All vehicles have a limit on their fuel efficiency, but most drivers never come close to reaching it. If you want to maximize fuel efficiency to get the most out of every tank of gas, there are two key areas of focus: Your driving habits and your vehicle maintenance. Read on for actionable tips for both categories and general advice on choosing a fuel-efficient vehicle.
8 Driving Tips to Increase Fuel Efficiency
Your driving habits will have the single biggest effect on your vehicle's fuel efficiency. Whether you're rushing to pick up your kids or searching for the cheapest gas, all the little decisions you make add up over time. If you're wondering how to save gas while driving, here are a few easy suggestions.
1. Maintain Speed and Abide Speed Limits
Whenever possible, drive smoothly and evenly to get better gas mileage. آ€آœJackrabbitآ€آ starts and stops , with rapid acceleration followed by hard braking , can reduce your fuel economy by as much as 40 percent in city traffic.
Also, watch your speed. In most cars, fuel economy peaks at around 50 آ€آ“ 60 mph and then drops off. Lowering your highway speed by just 5 to 10 mph can save up to 14 percent of fuel.
2. Utilize Cruise Control
Want to know how to make gas last longer while also giving your feet a break? Use cruise control on the highway. Maintaining a consistent speed uses less gas than constantly speeding up and slowing down. But be careful. Never use cruise control on slippery roads, as it could cause a loss of vehicle control.
3. Avoid Letting Your Car Warm Up in Cold Temperatures
One of the best fuel-saving tips in the winter is to avoid letting your car warm up for an excessive period. All your car needs is the time it takes to fasten your seat belt, which allows its oil to reach all parts of the engine.
Letting it idle while you clear snow and ice from the car is OK, but any longer than that is a waste of fuel. Simply drive normally, avoiding hard acceleration until the car is fully warmed.
4. Anticipate Road Conditions By Planning Trips in Advance
Two easy ways to save gas are advanced planning and anticipation:
- Anticipate road conditions. As you drive, consistently monitor the traffic ahead and try to time stoplights to maintain momentum and avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
- Plan your trips. Combine errands and route your travel to minimize backtracking. Identify one-stop business locations where you can do multiple tasks (banking, shopping, etc.) without extra driving.
5. Avoid Idling
A car engine consumes one quarter to one half gallon of fuel per hour when idling, but a warm engine only takes around 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart. Where safe to do so, shut off your engine if you will be stopped for more than a minute. Also, limit your use of drive-throughs as much as possible since these lines encourage idling.
6. Purchase Quality Gasoline
If you're trying to maximize fuel efficiency, resist the temptation to buy the cheapest gas. Not all gas is the same. Use the gasoline grade (regular, mid-grade or premium) recommended by the car's manufacturer, and choose Top Tierآ„آ¢ brands to prevent fuel system and engine deposits that reduce efficiency. Also, try to keep a full tank of gas in your car, which will minimize the number of stops you have to make.
7. Avoid Rush Hour and Use Fast Pass Lanes
Minimize stops and starts by planning your routes to avoid heavy traffic:
- Use a fast pass on toll roads. These electronic transponders save fuel by minimizing or eliminating tollbooth slowdowns and stops. If you qualify for high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes or express lanes, use them.
- Avoid rush hour. If your employer supports flex time work hours, use this option to commute and run errands during off-peak traffic periods. This can help to minimize your time in stop-and-go traffic.
Remember that stops and starts use more gas. As you plan your routes, always keep your car running evenly as much as possible.
8. Clean Out Your Car
Remove unnecessary items from the vehicle. Did you know an extra 100 pounds can reduce fuel economy by up to 1 percent? This is especially true in smaller vehicles, while you might not notice as much of a difference in larger ones. Also, try to avoid the use of rooftop luggage carriers. Items transported on top of the car significantly increase aerodynamic drag, which reduces fuel economy.
6 Maintenance Tips to Increase Fuel Efficiency
The decisions you make about vehicle maintenance are second only to driving habits in affecting your gas mileage. Here are some easy maintenance-related fuel efficiency tips.
1. Schedule Regular Car Maintenance
Resist the urge to put off routine maintenance. Instead, be sure to perform all regular car maintenance at the intervals recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Check your owner's manual for specifics. Your car may also have an in-cabin maintenance reminder system, which you should never ignore.
2. Have Your Car's Oil Changed
How often you change your engine oil depends largely on the age of your car and your driving habits. At one time, most manufacturers recommended changing the oil every 3,000 miles. Today, most cars can go 7,500 to 10,000 miles between oil changes, depending on whether you drive under normal or severe conditions.
A few cars requiring full-synthetic oil can go up to 15,000 miles between changes. Check your owner's manual for details.
Likewise, most cars can run on both conventional and synthetic oil, and each has pros and cons. However, some manufacturers give specific recommendations for each vehicle model. Your owner's manual will tell you if a certain type of oil is required. Otherwise, synthetic oils cost more but may improve your fuel efficiency. However, they're not always recommended for older high-mileage vehicles.
3. Check Tire Inflation Monthly
Check the tires for proper inflation at least once a month. All tires have an optimal tire pressure that you can typically find on a sticker on the driver-side door frame. Overinflated tires can lead to a stiffer ride, decreased traction and a higher risk of blowouts. In contrast, underinflated tires have increased rolling resistance, which reduces fuel economy and makes them prone to wearing out more quickly.
4. Clean Engine Filters
Most manufacturers recommend changing the engine air filter every 30,000 آ€آ“ 45,000 miles, which will vary based on driving conditions. The most important thing is to make sure it's clean, which is pretty easy to do yourself. A dirty filter can reduce fuel economy, especially in an older car or under severe driving conditions.
5. Address an Illuminated Check Engine Light Immediately
If your check engine light comes on, pay attention. This is a warning sign that something is wrong with your engine or your car's emissions system. A solid light means you need to get the car looked at soon, but it's not an emergency unless the vehicle begins shaking, making strange sounds or is otherwise acting strangely.
If the check engine light flashes, consider it an emergency. Driving with a flashing check engine light could result in catastrophic engine failure. Either way, many of the problems that cause the check engine light to come on can also reduce fuel efficiency.
6. Track Your Car's Fuel Economy
It always helps to know your baseline mpg to maximize your fuel efficiency. Every car has three different mpg estimates for highway, city and combined driving, but these rarely reflect real-world conditions. You can calculate mpg in just a few easy steps:
- Fill your gas tank.
- Reset your odometer.
- Drive until your tank is nearly empty.
- Fill the gas tank again, noting how many gallons of gas you buy.
- Divide the number of miles on the odometer by the number of gallons you purchased. The result is your mpg.
Keeping track of your mpg over time lets you catch any issues with fuel economy early. If your mpg suddenly drops, it's worth having a mechanic examine your vehicle.
Choose a New Car Wisely
Many factors affect a vehicle purchase decision, including personal preferences and safety concerns. If fuel efficiency is your top priority, keep in mind that, in general, smaller cars get better fuel economy than larger ones. Likewise, hybrid cars are more efficient than comparable non-hybrid vehicles. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Choose a vehicle type: If you are seeking maximum fuel mileage, choose the smallest car that meets your day-to-day driving needs. You can always rent a larger vehicle when one is required.
- Look for models in that category with the best fuel economy ratings: If there is a choice of engines and/or transmissions, choose the most efficient combination that meets your needs.
- Choose a car that uses regular-grade gasoline rather than a more expensive premium: Even a few cents per gallon can add up over time.
- Consider options and features contributing to fuel savings: For example, lighter-colored cars and tinted windows reduce interior heat loads and require less air conditioning use.
- If you own more than one car, choose the best vehicle for each task: For solo travel, use the smallest and most fuel-efficient car. To carry many passengers or lots of cargo, select a larger model. This might seem obvious, but it is easy to overlook the savings that wise vehicle choices can generate over time.
Maximize Fuel Efficiency FAQ
If you are looking for more information to help you maximize fuel efficiency, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions.
Can You Fix Bad Gas Mileage?
Every vehicle has a maximum fuel efficiency that is based on numerous factors. In general, smaller and lighter cars get better gas mileage than bigger, heavier vehicles, and no amount of tweaking will change that. However, keeping your vehicle well-maintained and being careful to drive smoothly and evenly can help maximize gas mileage within the vehicle's limits.
Does Driving at a Slower Speed Save Fuel?
Yes and no. Most cars' fuel efficiency peaks at 50-60 mph. At city speeds, driving more slowly is actually less fuel efficient, so stick to the speed limits. On the highway, dropping to a speed of around 60 mph may save a slight amount of fuel. However, modern cars are made to travel easily at posted highway speeds, so be careful not to tie up traffic just to increase gas mileage.
How Can I Track My Car's Fuel Economy?
It's easy to track your car's fuel economy over time, which can help you catch any emerging issues with your vehicle. Simply fill up the gas tank and reset the odometer. Fill up again when the tank is nearly empty, and divide the miles you drove by the gallons of gas you purchased.
Finding Quality Auto Repair to Maximize Fuel Efficiency
Your AAA membership can help you find top-quality auto repair services in your area to maximize fuel efficiency and keep your vehicle running properly. Our auto repair locator provides information on nearly 7,000 Approved Auto Repair facilities that have met AAA's high standards for appearance, technician training and certification, insurance coverage and customer satisfaction.
If your vehicle breaks down, our roadside assistance program means you're never alone. We can jump your battery, provide enough gas to get you to the nearest station (or mobile EV charging in select cities), pull your vehicle out of a ditch and more.