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PAGE 12
PRESS & DAKOTAN
Common Misconceptions About Fuel Efficiency
with tanks that are closer to
empty than full aren t losing
gas to evaporation.
Fuel efficiency is an
important issue for car
buyers, and understandably
so. Conserving fuel is good
for drivers budgets and the
planet, so the concept of
fuel efficiency would seem to
benefit everyone.
efficiency is a good concept
does not mean there are
not misconceptions about it
among drivers and automotive professionals alike. The
following are some of the
more widely held misconcep-
tions about fuel efficiency.
* Full tanks conserve
long believed that a nearly
full tank of gas means the
fuel within that tank is less
likely to evaporate, and that
tanks that half-full tanks are
losing gas to evaporation.
Though this might have been
the case years ago, today s
vehicle s are smarter than
ever before, and their fuel
systems are designed with
vapor recovery systems so
drivers traveling around
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are more fuel efficient.
Technology can once again
be credited with turning
conventional wisdom on its
head. In the past, manual
transmission vehicles might
have been more fuel efficient
because drivers could more
efficiently control engine
revving with a 5-speed
manual transmission than
they could with the standard
3-speed automatic transmission. However, automatic
transmissions have evolved
over the years, and they are
now more adept at controlling revs and conserving fuel
than many drivers of manual
transmission vehicles.
* When you fill up matters. Some drivers have
long believed that filling up
during the cooler hours of
the day earns them more gas
than filling up when the temperatures are at their peak.
This theory traces its origins
to the fact that liquids are at
their most dense when they
are cool. But today s filling
stations store their gas in
tanks beneath the ground,
which is why you might see a
tanker emptying its contents
into the ground at the filling
station. These underground
tanks are insulated from
temperature swings, so you
aren t likely to receive any
more gas by filling up in the
morning than you will when
filling up at night.
* An old vehicle is
destined to be less fuel efficient. Any product that is
allowed to fall into disrepair
will prove less efficient than
products that are well maintained, and cars are no exception. A poorly maintained
car will not operate at peak
fuel efficiency because it s
likely being forced to work
harder to get down the street
than it would if it was well
kept. But a well-maintained
vehicle should not grow less
fuel efficient over time.
* Shifting into neutral
while stopping saves gas.
This is another misconception that was once true but
no longer applies thanks
to advances in technology. When engines still had
carburetors, shifting into
neutral might have helped
conserve fuel by stopping
the flow of gas into the engine while the car was idling.
systems are now computerized and capable of sensing
when an engine is revving
above idle. This shuts off
the engine and preventing
gas from being wasted while
the vehicle is stopped as a
result.
Taking steps to conserve
fuel is a good way for drivers
to save money and benefit
the environment. However,
some of the conventional
means to conserving fuel are
no longer viable.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2016
How to Handle
Car Trouble While Driving
Sudden car trouble is something no driver wants to experience, but many a driver has been driving down the highway
only to feel his or her vehicle start to sputter. Such sputtering might indicate a car is running low on fuel, or it could be
a sign of something more serious that requires motorists to
think as quickly and safely as possible.
When car trouble strikes while a vehicle is on the road, the
first thing many drivers do is check their fuel gauges. A car
that runs out of gas is certainly inconvenient, but if you can
pull over to the shoulder or make it to the nearest filling station, then this unfortunate situation can be remedied rather
easily. But when a car s tank is full and it is still showing signs
of trouble, drivers must take steps to protect themselves,
their passengers and their vehicles. The following are a few
simple tips motorists should keep in mind so they can safely
handle any car trouble that may arise while they are out on
the road.
all times. Flat tires are no fun, but they are even more of a
nuisance when drivers are not prepared to address them.
is a donut you can temporarily use to replace a flat tire until
you make it to a filling station or automotive supply store.
As an added safety measure, keep a fully stocked first aid kit
in your vehicle in case you cut yourself while changing the
tire or need to address another medical situation. Visit www.
redcross.org for a list of items to include in your automotive
passengers can stay warm should you experience car trouble
on a cold day or night.
only be fixed by the professionals, so pay careful attention to
your surroundings in case an issue arises and forces you to
pull over and call for help. Always pay attention to mile markers and any landmarks that might help you describe where
you are. Car troubles can strike at any time and anywhere, so
be sure to pay special attention to your surroundings when
driving in unfamiliar areas.
calm and pull over onto the shoulder. The right shoulder is
the area for pulling over on most roads, but you may also use
the left shoulder on multilane highways with medians. Try to
get as far away from traffic as possible without driving off of
level ground, and always use your signals when pulling onto
the shoulder. If the vehicle can t make it to the median, put
your emergency flashers on
and get out of the car, moving
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to alert other drivers. So
long as you are not risking
your well-being, you can
place flares and/or warning
triangles behind your vehicle
so oncoming traffic knows to
drive around it. The popular
not-for-profit motor club AAA
recommends placing the
first flare or triangle 10 feet
directly behind the side of
the vehicle that is closest to
the road. The second should
be placed between 30 and 60
feet (increase the distances
as the posted speed limit
increases) behind the middle
of the bumper, while the third
flare or triangle should be
placed between 120 and 360
feet behind the vehicle s right
side.
Once you have called for help
and set up flares or triangles,
stay with the vehicle, though
do so at a safe enough
distance so you are not in
harm s way.
Sudden car troubles can
be scary, but drivers who
approach such issues calmly
and quickly can reduce their
