Car Low Mileage Reasons. 5 Ways to Increase Car Mileage by 30%

Bought a New Car or have 7 year Old Car its the Mileage which bothers every Car Owner Know reasons for Low Mileage with Drive along with Tips for Best Fuel Efficiency in your Car

Car Mileage - Impact

'Deti Kitna Hai'- is not only an obsession for Maruti Suzuki Car Owner, but rather for any and every vehicle car owner in India. Rising Fuel Prices in both Petrol and Diesel fuel makes it understandable for fuel efficient cars in India.  

For any one looking for Highest Mileage, Remember that there is no fixed number which can expect from any car as Fuel Efficiency is defined by

• Average Speed, Gear in which Car Driven
• In City Condition with Start-Stop or Zip in Highway Condition
• Wind, Weather Condition, Driven on Planes or on Hill DriveTyre Pressure, Balancing - Alignment is correct or not
• Car Loading - Fully Loaded or Driven Solo
• Driving Style - Some rest left foot on Clutch, Sudden Acceleration for high RPMs and then too many brakes - it all impact Mileage

so, while a customer may get recorded Efficiency of 11 Kmpl in City Traffic Conditions, the same customer when drive it at controlled speed of 80 Kmph on Highest Gear on Highway to easy cruise on can also get 22 Kmpl Mileage.

Yes - the difference can be as high as 100% depending on conditions of drive.

How to Check Mileage of Car - Correct Way

Though some of the modern age cars, now do comes with Average Mileage Calculator in Odometer (not 100% accurate - expect 5% to 10% Deviation) . Still - if your car does not have it - you can check mileage aka as tank to tank mileage Calculation

Calculate Mileage

• Fill up the Tank Full till Auto Cut Off (Do not Overfill after AutoCut)
• Note the Odometer Reading or Reset one of the Trip Meters to Zero
• Drive it for Exactly 150 Kms in conditions you drive the car and Note the New Total Kms Driven (after filling the fuel, 150 Kms is a fairly descent distance to get on the correct average mileage in regular conditions)
• Refill Fuel in Car car again till Auto Cut Off (Do not Overfill after AutoCut) at the same Petrol Pump
• Divide Number of Kms Driven by the Fuel Litre Poured - to get Mileage

Important: Get Fuel Refilled from the Same Petrol Pump and at same time

For More details - Important Tips before Refilling Fuel in Car

Low Mileage Reason in Brand New Car

Bought a new car, wondering why is the mileage so low in a Brand New Car as against claimed Mileage by Company in between 20 Kmpl to 25 Kmpl.

Reason: Well - a new car takes time to accustom - the Engine, Piston, Fuel Lines - all takes time to lubricate and initial mileage will be low

It generally takes upto 800 to 1000 Kms for your car started to offer a better mileage. While at around 4000 - 5000 Kms distance when covered - mileage will be at its best and will stabilize - which even gets better on Oil Change at 7500 - 10,000 Kms.

There is a statement - which you might heard of in Old Times from your Mechanic - 'कार रवा होने मे समय लगता है' . It still holds True

Low Mileage Cause in Used Car

The reasons could be many :

» Related to Servicing : Clogged Air Filter, Dirty Fuel Filter, Engine Oil Contaminated as Oil Change timeline crossed, Heavy Carbon deposits in Engine

Solutions:-  Check and replace Engine Oil, Oil Filter. Clean or Replace Air Filter and get Throttle Body Cleaning, Replace Fuel Filter. If the car has run more than 60,000 - 70,000 Kms - it may well be possible that heavy carbon deposits are accumulated in Engine - for which Engine decarbonizing is required

Replacing Misfiring Spark Plug, Ignition Coil or Cleaning the Clogged Fuel Injectors can also help in to enhance the mileage.

» Related to Handling : Low Air Pressure, Burn Out Tyres, Misaligned Wheels

Solutions : Accurate Tyre Pressure is important for obtaining best fuel efficiency. If Tyres are burned out, its time to replace it or else it was cause even pressure on suspension. Imbalanced Tyres need Tyre Balancing with Wheel Alignment to get correct mileage

» Related to Driving : Continuously putting left foot on Clutch, Not Turning off Ignition at Red Light, Sudden Acceleration, AC on at time of Ignition etc

Solutions : Time to improve driving habits. Keeping the car on at red lights (where signal stoppage time is more than 60 secs) or worse putting left foot too much on clutch while driving even - not only reduce mileage, but also increases probability of Worn out Clutch Plate

Tips for Good Mileage

Only 2 things makes up a good mileage - 'Driving Habits' and 'Car Care Habits'

Driving

Speed Limit:  If you are concerned for optimal mileage - then the basic and first step is to check your driving habits.

If Driving 

» On Highway - Maintain Speed of 80 Kmph on 5th or 6th Gear, you will get in Unmatched Mileage. Avoid Sudden Acceleration

» City Condition - Drive in Relaxed Comfortable way rather than pushing Acceleration for higher rpm and then applying Brakes too often. Controlled and Moderate Speed driving helps in fewer brakes which helps in maintaining fuel efficiency

Remember - A high torque to a lower engine speed will eat up considerable amount of fuel. Also, it will help in avoid too many gear shifts. Rather aim to move the car steadily

Below are Recommended Speeds for changing gears basis Car Body Type

Hatchback - 1st to 2nd - 10kmpl, 2nd to 3rd - 20 - 25 Kmpl, 3rd to 4th - 40 Kmpl, 4th to 5th - 50 Kmpl. Limit Speed at 60 Kmpl for best efficiency

Sedan - 1st to 2nd - 10-12 Kmpl. 2nd to 3rd - 25 - 27 Kmpl. 3rd to 4th - 40-45 Kmpl, 4th to 5th - 55 Kmpl. Limit Speed at 60-70 Kmpl for best efficiency

SUV - 1st to 2nd - 15 Kmpl. 2nd to 3rd - 30 Kmpl, 3rd to 4th - 50 Kmpl, 4th to 5th - 60 Kmpl. Limit Speed at 60-70 Kmpl for best efficiency

Engine Off:  Turn the ignition off if red light is beyond 60 seconds. It unnecessarily leads to fuel wastage. This habit of not turning the ignition off can prove fatal as if counted can go keep the car ignition on for 50 or even 100 times in a month on red lights, will definitely give you 5% - 7% lower fuel economy against the standards 

Avoid over-use of Clutch Many people have this habit of driving with left foot remains continuously on clutch plate. Avoid and learn driving rather, as it brings down your fuel efficiency by 10% a month

Switching on AC - Switching on AC at time of car ignition - will put pressure on Engine and thus will need more combustion of Fuel to bring in energy back. The Piston moves at faster speed

Car Care

Tyre Pressure:  A car with low air pressure will tend to skid along and takes extra effort from engine to move on and hence drop on the mileage of the car significantly even to tune of 10% to even worse down to 15%. Get the air checked in tyres on weekly basis if you expect a good mileage

Following Periodic Service Schedules: Following the recommended Service schedule as per guideline of Manufacturer - will help in keeping your car in Top condition. The Service Manual is like the Bible of the car. Do spend some time to read it, it will only help in to gain and if implemented the best practices - will help in deliver best in fuel efficiency. Periodic Servicing including changing and replacement of Engine Oil, Oil Filter, Spark Plugs, Fuel Filter etc 

Get air filters cleaned regularly, get engine oil changed once a year. You will by sure get a difference in pick up and fuel economy with better life of engine

Fuel Filling: Having an extra-premium Fuel is not an answer to good fuel efficiency. It's no good.  Do you know that Petrol has tendency to evaporate. Dont wait for the fuel tank to be empty to top up the fuel as air might enter in it and can get fuel evaporated. Also - its best if you fuel up your car in early mornings in summers instead of late hours. Logic is of some density and volume funda 

Other Possible Causes of Low Mileage

» Your Fuel Station - Its well possible about Meter Running Fast or Mixed Fuel been sold by Petrol Pump

» Other Technical Fault - Like Mileage gets low when AC is turned on, due to AC Condenser Cloaked, Pollen AC Filter full of Dust

» Problem in ECU : ECU Control Ignition timing, Air Fuel Mixture through Oxygen Sensor, Variable Valve Timings. Any Problem in ECU and mileage can also be impacted. Get the car inspected through Workshop Computer Scanning to identify the cause of the issue.

» If you have Serviced your Car and uses Engine Oil with Higher Viscocity (other than recommended Engine Oil Viscocity by Manufacturer) - it may lead to poor Mileage. Solution:- Basis Environmental Condition - use Engine Oil with Lower Viscocity, as it will reduce friction been a thinner oil and thus improve mileage.

» EGR Valve Leakage or Leakage from Fuel Line could also be a cause. Get the Car Inspected for any kind of Leakage

or any other Technical Fault in Engine. Get it checked out

So whether its Low Mileage Issue in Fuel Efficient Maruti Wagon R, Swift, Dzire Hyundai Santro, Elite I20, Creta, Ford Freestyle, Ecosport or Honda Amaze, Maruti Dzire, Honda City, Hyundai Xcent, Hyundai Verna, Toyota Yaris, Volkswagen Vento - cause remains same and tips too for best mileage