Do you notice your vehicle's fuel economy deteriorating? Was it a sudden drop, or did it happen gradually? There could be various reasons why your vehicle has poor fuel economy, let us discuss some causes behind it.
Always make sure that your vehicle' tires are properly inflated. Check the recommended pressure for your particular tire and fill it accordingly. Generally, passenger car tires require a PSI between 32 and 34. If your vehicle's tire pressure is low, the tear will go through a lot of wear and tear, which worsens your vehicle's fuel economy. Use a gauge to check all of your vehicle's tires and make sure that they have adequate pressure.
Does your air filter have too much dirt? Dirt can interfile with the breathing of your normal engine and impact its fuel economy. Remove the filter and inspect it, or, better yet, get it inspected by a professional. Replace it immediately if it's dirty and beyond repair.
If you drive a vehicle with high mileage (more than 100,00o miles), the chances are that your vehicle's poor fuel economy is because your engine's compression is too low. This often occurs when cars get older, and the miles start to add up. It impacts the valves, rings, and pistons. This gradually reduces compression, decreasing efficiency, and the fuel economy of your vehicle. Take your vehicle to a service center and ask them to perform a compression test. If the compression is indeed on the lower side, then there is no simple fix, and an overhaul would be your only option. Unfortunately, there are no miracle cures for restoring compression.
If a manual transmission's clutch is slipping or the torque converter lockup or bands in an automatic transmission start slipping, the engine will lose some of its power before it gets to the wheels. This causes a significant drop in overall fuel economy. This problem should be addressed immediately because the more you ignore it, the more costly it will be to fix it as it requires transmission or clutch replacement.
Sometimes you change your vehicle's oil and end up filling too much of it; this increases your crankcase' oil level, making it high enough to get to the crankshaft. This causes the crankshaft to get drenched in oil, making your oil changing efforts go in vain. Get a fluid extractor and use the dipstick to extract enough oil, making sure that the level is beneath the dipstick's full mark. It would be wise to keep the oil between the empty and full lines of the dipstick. Check the owner's manual to see specific info.
Taking care of oil inspection or any other problem mentioned above can be quite tricky, and it would be best to leave these problems to professionals as they make sure to get to the root of your problem without making things worse. Use Carbeast Insight to get a more detailed diagnosis of this problem, specific to your car