How can I improve the fuel economy of my car?

Question

My 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe used to get 17-25 miles per gallon, and over the course of the winter, has decreased to about 13.5 miles per gallon. Is there anything I can do to improve this, as I need to sell it ASAP for personal reasons? I'm not getting any help from the dealer, probably due to the fact that it's still under warranty. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

A few of these suggestions are very good. You can also try high end air filters (K&N), but you will not gain too much in mileage. I use it mainly for the convenience. They cost around $50 new, but you may catch them cheaper on ebay.

But also in winter months, I usually get a little less due to winter mix gas

Answer 2

There are a few easy things to check.
Make sure that your tires are properly inflated. Low tire pressure could make it harder for the car to move which can eat up more gas. Check the air filter. Is it dirty? Clogged filters can also eat up additional fuel. You may also want to change the engine oil and replace it with a good 5w20 synthetic oil like Mobile 1. You could check the spark plugs just for good measure but with a car that new, I doubt that it's a fouled plug. But it can't hurt to check anyway.
On rare occasions the parking brake will stick and the brakes will actually drag while you are driving. This will obviosuly eat up more fuel as you have to fight the brakes with the engine. Check the rear wheels after driving for a while especialy on the highway, get your nose down in there to see if it smells like burnt brakes. You will know it if you smell it.


Once you have checked on all of the routine things it's time to start worrying about more serious stuff. There is no easy way to check these things yourself unfortunately.
It's possible that you have a fuel leak somewhere and it's a very slow leak so it might be hard to find. Your engine could also be running too rich causing it to send unspent fuel out of the exhaust. This is bad for a few reasons. One is that you are wasting fuel.. however it will also get into your catalytic converter and potentially burn it out. If that happens you will see a very big drop in fuel milage and performance because your exhaust will become almost totally blocked.
The cause of a problem like this could be many things. THe O2 sensor could be malfunctioning causing the computer to inject too much fuel. Really once you have checked the routine stuff you might want to take it somewhere to have a professional diagnose it.

Answer 3

Depending upon several factors, including your location, a number of issues could exist.

First, if you live in a dusty area, there is a good chance that your air filter will accumulate dust faster, this prevents your engine from breathing properly and decreases the performance.

Another factor could be a plugged fuel injector or fuel filter. If you have ever run your gas tank down to very low levels, chances are that dirt has worked it's way into your fuel line. An easy fix would be to use a bottle of fuel system cleaner additive around your next oil change. The much harder fix would be to have your fuel filter checked and/or replaced.

How you drive your vehicle also affects milage. If you live in a snowy area or one that is especially cold, warming up your engine before driving will naturally take away from gas milage. Also, since the transmission must also warm up properly, you will experience poorer milage when driving at higher speeds until the transmission warms. The most obvious sign of this is your vehicle not shifting into overdrive when driving at highway speeds for a period of time.

Answer 4

well.. first i would say make sure it is up to date on its maintenance..

things like

Preventive Car Maintenance Check List
Air Filter Inspect and replace when dirty.
Antifreeze Add 50/50% solution when needed.
Belts Inspect for slack between pulleys.
Engine Oil Check level every other fuel fill up -- change every 3 months or 3,000 miles.
Exhaust Have emissions checked yearly.
Hoses Inspect for softness or bulges.
Oil Filter Replace with every oil change.
Shock Absorbers Replace when worn or leaking.
Tires Inflate to recommended pressure level.
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just doing the things you should be doing all the time will keep the car running in top condition for along time.. remember this stuff is cheaper than buying a new car

Answer 5

First and foremost it takes longer for the engine to warm up and metals to expand. Thus the computer is telling the fuel injectors to dump more fuel till the proper engine temps are reached.

However, there are bolt on fuel savings like a far better air filter that promise performance and fuel savings. There is ways to have your auto tech put in a 60.000 high voltage coil. That there alone will increase perhaps up to 3mpg fuel savings and better performance. Then you have synthetic oils that also reduce friction and cold start-up issues. That translates into fuel savings as well. Running higher octane fuels also will improve overall cylinder burn rate. Bolting on a catback exhaust will improve. Keeping tires well inflated. Read your owners manual on some of these issues and talk to Auto Zone on the rest.

Answer 6

Avoid rapid jack rabbit acceleration. maintain a steady pace on the hwy. avoid congested traffic and start and stop city streets. keep your tires properly pressurized according to your vehicle specs. replace dirty air and fuel filters where applicable. do not idle for long periods. keep windows up at hwy speeds to maintain aerodynamics. use ac only when necessary. put vehicle in neutral to coast down long grades & hills when possible. leave early for your commute to avoid the urge to hurry and waste fuel w excessive speed and accel. use a quality fuel additive periodically that is designed to help clean injectors & carbs. plan your trips out to make the best use of the time you will be driving. combine tasks for fewer trips rather than darting out to one plave at a time. And finally... walk more, ride your bike, and leave it parked whenever possible.

Answer 7

If you are selling it, why do you care? Just sell it, and it is no longer your problem.

Fuel economy often suffers in winter for many reasons. Cars idle more and are less likely to get to optimum operating temperature on short winter trips. Tire pressure goes down as the temperature drops. Mileage simply goes down in winter.

Answer 8

outside of your basic tune-up, being plugs, wires, air filter, fuel filter, injector cleaner and oil change. i wouldnt spend too much on it sense your in the process of selling it. being as its an 04 model the wear on the engine shouldn't be too much. other choices are cold air intake a freer flowing exhaust system. all pretty much after market mods. not worth the hassle since its for sale.

Answer 9

New spark plugs might help. Make sure the tires are not underinflated and that they are aligned.

I read a report that all of the gizmos that are sold to improve gas mileage don't work at all.

Answer 10

check tire pressure..you can lose 2 to 3 mpg ... ever tun it up? cold weather can cost 2 or 3 mpg with warm up and idling. anybody new driving the car hotrod kid of significant other?