Car Care Guide - (Page 26) CARING FOR YOUR CAR Environmental Awareness the car’s dirty filter can improve efficiency by 10 percent. Using the oil specified for your car saves up to 2 percent. Lighten the Load: Get your stuff out of your car and junk out of the trunk. This does not mean that you should not keep important emergency items such as a spare tire, flares and a first-aid kit. However, items that are not needed weigh the vehicle down – causing an increase in gas usage and unneeded wear and tear on the vehicle. Tire Checks: If every American’s tires were properly inflated we could save around two billion gallons of gas each year. (Check your manual for optimal pressure). Tire pressure should be checked at least monthly, including the spare. Tires that are not properly inflated add rolling resistance that makes the engine work harder to move the vehicle. All of this increases fuel costs as much as three to five cents per gallon, and increases the risk of engine damage. A/C Maintenance and Use: The A/C system should be inspected annually, during which a technician checks pressures to test operation, refrigerant charge and outlet temperatures. Use the windows to help keep the car cool. Parking in the shade and using a reflective windshield shade can keep your car cooler when parked, meaning it takes less to cool it off when you get back in. Gas Caps and Fill-Ups: Approximately 17 percent of the vehicles on the road have loose, damaged or missing gas caps, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year. Topping off your gas tank can also release harmful vapors into the environment. QUESTIONS TO ASK What is the most important thing I should do to my car to make sure I’m doing my part to protect the environment? � If my car emits a lot of exhaust, does this mean there’s something wrong with it? � Is the refrigerant in my car environmentally friendly and if not, what should I do? � Where can I take my used oil, oil filter and other fluids for recycling? � ARE YOU AWARE ? SEVEN OUT OF 10 CONSUMERS BELIEVE THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE WILL IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, WHILE NEARLY ALL BELIEVE IT WILL INCREASE FUEL EFFICIENCY. Source: Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association 26
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.