• Low tire pressure is one of the worst causes of poor fuel mileage. Tire pressures will usually drop in colder weather, so check them often. On most vehicles you can find the “recommended tire pressure” on a sticker from the vehicle manufacture located in the drivers door jam area.

• A dirty air filter can have a devastating effect on fuel mileage.

• Excessive idling offers no miles per gallon. In traffic situations it’s best to “creep” rather than sit and idle for extended periods of time.

• A poor running engine, worn spark plugs, defective spark plug wires, engine misfire(s), Illuminated “check engine/service engine soon lamp” and yes even a restricted or plugged fuel filter can reduce fuel economy.

• Warming up your engine for longer than 1 to 2 minutes is wasting fuel. 1-2 minutes of warming up your vehicle is usually enough before heading out during winter months.

• Poor wheel alignment can cause a decrease in fuel economy. Wheels that are out of alignment cause added friction to the tire, which is designed to “roll” not “scrub” down the highway. Improperly aligned wheels require more fuel to push the vehicle down the road resulting in less fuel economy along with premature tire wear.

• Loose gas caps can cause poor fuel economy. Most newer vehicles have pressurized evaporative fuel systems and are monitored by the onboard computer, if a leak is detected in the evap system the computer will usually turn on the “check engine/service engine soon lamp” to alert you of a problem. When this happens, the computer may change the fuel to air ratio that your engine is running on to a more “fixed” value causing a drop in the efficiency of the vehicle’s operating system. Even with older vehicles a loose or missing gas cap can affect mileage due to evaporation of fuel in the tank.

• A stuck open cooling system “Thermostat” will not allow your vehicle to get up to proper operating temperature, causing the improper atomization of fuel in the engines combustion chamber. Engines achieve the best fuel mileage when they are at the proper operating temperature and the fuel burns its best at this operating temperature. If it takes longer to get heat on the inside of your vehicle than normal, then chances are you have a stuck open thermostat?

• Excessive weight in vehicle can cause a drop in fuel economy. Don’t carry more in your vehicle than needed. Extra clothes, shoes, newspapers, magazines etc… create additional weight in the vehicle, which most likely will result in reduced mileage.

• Dirty engine oil loses its lubricity causing more friction against internal engine components. Change your engine oil on a regular schedule, dirty engine oil is very tough on engine components and causes additional wear.

• Excessive speed decreases fuel economy. Its best to try and maintain steady speeds while driving and if at all possible use cruise control where applicable. However, it is NOT recommended to use cruise control during “icy” conditions.