If you live somewhere with a bad inversion like Utah Valley then you know firsthand how emissions can affect the air quality and everyone that lives there. However, there are lots of simple ways that you can maintain your vehicle to reduce emissions and help the environment while you’re at it.
While other forms of transit may be better for the environment, people often do not have the option to not drive somewhere for a variety of reasons. Nonetheless, there are ways for drivers to help the environment by taking care of routine maintenance, reducing emissions, and engaging in good driving practices. Let’s go over it.
Keep up to date with changing all the important fluids in your vehicle. This will keep your vehicle parts running smoothly and cleanly. Check your owner’s manual for recommendations on when to get specific fluids changed and keep track of when you have them changed. These include engine oil, radiator fluid, transmission fluid, as well as others. These recommendations are figured to ensure that your engine and other vehicle parts function at their best so that they don’t work as harder than needed for similar results. These fluids also help reduce emission levels.
Many states and counties have specific requirements for emissions levels that all vehicles should operate under. These periodic tests are an opportunity to make sure that your vehicle is burning emissions as cleanly as possible, and it will give you some good ideas for how to keep your vehicle’s emissions low.
Keeping up with routine maintenance will help your vehicle stay as eco-friendly as possible. Look at your owner’s manual and pay attention to your onboard control system. Lights on the dash can alert you to growing problems. Some of these things include replacing spark plugs, changing the oil on time, and replacing air and fuel filters.
A component of your vehicle that affects the amount of emissions output is your vehicle’s catalytic converter. The catalytic converter functions to reduce the effects of the chemical reaction that happens when your vehicle burns fuel. A good catalytic converter can massively reduce harmful emissions. So, get your catalytic regularly checked and reduce the harmful fumes emitting from your vehicle.
Besides routine fluid maintenance and being mindful of emissions, another way to make efficient improvements is to commit to tire maintenance and fuel efficiency. Making sure tires are filled up to the proper PSI is a great way to improve fuel efficiency and keep your tires working great.
As a rule, you should be checking tire pressure monthly. Another way to keep your tires working at their best is to check periodically that they are aligned correctly. This will also help the fuel efficiency of your car. Be extra mindful of your tires when the seasons and weather change as varying temperatures will impact the air pressure of your tires. When cold winter temperatures hit Utah, it’s a good time to have your tires check at your local Farmington or Park City tire shop.
If it works for your vehicle type, then it may be worth the investment to get more eco-friendly tires. Most importantly, this type of tire features low-rolling resistance. This makes it so that they require less energy while driving, which requires a lower amount of friction and fuel needed to run.
The more weight your vehicle carries around while driving, the more fuel it will burn. You can improve fuel efficiency by removing excessive baggage from your vehicle. In addition, if you regularly carry a rack on top or the back of your vehicle, consider removing it when you are not using it, especially on longer trips.
Air conditioning makes driving in hot weather more comfortable. However, running the A/C also contributes to high fuel consumption. Especially when taking a short trip, consider whether you should run the A/C or whether cracking a window will do the job of cooling down the car’s interior. If you opt for using the A/C then consider using a more moderate temperature setting as opposed to freezing cold air.
Sometimes it is necessary to leave the car idling while waiting in line or parking when you might move at any moment. However, waiting for a few minutes can add up to a substantial amount of time if you leave your vehicle idling often. If you think you will be waiting a few minutes, consider turning the car off and restarting it when needed. This will ultimately help decrease fuel consumption.
Not only can we do our part to help reduce emissions and help the air quality of our communities, but we can do so while being more fuel efficient and engaging in good vehicle maintenance practices.
Visits to your auto repair shop or tire shop can help keep your car’s value up and running longer. Taking care of your car regularly is the best way to protect the environment and ensure it runs at its best. Make sure the auto repair shop you choose has a good reputation for its work and its commitment to environmentally friendly practices.
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Engine failure, especially out of the blue, can be scary. It can put a wrench in your plans if driving somewhere important and depending on the problem, can be expensive to fix. Thankfully, there are lots of warning signs that can signal you when your engine is about to fail.
If you begin to notice some electrical problems in your vehicle, such as the dome light failing to turn on when you open the doors or the radio shutting off, you may need to check the fuses.
The outer tie rod ends are one of the more important parts of your vehicle’s steering system. While you may not choose to replace the outer tie rod ends yourself, it is good to be able to recognize what they are and see if they need replacing.
Have you noticed an increase in flat tires during the frigid winter months? There’s a reason for it. Keep reading for some simple explanations as to why tires seem to go flat when temperatures drop.
When your vehicle is functioning properly, it’s easy to forget how dangerous driving can be. However, it only takes a moment for an important component to malfunction. Suddenly your car has your full attention. One of the worst situations to find yourself in as a driver is to press the brake pedal only to realize that it is not working.
