Do you find yourself making more frequent stops at the gas station? Whether you’re driving a car, truck, or SUV, noticing a decrease in your vehicle’s fuel economy can be a sign that there may be something wrong.

Decreased gas mileage could be the result of one factor or a combination of factors. Here are the top factors that could be causing a decrease in your gas mileage and what you should do about it.

Motor Oil

Changing your oil at the recommended interval is the best thing you can do for your vehicle’s engine to keep it running smoothly. Need an oil change? Not sure what oil to choose or how long you should go between changes? Check out your owner’s manual or speak to one of our Carolina Quick Lube technicians to help you select the one that is right for your vehicle.

Spark Plugs

Have you noticed your vehicle’s lack of proper acceleration, uneven idling and vibration, or trouble starting? You may have faulty spark plugs. Spark plugs are responsible for sparking engine combustion. If they’re not performing efficiently or misfiring, you will notice a change in your gas mileage.

Bad Fuel Injectors

Fuel injectors are responsible for controlling how much gas goes into the engine. If your fuel injectors have a leak, your engine will receive less fuel, and in turn, make it run less efficiently.

Bad Oxygen Sensors and/or Air Filters

Oxygen sensors help keep the proper mixture of air and fuel, a bad O2 sensor can cause an unbalance mixture causing your vehicle to perform inefficiently. Dirty air filters need to be cleaned or replaced so that the engine can work at its peak performance.

Is your vehicle gas mileage decreasing? If so, keeping up with routine maintenance is the best way to maintain your engine’s efficiency.  Stop by Carolina Quick Lube today and let our technicians help you keep your vehicle performing at its best.