MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 24, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Summer's over and winter is right around the corner, making this the perfect time to perform several special tune-ups to get your vehicle ready for fall and winter driving. AutoZone offers these money-saving tips to help keep your car performing at its peak throughout the upcoming seasons.
Flush and fill your car's cooling system. Cooling system failure is the number one cause of engine-related breakdowns. Yet, if it's not leaking or overheating, many motorists often forget about their vehicle's engine cooling system. Here are three important things to consider:
-- Coolant, also called antifreeze, plays several critical roles in
keeping your engine operating at peak performance all year long:
it reduces engine heat by circulating through your engine and
radiator, it prevents your engine from freezing in cold climates,
and it provides lubrication and corrosion protection throughout
the cooling system.
-- Over time, your coolant becomes contaminated with rust and scales.
Replacing your coolant at recommended intervals will optimize
cooling system performance and help prolong the life of its
components.
-- Replacing your vehicle's coolant can also save you money. Flushing
and filling your car's cooling system is much less expensive than
replacing a water pump, radiator or heater core -- especially if
they fail while you're on the road!
Replace your faulty oxygen sensor. A dirty or inaccurate oxygen sensor can waste fuel, cause your engine to surge and hesitate, and is the number one cause of emissions test failures. A new oxygen sensor could help avoid performance problems and improve gas mileage as much as 40% -- at today's gas prices, that's more than $130 a year!
Replace old spark plugs. Fouled, damaged or worn-out spark plugs can cause drivability problems and rob fuel efficiency. Inspect, re-gap or replace your spark plugs every 30,000 miles to maximize power, performance and fuel economy.
Replace spark plug wires. Extreme under-hood temperatures, voltage spikes or corrosion can damage plug wires. It is always best to replace your plug wires when you replace your spark plugs to avoid performance problems.
More Money Saving Gas Mileage Tips By The Numbers. In addition to replacing your vehicle's coolant, spark plugs, spark plug wires and oxygen sensor, here are five helpful fuel-efficient Fall tune-up tips that can really add up to big savings at the gas pump.
1. Replace your air filter. Simply replacing a clogged air filter can
improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, or about
20 cents per gallon.
2. Make sure your vehicle is aligned correctly. Periodic wheel
alignments can help improve fuel economy up to 10 percent, or
about 20 cents per gallon.
3. Check your tire pressure and keep tires inflated to the maximum
recommended pressure to improve gas mileage by as much as 3.3
percent, or about 7 cents per gallon.
4. Change your oil and oil filter every three months or 3,000 miles,
and be sure to use the proper oil viscosity: your gas mileage can
be improved by as much as 2 percent, or about 4 cents per gallon,
simply by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil.
5. Clean out your trunk, rear passenger area or truck bed. Removing
100 pounds of unnecessary weight can increase your fuel mileage by
2 percent, or about 4 cents per gallon.
About AutoZone:
As of August 26, 2006, AutoZone sells auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories through 3,771 AutoZone stores in 48 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in the U.S. and 100 stores in Mexico and also sells the ALLDATA brand automotive diagnostic and repair software. On the web, AutoZone sells diagnostic and repair information and auto and light truck parts through www.autozone.com.