Gas-saving maintenance tips

• Keep tires properly inflated and improve gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent.
• Replace dirty or clogged air filters and improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
• Improve gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. Driving behavior also impacts fuel efficiency.
• Avoid excessive idling. Idling gets zero miles per gallon.
• Warming up the vehicle for one or two minutes is sufficient.
• Avoid quick starts and stops. Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in the city.
• Consolidate trips. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much gas as one longer mulch-purpose trip.
• Don’t haul unneeded items in the trunk. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces fuel economy up to 2 percent.

“Be Car Care Aware” consumer education promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair . For a free copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit http://sanjoseautorepair.com/"