It doesn't matter if the car you're driving is new or old, big or
small. There are preventive maintenance steps every vehicle owner can
take to make sure their car is as "green" or environmentally friendly
as possible, according to the Car Care Council.
By
following five simple preventive maintenance steps, you can help
protect the environment by improving gas mileage, which in turn saves
money at the pump.
1)
The first step is to keep your car properly tuned for optimum
performance. A well-tuned engine delivers the best balance of power and
fuel economy and produces the lowest level of emissions. A 21st Century
tune-up for modern vehicles includes the following system checks:
battery, charging and starting; engine mechanical; powertrain control
(including onboard diagnostic checks); fuel; ignition; and emissions. A
21st Century tune-up can improve gas mileage by an average of four
percent. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen
sensor, can improve gas mileage by as much as 40 percent.
2) The
second step is to regularly check and replace dirty air filters. An air
filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air and
creates a "rich" mixture - too much gas being burned for the amount of
air - that wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Replacing a
clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent,
saving about 15 cents a gallon.
3)
The third step is have the spark plugs checked - if they haven't
already been checked as part of the tune-up - and replaced if
necessary. A vehicle can have four, six or eight spark plugs, which
fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles. This results in a
lot of heat, electrical, and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug also
causes misfiring, which wastes fuel.
4)
The fourth step is to maintain the cooling system of your vehicle. A
cooling system thermostat that causes the engine to run too cold will
lower the fuel efficiency of a car by as much as one or two mpg. There
also are improved radiator caps on the market today that allow the
cooling system to operate at a higher temperature before boiling over,
increasing the system's efficiency and reducing emissions.
5) The last step toward keeping a "green" car is to properly maintain and repair your car as outlined in the council's Car Care Guide.
The guide helps drivers understand their car, the care it needs, and
when it needs it and why. Single copies of the free guide may be
ordered on the Car Care Council Web site, www.carcare.org.
In
addition to proper vehicle maintenance, vehicles can be more
fuel-efficient if tires are properly inflated and if drivers observe
the speed limit, avoid aggressive driving and excessive idling, and
adhere to an errand list to eliminate extra trips to the store for
forgotten items.
The Car Care Council is the source of
information for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign
promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair
to consumers. For a copy of the council's Car Care Guide or for more
information, visit www.carcare.org.
auto advice
