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9 Major Reasons for Bad Gas Mileage
Have you been experiencing bad gas mileage of late? What causes a car to burn a lot of gas? Well, a sudden drop in fuel efficiency of your car can be blamed on a number of factors. There are several reasons including poor driving habits that lead to this specific problem. The alarming thing is leaving these problems as they are can result in bigger issues and expensive repair.
There are dozens of problems that can lead to a drop in gas mileage, some of them are serious and some can be easily corrected. Here are some of the more common issues that can affect the fuel efficiency of most cars.
9 Reasons for Bad Gas Mileage
When the fuel system does not work as designed, the efficiency level is likely to reduce. However, if the drop is sudden and serious, you should find out the reason and fix it. Fortunately, some problems are not serious and can be fixed by changing some of your driving habits. However, others may warrant a visit to a servicing shop and some repairs.
Bad Driving Style
Whether you believe it or not, one of the main reasons for poor gas mileage is careless driving. Some of the things that affect too much are:
Impulsive Driving – Engaging the brake and gas pedals frequently and without any reason causes excessive oil loss. If you can’t compromise with the thrill of rapid acceleration and revving, be prepared to spend some money on the fuel.
Over Speeding – Fuel efficiency depends on driving the vehicle within a certain speed limit. Speeding up, especially pushing the speedometer more than 120km/h will result in bad gas mileage.
Idling Too Much – Some drivers keep the engine running when waiting somewhere. Well, it’s not good for your wallet since a running engine means money (aka fuel) is oozing down the car’s system.
Issues with Tires
Issues with tires are another answer for the question “What causes bad gas mileage?”. Tire problems can cause the fuel to burn at an excessive rate. Misaligned, uneven, and low-pressure tires make the car harder to move. As a result, the engine has to work harder and it burns more fuel.
Checking the tire’s alignment and pressure on a regular basis will prevent this problem. However, be careful not to overinflate the car for it will make the car unstable and difficult to control.
Low-Level of Oil
Low-level of oil is a possible culprit behind what makes a car burn gas fast. Why? Adequate fuel ensures the required lubrication and lowering the friction among various components. When there is not enough oil in the system, friction and heat increase and deteriorate the engine parts. The engine has to work harder and burns more fuel than needed. Check the owner’s manual to know the right time to change the oil in your car. It could be anything between 6,000 miles and 12,000 miles. It could be even more depending on the make and model of the vehicle.
Dirty Oxygen Sensor
Another reason for bad gas mileage is the filthy oxygen sensor. It measures the level of exhaust gases when they leave the combustion chamber. The electronic control unit (ECU) uses the sensors data to determine the amount of fuel to send to the engine. An unclean sensor is likely to err in measurement, leading to drop in mileage.
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Fault in the Fuel Pump
It’s a no-brainer to assume that fuel efficiency also depends on the fuel delivery issues. The function of a fuel pump is to pump oil from the gas tank to the fuel injectors. A damaged or dirty pump won’t be able to supply an adequate amount of oil to the engine, resulting in less fuel efficiency. Not replacing the pump will lead to the engine’s idling, making explosive sounds, and stalling.
Clogged Fuel Injectors and Air Filters
Clogged fuel injectors and air filters are one of the excessive fuel consumption causes. The injectors do the job of supplying oil to the engine. When they become dirty, the engine loses power and starts stalling now and then, leading to eating up more fuel than necessary. Similarly, air filters help with combustion by letting an adequate amount of air into the engine. A dirty air filter will hamper the combustion process and increase the burning of fuel. The solutions to these problems are to replace or clean these components.
Spark Plug Issues
The function of spark plugs is to ignite the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, which creates the ignition needed to start a vehicle. Damaged or dirty plugs will lead to an engine misfire. The engine will show poor performance and there will be a big drop in the gas mileage.
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Defective Mass Airflow Sensor
It measures the amount of air supplied to the fuel injection system. The ECU collects that information and adjusts the right amount of air to be delivered to the engine. A malfunctioning sensor will lead to bad gas mileage.
Stuck Caliper or Shoe
The disc brake caliper or drum brake shoe can get stuck for various reasons. In this case, the car will pull to one side when driving. Any problem with the brake not only declines the fuel efficiency but also makes it extremely dangerous to drive.
Check the video below to see why your car gets bad gas mileage and how to fix it:
Hopefully the information above can help you answer the questions: “Why is my car burning gas so fast?” or “Why is my car getting bad gas mileage all of a sudden?”. If you have any questions relevant to bad gas mileage, please feel free to leave us in our comment box then we will discuss further.
