What Is The Best Car Maintenance Schedule To Improve Fuel Efficiency?
July 28, 2022
Tires
When trying to improve fuel efficiency for your vehicle, upkeep is king. Read on to learn the best car maintenance schedule to reduce fuel costs in Ontario, or contact your local TIRECRAFT to speak directly with a maintenance expert near you.
What Is The Best Car Maintenance Schedule To Improve Fuel Efficiency?
Back in 2017, in a prescient move that seemed to predict today’s record-high gas prices, the Tire and Rubber Association released a fantastic fuel-saving guide containing some useful tips to help drivers pay less at the pumps.
In addition to modifying our driving habits and equipping fuel-efficient tires, TRAC researchers recommend the following maintenance services to maximize fuel savings:
1. “Symptomless” tune-ups—They say the squeaky wheel gets the grease, but that shouldn’t be your car maintenance policy. Instead of waiting for something to go wrong, invest in regular preventative maintenance and seasonal tune-ups. These services create more opportunities to spot minor problems before they turn major, and minimize time spent driving with gas-guzzling inefficiencies.
At TIRECRAFT, we recommend booking preventative maintenance services every 5,000km or 3 months of driving, in addition to any seasonal services that may be required.
2. Tire alignment—Tire misalignment can decrease your gas mileage by up to 10% (TRAC, 2017). To keep your vehicle running efficiently, we recommend scheduling tire rotations after 10,000km or 6 months of driving—whatever comes first. And if you sign up for the Advantage Plus Program, we will perform tire rotations according to the manufacturer’s car maintenance schedule for you at no cost.
3. Regular tire pressure checks and top-ups—Most Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems won’t light up unless tire pressure drops 25% below what it should be, and for every 1 PSI missing from your tires, you lose at least 0.1% gas mileage! For this reason, we recommend buying a portable air compressor and tire gauge, and we offer free tire pressure checks and top-ups as part of every service. If you aren’t coming into the shop for any reason, be sure to check your tire pressure monthly at the very least.
4. Change your air filters—”Air filters block dirt and dust from getting near your engine,” states TRAC (2017). “Regularly changing your filter will make sure your engine is getting clean oxygen for the process that converts fuel into power, improving your fuel efficiency in the process.”
At TIRECRAFT, we recommend changing your air filter at least once per year, or after 20,000km to 30,000km of driving.
Get Fuel Fit With TIRECRAFT: Automate Your Car Maintenance Schedule
Your local TIRECRAFT offers all the car maintenance services you’ll need to get fuel fit, and we can set up automatic service reminders to keep your vehicle running clean year-round.
To book a free consultation and learn more about our car maintenance schedule recommendations, use the Find a TIRECRAFT tool and speak directly with a specialist near you.
References
TRAC. (2017). Get fuel fit: Shopping, maintenance, and driving tops to help you trim your gas bill and eco-footprint. Tire and Rubber Association of Canada.
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