Fuel foul: The top 5 fuel wasters
15:01
Gas prices are through
the roof.
No news there, but
what might surprise you is the detrimental impact that ignoring repairs can
have on your mpg ratings. These fuel-mileage manglers alert you via the “Check
Engine” or “Service Engine Soon” light, and these were the five top culprits in
2013:
- The most common gas-robbing condition is a faulty
oxygen sensor, which can slash gas mileage by up to 40 percent if not
repaired. Want that percentage in real dollars? Figure more than ₦150,000
annually in added fuel costs.
- The second most prevalent gas robber during 2013 was a
loose or missing gas cap. Besides a 0.5 percent dip in gas mileage, this
malady allows more than 147 million gallons of evaporated gas into the
air.
- Coming in next on the list is a defective catalytic
converter, which gradually tears away at effective fuel consumption. A
faulty converter also usually shortens the life of at least one of your
oxygen sensors.
- The fourth-place culprit is malfunctioning ignition
coils, which often fail due to faulty spark plugs, high under-hood heat or
age. This situation can rip into gas mileage by as much as 20 percent.
- And last but not least is a bad mass air-flow sensor.
If left in a compromised condition can decrease fuel economy by 10 percent
to 25 percent.
The next time your
“check engine” light illuminates, take your car in for service as soon as
possible. With today’s gas prices, letting one of the above conditions continue
is like getting suckered by a pickpocket.
