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Cold Temperatures Lower Your Fuel Economy

Author: ScottSiegel
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Conditions in winter put a significant strain on your car and on your driving. Winter can also put a strain on your fuel mileage. To prevent a decrease in your gas mileage you need to address some specific issues with regard to winter driving and your car.

The main characteristic of winter, cold temperatures, can increase your gas usage significantly. A car that is cold uses more gas at start up than a warm car. The lower the temperature the more gas a car has to use when it starts.

At cold temperatures, your car's engine is harder to start. The low temperature causes the oil in your car to thicken. This thicker oil requires more energy to get it moving. More energy is needed to move the engine parts that are lubricated by this thicker oil. Any time your car requires more energy means that it will require more fuel. Even after starting, your car will use more fuel until it fully warms up.

Cold temperatures also effect other parts of your car. The bearings, joints, transmission, power assisted brakes, and steering mechanisms will all require more energy to move them when they are cold. These mechanisms all depend on some fluids to operate. Like the engine oil these fluids will be thicker in cold weather and will require more energy to move them. Again that translates into more gas.

Other parts of your car will be stiff and may be frozen. Moisture in the air can condense and freeze on many car parts. Water from precipitation or from the road may have frozen on to part of the car. It will take more energy to move these parts. Wheel bearings, suspension systems and wheels themselves are some of the parts effected. The same applies, more energy needed to move these parts translates into more fuel burned and lower gas mileage.

Since your engine needs to overcome some temperature issues to lubricate itself in the cold you do need to give it a little longer to idle after starting than you would in the summer. But, I have to stress this, it only needs about 30 seconds of idling, no more. That little extra idling does affect your gas mileage.

There are a number of actions you can take to lessen or eliminate the affects of cold on fuel economy. If at all possible, park your car in a heated garage. If a heated garage is not an option even a non heated garage is better than leaving your car outside. It may be time to clean out your garage to make room for your car.

Always make sure you have the proper oil for operating your car in the cold. The right oil will be thinner and will flow easier in cold temperatures. The proper oil will require less energy to start and flow and therefore will require less fuel.

In very cold climates the engine and oil can be kept warm using an engine block heater. The warm oil eliminates the problems of cold temperatures causing oil thickening. All you need to operate an engine block heater is an electrical outlet.

Don't wast fuel warming your car when you start it. You only need about 30 seconds of idling to make sure the oil is flowing sufficiently in the engine. Excessive idling beyond 30 seconds will rob you of gas mileage faster than anything else. Let the car continue to warm up as you are driving.

Even though winter temperatures can reduce gas mileage, you can minimize or eliminate that reduction. Following a few simple rules can help you maintain good gas mileage even with the worst winter can throw at you.

About the Author

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page book of automotive industry insider secrets on saving gas and dollars at the pump (beatthegaspump.com). Visit us to learn how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to improve gas mileage.