Fuel economy tips

The KAT Automotive Team wanted to reach out to our community members with some tips on how you can get better fuel economy from your vehicle. With the Significant jump in Gas and Diesel prices at the pump there are many steps and actions that can be taken to help ensure your vehicle is using the least amount of fuel required to meet your needs. Here is a list of some things you can actually control to help keep your vehicle fuel costs as low as possible;

Tire pressure, a tire running 10psi low can decrease the fuel economy by 4% all 4 tires low could be 16%. It is true an overinflated tire can improve fuel consumption however an overinflated tire will wear faster and thus offset any fuel savings in the shortened life of the tire
Wheel alignment- improper wheel alignments can cause higher fuel consumption due to higher rolling resistance of the tires this also decreases the life of the tires
Tuneup and Emission Service, vehicles may decrease fuel economy with dirty or worn components by up to 20% with no outward indication to the operator
Brakes, improperly working brakes can drag and put a higher rolling resistance on the vehicle requiring a higher fuel usage, this also decreases the life of the brakes
Weight in vehicle, extra weight installed in vehicles for traction in the winter adds to the decrease in fuel economy as the vehicle requires to work harder to get too and maintain speeds
Engine Idle time, engines in the warmer weather do not require the idle time to meet operational temperature. Idling only warms the engine, don’t forget when in a colder climate that transmissions & differentials need to have their fluids warmed up, to do this you start by driving at slower speeds initially which allows even warming of these components
Air Conditioning, the draw of the air conditioning compressor on your engine is a better option in the summer than rolling windows down which results in poor aerodynamics of a vehicle at highway speeds resulting in less fuel used by your vehicle, however with city driving or slow slow speeds this will be less of a factor
driving habits and driving speed are some of the biggest factors to fuel economy that can be controlled, slow acceleration and longer stoping distances can help increase your fuel economy. Did you know driving at a highway speed of 90km/h is the most fuel efficient, driving 110km/h from 90km/h typically increases fuel consumption by 10-15% and travelling at 120km/h increases fuel consumption by 20- 30% from travelling at 90km/h

Ensuring all these factors are in order can save you some of the extra expense at the pump. If you are unsure of the condition of your vehicle its always best to have it inspected at a certified automotive repair facility. Between your driving habits and the vehicle operating conditions you can help decrease the impact of the high fuel prices that can’t be controlled.

Be safe on the road while having the best impact you can have on these rising fuel prices.

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