Sudden spike in fuel consumption. Where to look for the reason?

Does your car smoke more? Find the reason! A sudden increase in fuel consumption means not only higher vehicle operating costs, but may also indicate a more serious malfunction. If you don't remove it, other components will fail. What affects enhanced combustion? What does the need for more frequent refueling mean? Check!

What will you learn from this post?

• Can driving style and additional stress on the vehicle lead to an increase in fuel consumption?
• What are the disadvantages of increased fuel consumption?

TL, д-

Increased fuel consumption can be the result of improper driving style (hard braking and acceleration, no engine braking, engine running at high rpm), carrying extra load in the vehicle, or improper tire pressure. This is also often a symptom of more serious malfunctions, for example. injectors, injection pumps, lambda sensors or problems with the braking system.

What affects enhanced combustion? Non-mechanical reasons

Stronger combustion is not always associated with mechanical damage. First, analyze the last few months of driving and think about what has changed. Are you more stuck in traffic jams due to repairs? Or maybe you refuel at another gas station or pick up friends on the way to work?

Driving style

Driving style significantly affects fuel consumption. Rapid acceleration and deceleration, hard climb at high speed, infrequent engine braking - all this can lead to increased combustion... So if you've been driving around town recently or trying to catch up with time by accelerating significantly between headlights, your car will need a significant amount of fuel.

Air conditioner and electronics

The switched on air conditioner loads the engine, especially in summer, when the air temperature is much higher than 30 degrees Celsius, and we enjoy a pleasant coolness in the car through the vents. How to fix it? When you get into a hot car, leave the door open for a moment or open the windows before heading out. Hot air will blow from the inside and the temperature in the passenger compartment will be brought to the same level as outside. The air conditioner will not be loaded as much. Occasionally also check the condition of the cabin filter – when clogged, the air conditioner stops working efficiently, which leads to more intensive engine operation.

Low tire pressure

How does tire pressure affect combustion rate? If the tire is not inflated enough, it bends on contact with the road and its rolling resistance increases. So it takes more energy to turn it. This, in turn, leads to higher fuel consumption. Minimum (about 1,5%) - but still higher.

Combustion can also increase when you are carrying a heavy load in a caror when you are carrying bicycles (or other objects that protrude from the body) on a roof rack. At high speeds, such as when driving on a motorway, air resistance increases, resulting in increased fuel consumption.

Mechanical faults

If your driving style has not changed recently, you are not carrying any additional load and the tire pressure is correct, the reasons lie in mechanical failures... The most common problems affecting fuel consumption are related to the fuel, exhaust and braking systems.

Malfunction of injectors

The injectors are responsible for metering fuel into the combustion chamber. Faster diesel consumption may indicate a failure. Other signals: uneven engine idling, clearly more exhaust gases, increased engine oil level. Replacing nozzles can be costly, although some units can be regenerated at a specialized plant.

Higher fuel consumption is also sometimes associated with leaks in the injection pumpfuel leakage into the engine. The diagnosis of this defect is simple - it is evidenced by the characteristic smell of gasoline coming from the engine compartment or transparent spots visible on the pump. A fuel leak can also cause damaged filter.

Damaged lambda probe

The lambda probe is a small sensor that is installed in the exhaust system. Responsible for measuring the composition of the fuel-air mixture. The more oxygen in the exhaust gases, the lower the voltage at the sensor. Based on the voltage information, the engine computer determines the correct ratio of oxygen and air. If the mixture is too rich (too much fuel), the engine will slow down and fuel consumption will increase. Sometimes even 50%! The lambda probe should be replaced after about 100 thousand kilometers. km.

Brake system problems

The need for more frequent refueling can also cause damaged brake calipers... If they do not work effectively, the brake pads will not fully retract after braking, which increases the resistance with which the wheels turn.

If you notice a noticeable increase in fuel consumption, do not underestimate this matter. Perhaps the reason is prosaic - repairs in the middle of the city, the formation of traffic jams in which you constantly stand, or too low tire pressure. However, the cause may be a more serious malfunction of one of the systems. The sooner you remove it, the more you save by avoiding further disruptions.

Mechanical diagnostics not very successful? Take a look at avtotachki.com - there you will find the parts you need!

Also check:

How to recognize a faulty petrol injector?

What does the color of the exhaust gas mean?

How to properly care for a turbocharger?

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