Keep Your Car Performing Its Best

Improving Your Car's Gas Milage

Driving Habits

  • Keep your car clean. Mud on the undercarriage can weigh a significant amount and slow you down.
  • Consolidate your daily trips and errands. This will also save you the cost of restarting your engine, which uses a lot of gas.
  • Avoid air conditioning when possible. But keep in mind, when driving at higher speeds, having your windows open also creates drag.
  • Don’t throttle the gas or brake pedal!! Sudden starts or stops use more gas than gradual changes in speed.
  • Don’t idle for to long, turn off engine if you are anticipating a lengthy wait.
  • Limit car warm up in winter.
  • Clear out the trunk, more weight equals more drag.
  • Avoid high speeds. We know this is almost impossible to resist but you can improve your gas mileage by up to 15 percent driving at 90 km/h rather than 110 km/h.
  • Use cruise control when available, maintaining a constant speed is ideal for improving your gas mileage.

Fuel Saving Causes & Effects

Condition

Effect

MPG Penalty

Under Inflated TiresIncreased Rolling Resistance1 - 2 MPG
Dirty Air FilterExcessive Fuel Consumption2 MPG
Worn Spark PlugsInefficient Combustion, Wasted Fuel, Excessive Pollution 2 MPG
Worn 02 SensorInefficient Combustion, Wasted Fuel, Excessive Pollution3 MPG
Dirty or Substandard OilIncreased Internal Engine Wear & Friction.4 MPG
Loose Gas CapAllows Fuel to Evaporate, Excessive Pollution2 MPG
Potential Loss in Fuel11.4 MPG

CHECK OUT OUR SERVICE ASSISTANT
FOR INSIGHT AND INFORMATION

SERVICE ASSISTANT

CAR MAINTENANCE TIPS FROM THE
PROS AT NAPA AUTOPRO

NAPA MAINTENANCE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. HOW OFTEN SHOULD I ROTATE MY TIRES?

Your tires should be rotated every other oil change, or every 10,000km. Neglecting to rotate tires is a major cause of premature wear.

Q. IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO REPLACE MY TIMING BELT AT THE RECOMMENDED INTERVAL?

YES. The failure of a timing belt in many cars can result in major engine damage. The cost of repairing an engine with a broken timing belt is much greater the cost of a timing belt replacement.

Q. WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF MY CHECK ENGINE OR SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON?

There are many sensors and computerized components that manage your vehicles engine performance and emissions. When one of these fail, the “check engine” light is illuminated. Although your car may seem to be running fine, it is important to have the issue addressed to prevent any long term problems.

Q. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY VEHICLE STARTS TO OVERHEAT?

This is very serious problem, if your vehicle overheats for too long you can damage your engine. As soon as safe to do so, pull over and shut down the engine! Do not attempt to check the fluid level in the radiator, the hot fluid can cause severe burns; the best thing to do is have your car towed to A PLUS AUTO.

Q. WHEN SHOULD I GET MY ENGINE OIL CHANGED?

You should get your oil changed every 6000- 8000km depending on the type of oil used or as recommended by your vehicle’s owner manual.

Q. SHOULD I CONSIDER USING SYNTHETIC OIL IN MY VEHICLE?

Synthetic motor oils can be a good choice for high output, turbocharged or supercharged engines. Also, vehicles that are used for towing (especially during hot weather) and vehicles that operate in extremely cold or hot climates may benefit from using synthetic oil. Although more expensive than mineral based oils, synthetic motor oils can improve fuel economy and provide longer intervals between changes.

Q. WHEN SHOULD I REPLACE MY VEHICLE’S FUEL FILTER?

To help ensure dependable, trouble free performance, replace your vehicle’s fuel filter approximately every 25,000 to 30,000km.

Q. HOW DO I MAKE SURE MY CAR BATTERY HAS A GOOD ELECTRICAL CONNECTION?

Battery cables should be inspected and cleaned periodically to make sure they provide a good electrical connection.

Q. WHEN SHOULD I CHANGE MY SPARK PLUGS?

For maximum fuel economy and peak engine performance, your spark plugs should be replaced every 40,000km; unless your vehicle is equipped with platinum tipped spark plugs then the recommended interval is approximately every 100,000km or higher.

Q. I NEED TO REPLACE A BURNT OUT FUSE, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Always replace a burnt fuse with a new fuse of the same amperage (printed on the fuse) and note that if the fuse continues to “blow” you should have the circuit checked professionally by one of our technicians for defects.

Q. I HAVE BOUGHT AN AFTERMARKET WARRANTY THROUGH MY DEALER, CAN YOU FIX MY VEHICLE?

Of course!! In almost every case we will be able to work through your warranty company and you will only be responsible for your deductable.

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