DON'T DRIVE AGGRESSIVELY. Rapid acceleration and braking can lower mileage by 33% DRIVE WITHIN POSTED SPEED LIMITS. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speed DRIVE IN THE MOST EFFICIENT GEAR - OVERDRIVE IF YOU HAVE IT. If you own a 4WD, drive in 2WD. DON'T HAUL UNNEEDED ITEMS. Extra weight in your vehicle adds to the work the engine must perform and uses more fuel. An extra 100 lbs. in the trunk reduces fuel economy by 1-2%. REMOVE YOUR ROOF RACK AND ACCESSORIES UNLESS YOU ARE USING THEM. Not only does the carrier add extra weight, but it also increases the aerodynamic drag on the vehicle. RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONER will cause your vehicle to consume more fuel, but driving with the windows rolled down can be even worse due to increased drag on the vehicle. If you are driving slowly around town or in city traffic, then you are better off leaving the windows open. For highway driving, roll up the windows and turn on the air conditioning. In either case, fuel economy is maximized if you leave the windows closed and get by with adjusting the fresh air ventilation. PLAN AND COMBINE TRIPS. Combining errands into one trip saves time and fuel. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. AVOID EXCESS IDLING. When a car is idling, it is using fuel, yet not going anywhere. This translates to 0 mpg. DRIVE OFF PEAK HOURS. Adjust your work hours to avoid peak rush hours, you'll spend less time sitting in traffic and consume less fuel. CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE. You can improve gas mileage 3.3% by keeping tires inflated to the proper pressure.Under inflated tires lower gas mileage by 0.4% for each 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. USE THE RECOMMENDED GRADE OF MOTOR OIL. You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2% by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of oil. Using 10W-30 oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can increase gas mileage by 1-2%. Also, look for oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives. CHECK THE FUEL CAP. Check for proper installation and check rubber seals for cracks. According to Sun Oil, a missing or defective fuel cap can allow as much as 176 pounds of gasoline vapors (22 gallons of gasoline) to evaporate into the atmosphere each year. PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT. If you are concerned about fuel theft, invest in a locking fuel cap. CHECK THE AIR FILTER. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by up to 10%. INSTALL A PREMIUM THERMOSTAT. Thermostats with a non-linear, v-notch groove reduce cycling, bringing your car to the operating temperature more quickly, improving engine efficiency and fuel economy. PERFORM REGULAR TUNE UPS. Fixing a car that is out of tune can improve gas mileage by an average of 4.1%. Results may vary based on the kind of repair. If your car has a faulty oxygen sensor, gas mileage may improve as much as 40%
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