Avoiding a Stalled Vehicle
The stalled car syndrome, more noticeable on our roadways than in our driveways, has been with us for generations. But it becomes more critical with increased population. Beyond missed appointments or being late for work it also results in the condition known as road rage. Not only can a disabled vehicle have an annoying "ripple effect" that goes beyond the immediate scene, it can be disastrous for the driver who is left vulnerable to roadside crime or to the elements.
"Don't blame your car," says Rich White, a Car Care Council spokesperson. "It can't drive itself to the shop and ask for an oil change or new spark plugs.
Considering how dependent we are on our cars, it's surprising how we take them for granted. An old battery or badly worn tire has its way of forewarning us that it's going to let us down, but we tend to wait for the inevitable.
"Nearly eighty percent of the thousands of vehicles driven through our check lanes during National Car Care Month fail inspection. Most discrepancies are due to owner neglect and can be corrected at little or no cost."
The Council stresses the value of periodic checkups. This not only helps prevent traffic jams due to mechanical breakdowns, but also ensures the optimum safety and efficiency of our vehicle
Fuel Savings Tips as Gas Prices Soar
Record Gas Prices Make it Perfect Time to "Be Car Care Aware"
With gas prices exceeding two dollars a gallon in many parts of the country, the Car Care Council is offering gas-saving maintenance and driving tips that really work.
"Millions of dollars worth of gasoline is wasted every day by motorists, because simple and inexpensive vehicle maintenance is neglected," said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "Loose or missing gas caps, under-inflated tires, worn spark plugs and dirty air filters all contribute to poor fuel economy."
The Car Care Council offers these fuel-saving tips:
• Vehicle gas caps – About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
• Under inflated tires – When tires aren’t inflated properly it’s like driving with the parking brake on and can cost a mile or two per gallon.
• Worn spark plugs – A vehicle can have either four, six or eight spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring, which wastes fuel. Spark plugs need to be replaced regularly.
• Dirty air filters – An air filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air and creates a “rich” mixture – too much gas being burned for the amount of air, which wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 15 cents a gallon.
Fuel-saving driving tips include:
• Don’t be an aggressive driver – Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on city streets, which results in 7 to 49 cents per gallon.
•Avoid excessive idling – Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon. Letting the vehicle warm up for one to two minutes is sufficient.
• Observe the speed limit – Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each mph driven over 60 will result in an additional 10 cents per gallon. To maintain a constant speed on the highway, cruise control is recommended.
*Some of the above statistics were gathered from a U.S. Department of Energy Web site, www.fueleconomy.gov.
"The 'Be Car Care Aware' campaign is about helping motorists make informed decisions about their vehicles' care and maintenance," said White. "With the 21St Century Tune-up, we will continue to help vehicle owners make great strides in reducing vehicle neglect."
A new brochure is available that familiarizes motorists with the opportunities for preventive maintenance in and around their vehicle. The brochure contains information about the "Be Car Care Aware" campaign, a full-size schematic of vehicle parts, components and maintenance recommendations. For more information, visit http://www.carcare.org/car-care-guide.
Reused with permission from the Car Care Council: www.carcare.org
The stalled car syndrome, more noticeable on our roadways than in our driveways, has been with us for generations. But it becomes more critical with increased population. Beyond missed appointments or being late for work it also results in the condition known as road rage. Not only can a disabled vehicle have an annoying "ripple effect" that goes beyond the immediate scene, it can be disastrous for the driver who is left vulnerable to roadside crime or to the elements.
"Don't blame your car," says Rich White, a Car Care Council spokesperson. "It can't drive itself to the shop and ask for an oil change or new spark plugs.
Considering how dependent we are on our cars, it's surprising how we take them for granted. An old battery or badly worn tire has its way of forewarning us that it's going to let us down, but we tend to wait for the inevitable.
"Nearly eighty percent of the thousands of vehicles driven through our check lanes during National Car Care Month fail inspection. Most discrepancies are due to owner neglect and can be corrected at little or no cost."
The Council stresses the value of periodic checkups. This not only helps prevent traffic jams due to mechanical breakdowns, but also ensures the optimum safety and efficiency of our vehicle
Fuel Savings Tips as Gas Prices Soar
Record Gas Prices Make it Perfect Time to "Be Car Care Aware"
With gas prices exceeding two dollars a gallon in many parts of the country, the Car Care Council is offering gas-saving maintenance and driving tips that really work.
"Millions of dollars worth of gasoline is wasted every day by motorists, because simple and inexpensive vehicle maintenance is neglected," said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "Loose or missing gas caps, under-inflated tires, worn spark plugs and dirty air filters all contribute to poor fuel economy."
The Car Care Council offers these fuel-saving tips:
• Vehicle gas caps – About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
• Under inflated tires – When tires aren’t inflated properly it’s like driving with the parking brake on and can cost a mile or two per gallon.
• Worn spark plugs – A vehicle can have either four, six or eight spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring, which wastes fuel. Spark plugs need to be replaced regularly.
• Dirty air filters – An air filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air and creates a “rich” mixture – too much gas being burned for the amount of air, which wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 15 cents a gallon.
Fuel-saving driving tips include:
• Don’t be an aggressive driver – Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on city streets, which results in 7 to 49 cents per gallon.
•Avoid excessive idling – Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon. Letting the vehicle warm up for one to two minutes is sufficient.
• Observe the speed limit – Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each mph driven over 60 will result in an additional 10 cents per gallon. To maintain a constant speed on the highway, cruise control is recommended.
*Some of the above statistics were gathered from a U.S. Department of Energy Web site, www.fueleconomy.gov.
"The 'Be Car Care Aware' campaign is about helping motorists make informed decisions about their vehicles' care and maintenance," said White. "With the 21St Century Tune-up, we will continue to help vehicle owners make great strides in reducing vehicle neglect."
A new brochure is available that familiarizes motorists with the opportunities for preventive maintenance in and around their vehicle. The brochure contains information about the "Be Car Care Aware" campaign, a full-size schematic of vehicle parts, components and maintenance recommendations. For more information, visit http://www.carcare.org/car-care-guide.
Reused with permission from the Car Care Council: www.carcare.org