When you own a Honda, it’s critical that you keep up with your maintenance schedule to ensure that your vehicle remains in good condition and continues to operate properly. However, did you know that certain maintenance tasks can help improve your car’s fuel economy ratings? Yes, there are strategic ways that you can optimize your fuel economy and go the extra mile in Arlington without making extra stops for gas.

Keep reading as Wolfchase Honda covers how to improve your car’s fuel economy with vehicle maintenance. We’ll even give you some driving tips that will help you save some gas on Bartlett roads. Then, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our service center for assistance!

Car Maintenance That Can Help You Maintain Fuel Economy

Make Sure Your Tires Are Properly Inflated

Under-inflated or over-inflated tires not only shorten the lifespan of your tires but also impact the vehicle’s fuel economy. How do you know if tires have the correct pressure? You can use a digital pressure gauge, which can be ordered online, to check your tire’s pressure. If the tire’s pressure is low, make sure to fill it to the recommended pressure.

Have the Spark Plugs Replaced

Spark plugs that are extremely worn can result in a misfire or incomplete combustion, thus resulting in wasted fuel. When you replace worn spark plugs, it allows your engine to run cleaner and optimizes your fuel economy.

Get a New Air Filter

When you bring your vehicle into a Memphis-area service center for an oil change, your air filter will typically be replaced at the same time. Why is having a clean air filter important? A dirty air filter negatively affects your fuel economy and your car’s ability to accelerate.

Have Your Tires Properly Aligned

Tires that aren’t aligned properly are subjected to wear and tear more frequently than correctly aligned tires. You can use a tire tread depth gauge to check the alignment of your tires. If one side of the tire is more worn than the other, they’ll need to be aligned.

Upgrade to a Higher-Grade of Motor Oil

You can improve your car’s fuel economy anywhere from 1%-2% when upgrading from the manufacturer’s recommended oil. Along with using a high-quality brand of oil, you also want the oil to have the proper viscosity for the exterior temperature.

How to Make Your Driving Habits More Fuel-Efficient

You know how to improve your fuel economy with vehicle maintenance, now let’s discuss some driving habits that you can adopt in order to improve your car’s mpg ratings.

Try Not to Accelerate with Force

Pressing hard on the gas pedal requires your car to use more fuel. Instead, you should try to accelerate smoothly and take about five seconds to bring your vehicle up to 10 mph from a standstill.

Schedule Your Drives to Avoid Traffic

When you’re frequently sitting in traffic or driving in stop-and-go traffic, this wastes gas and puts stress on your car’s drivetrain. If possible, try to leave work about 15 minutes early to avoid heavy rush hour traffic.

Drive at Moderate Speeds

Driving on Bartlett streets at high speeds uses a lot of fuel. If you’d like to optimize your fuel economy when driving, especially on the interstate, try to keep your speed between 55 and 65 mph.

Avoid Pressing Hard on the Brakes

Allow your car to coast to a stop instead of harshly pressing on the brakes. If you ever find yourself driving on a hill, reduce your speed as you’re ascending, and then, use your car’s forward momentum to coast downhill.

Limit Your AC Use

While you may be tempted to blast the AC during those hot Tennessee summer days, it’s important to keep in mind that the AC increases the car’s fuel consumption by up to 20%. Instead of leaving the AC on for a prolonged period, use the recirculate function instead.

Rely on Wolfchase Honda for Helpful Service Tips

Now that you have an idea about how to optimize your fuel economy, check out more of our service and parts tips to learn about everything from how often to rotate your tires to the Honda Accord maintenance schedule. Have any additional questions about how to improve your fuel economy, give us a call at 901-255-3750!