Do not leave the car near empty before refueling.
According to a car repair technician at Ninety Eight Auto (Cat Lai ward, Ho Chi Minh City), many people believe that adding less fuel will help the car be lighter and save gasoline. However, a fuel difference of a few dozen liters only increases the car's weight by a few dozen kilograms, almost not creating a significant difference in fuel consumption in normal usage conditions.
Meanwhile, regularly keeping the fuel level too low can affect the fuel pump cluster placed in the fuel tank.
On most current car models, the fuel pump is cooled and lubricated by the surrounding fuel itself. When the car continuously operates in a state where the tank is almost empty, especially when climbing slopes, cornering or braking suddenly, causing fuel to concentrate in one direction, the pump can operate in unfavorable conditions, increasing the risk of overheating and reducing lifespan.
In addition, although the fuel filter system is designed to retain dirt and impurities in the fuel tank, maintaining a reasonable fuel level still helps the fuel supply system operate more stably and limit unnecessary risks.
Do not accelerate strongly immediately after cooling down.
Another concept is that just starting the engine can accelerate or operate with a large load immediately. In fact, after a long period of inactivity, lubricant needs a short period of time to be pumped to the friction surfaces inside the engine.
For many modern car models, the electronic control system (ECU) will automatically increase unloaded speed during the cold start phase to help the engine quickly reach the appropriate working temperature, while reducing emissions.
Therefore, the driver only needs to let the engine run unloaded for about 20-30 seconds before starting to move. After that, you should operate the car gently for the first few minutes, avoiding sudden acceleration or letting the engine work with heavy loads when it has not reached normal operating temperature.
Do not shift to N gear when the car is going downhill
Some drivers believe that switching the automatic gear lever to position N when the car is inert or going downhill will help save fuel. However, this is no longer true for most modern cars using electronic fuel injection systems.
When the car is moving and the driver releases the accelerator pedal, in appropriate conditions, the ECU can drastically reduce or temporarily completely cut off the amount of fuel injected into the engine. Conversely, if the gear lever is switched to position N, the engine must maintain an idle mode and still need to consume fuel to continue operating.
Not only that, turning N when the car is going downhill also loses the effect of engine brakes, causing the main brake system to work harder, especially on long steep mountain passes. This not only increases the temperature and abrasion level of the brake pads but can also affect vehicle control in some situations.
Therefore, drivers should keep the gear lever in position D or choose a suitable gear range according to operating conditions to utilize engine brakes, ensuring safety and helping the powertrain operate correctly according to the manufacturer's design.
