 What You'll Learn
As you read these tips about how to improve fuel economy, you'll learn:
You can do several different things to get better gas mileage, and your efforts will add up over time.
One of the best ways to improve your gas mileage is to change your driving habits.
Your vehicle will be a lot more efficient if you take great care of it and keep up with your regularly scheduled car maintenance.
Best Ways to Improve Gas Mileage
One of the best things about living in Miami is that the weather is relatively warm all year long, which means plenty of opportunities to explore Florida. Whether you're gearing up for a big road trip, commuting to and from the office, or bringing the kids to all of their summer practices, it's helpful to optimize fuel efficiency. Doing so can help you spend less time at the pump and more time having fun while saving you some significant money on gas. As a bonus, you'll be able to reduce your carbon footprint.
With all of that in mind, here are the top gas-saving tips.
Use Your Car Air Conditioning as Little as Possible
Your vehicle actually gets better gas mileage when it's hot outside. That happens because warm air creates less aerodynamic drag than cold air does, and the heat also helps your engine warm up faster, getting it to its most efficient temperature. Unfortunately, blasting the air conditioning during those hot days here in Miami will wipe out a good portion of your efficiency gains. Powering the A/C uses more energy, which ultimately means you're burning more gas.
Opening your windows reduces gas mileage, too, since doing so creates more wind resistance. Keeping the windows up and the air conditioning down or off can save a surprising amount of gas. Still, that doesn't mean you should have to be miserable while you're driving around Dade County and beyond. You don't have to turn your car into a sauna to save gas, but we do recommend keeping the air conditioning to a minimum while also keeping yourself and your passengers comfortable.
Check Your Tire Pressure Regularly
Keeping your tire pressure at an appropriate level is important for many reasons, including the following:
It helps keep the ride comfortable and smooth.
Keeping your tires at the right pressure will help prevent avoidable damage to them, and driving with them at the wrong pressure increases the likelihood of blowouts on the road.
Inflating your tires to the appropriate pressure will actually help you return better gas mileage.
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has released information that properly inflated tires can boost fuel efficiency by as much as three percent. That's a big deal that can add up to some serious savings in the long run. Check your vehicle and the tires themselves to determine which tire pressure range is appropriate, then generally try to stay at the top of that range.Â
Do keep in mind that the pressure in your tires will change when the temperature outside changes. On the hottest days of the year, air expands, creating more pressure in your tires. When the temperature drops and air contracts, the pressure in your tires will also drop.
If you need help figuring anything out, you can always get assistance by visiting a Ford Service Center to work with a professional technician. They can rotate your tires, check the pressure, fill them appropriately, and give you other tips about how to improve your fuel efficiency.
Drive Slower and Less Aggressively
Depending on the specific vehicle, there's a certain sweet spot as far as speed where you can get the best efficiency. Normally, that will be around 45 or 50 miles per hour. That doesn't mean you should ignore speed limits, but it's certainly something to keep in mind. If you're going too fast on the highway, not only are you risking a ticket, but you're actually wasting fuel as well.
The DOE has claimed that every five miles per hour faster you go (over 50 miles per hour), you're using about 7% more gas. Another way to look at this is that it has the same impact as taking a gas price of $2.39 and adding $0.17 to it. When you reduce your speed by five or 10 miles per hour on the highway, you can improve your gas mileage by 7-14%.
Just as speeding is a waste of gas, other aggressive driving techniques can really take a toll on your spending at the pump. Accelerating quickly and braking hard can decrease highway fuel efficiency by up to 33%, according to the DOE. When you tailgate another vehicle, you're going to have to brake more, which means you'll have to reaccelerate, using more gas. Give yourself plenty of space on the road so you can slow down and speed up more gradually.
Avoid Letting Your Vehicle Idle
Letting your vehicle idle is a huge waste of gas. If you're ever sitting around waiting in your car, try rolling the windows down for some fresh air and then turning the engine off. Obviously, there are some brutally hot days in Miami when this won't feel like a good option, but it's definitely worth taking advantage of this technique on more temperate days. Between letting the engine idle and running your air conditioner, your vehicle might be using significantly more energy than you would guess.
Depending on your specific vehicle, an hour of idling time might burn about half a gallon of gas. That might not sound like a lot, but keep in mind that you're driving exactly zero miles while using that fuel. It can also start to add up, especially if you spend a decent amount of time waiting in your car. Whenever possible, it's best to keep the engine off.
Bring Your Vehicle in for Service
Your vehicle is a lot more efficient when everything is working properly. Problems with the engine or other critical components of your car can lead to excessive fuel consumption. Even if you're not aware of any big issues, it's a great idea to bring your vehicle in for regular tune-ups, inspections, and oil changes.
Many people wait too long and drive too much between oil changes. Some don't think of this as being a very big deal, but it actually is. Old oil is thicker and harder to pump. On top of being bad for your vehicle, this uses more energy and, therefore, more gas.
Ford Service Center in Miami
At Midway Ford Miami, our experienced technicians know the ins and outs of Ford vehicles. Not only can we help them last for a long time and help you avoid some costly repairs further down the line, but we can also help improve your vehicle's gas mileage right now. When your vehicle isn't running as efficiently as it should, we can perform a thorough inspection to check numerous different problem areas and return your car to peak condition. We'll also check your tire pressure and oil. Stop by today or schedule a service online.
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