially true at high speeds. (The work your car does to overcome air resistance increases in a cubic relationship to increases in speed.) General Motors estimates that 23% of a vehicle’s energy is used to overcome aerodynamic drag.Remove Racks and Carriers
In Utah we have lots of racks for carrying skis, bikes, or just extra stuff. Roof-top racks can especially disrupt air flow. If you’re not using them, take them off. Also, if you can fit an item inside the vehicle, don’t use a rack at all.Rolling Up Windows and Closing the Sun Roof
At low speed, open windows do not greatly increase your aerodynamic drag and your car will use less gasoline than if you used your air conditioner. But at high speed, open windows or sun roofs make your engine have to work much harder.Avoid Ornaments and Decorations that Disrupt Air Flow Around Vehicle
You may think items like hood ornaments, flags, or fog lamps look cool, but you’ll pay for them in gasoline costs.Lower Your Profile.
Vehicles that ride high encounter more wind resistance. Buying lower-profile vehicles will usually mean better mileage. If your vehicle is able to adjust ride height, keep it low unless you are off-road and need the extra clearance.Clean Snow and Ice From Vehicle
Snow and ice left on your vehicle will decrease your mileage by disrupting air flow. It will also increase the overall weight of your vehicle. Utah powder is for skiing and boarding on, not for driving under.
Driving
Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving, speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking all waste gasoline and will wear out vehicle systems prematurely.Eliminate Jackrabbit Starts
Accelerate slowly when starting from a dead stop. Rapid acceleration requires your engine to work harder and use more fuel than does a gradual start.Use Cruise Control on the Highway
Cruise control saves gasoline by maintaining steady speed. It may also help you to save gas by keeping you from speeding inadvertently. Plus it helps by avoiding sudden increases in engine power when you come to a hill.Stay Within the Speed Limit
Every additional mile per hour adds substantially to the cost of driving. Doubling your speed actually decreases your mileage by more than half. Stoplights in towns and cities are often timed to your driving advantage. By driving steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way.Keep Idling to a Minimum
Switch off your engine if you expect to wait in your car more than a minute. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to starting the engine.Avoid the “Drive-Through”
Using a drive-through at banks, restaurants, and other businesses typically means idling while in line and then idling more while awaiting service. You will save fuel by getting out and walking inside.Plan and Combine Short Trips
Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money, and can reduce engine wear caused by frequent engine starts.
Buying Gasoline
Avoid Topping Off the Gas Tank
Overfilling your gas tank can result in sloshing over and out of the tank. Do not fill the gas tank past the first "click" of the fuel nozzle if it has an automatic shut-off.Buy Gasoline During the Coolest Time of Day
Early morning and late evening are the best times to buy gas. This will mean less evaporation of gasoline as you pump. During these times gasoline is also at its most dense. Gas pumps measure volume of gasoline, not the density of fuel concentration.
General Advice
Buy a Car that Gets Good Gasoline Mileage
Compare the mileage ratings of the vehicle models you are looking at. In general, you will get better mileage from vehicles that have lower profiles, smoother body lines, manual transmissions, weigh less, and that have fewer electric accessories.Keep Your Car's Load Light
Try to avoid leaving heavy items in your vehicle when you don’t need them. For example, remove the sand bags you may use for extra traction when winter is over. Also remove all accumulated snow and ice.Cut Back on Short-Distance Driving Errands
Walking, or riding a bicycle to the market or video store saves gasoline and is good for your health.Avoid Using Air Conditioning at Low Speeds
In general, if you can be comfortable with the windows down and the air conditioner off you can save gasoline, but only if your speed is below about 40 miles per hour. Over 40 mph, open windows disturb too much of your air flow and the air conditioner is preferable. Best of all is to keep both the A/C off AND the windows closed.Don’t Be Afraid to Use the Heaters and Defrosters
While air conditioning puts an extra strain on your engine (by running a condenser), your heaters and defrosters work by diverting the waste heat that the engine produces into your vehicle. Using heaters and defrosters does not hurt your mileage, so be comfortable and keep your windows clear of ice or fog.Use Public Transportation
Research public transportation routes to see how you can supplement your daily commutes with public transportation. Between the costs of gasoline and vehicle maintenance, you will almost always save using public transportation.Share the Ride
Carpools, vanpools, and mass transit save money and energy, and reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. The truest test of mileage is not miles per gallon but person-miles per gallon. Sharing the ride with others reduces how much gasoline it takes to get you to your destination.
Additional Information
- Federal Trade Commission
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Renewable Energy
- UTA Rideshare
- Utah Clean Cities