Gas Mileage: How to Improve Fuel Efficiency and Save Money

When you think about gas mileage, how far your car travels on a gallon of fuel. Also known as fuel efficiency, it's not just about how much you spend at the pump—it's about how well your whole vehicle is working. Poor gas mileage isn’t always about driving habits. More often, it’s a sign something in your car is struggling—like a failing fuel pump, the part that pushes fuel from the tank to the engine, or using the wrong engine oil, the lubricant that reduces friction and keeps your engine running smoothly. Even a clogged or leaking radiator, the system that keeps your engine from overheating can force your engine to work harder, burning more fuel than it should.

Fixing gas mileage isn’t about buying fancy additives or driving slower all the time. It’s about fixing the real problems hiding under the hood. A weak fuel pump doesn’t deliver fuel properly, so your engine gets less power and uses more gas to make up the difference. Using oil that’s too thick or old increases engine drag, which kills efficiency. And if your radiator isn’t cooling the engine right, the computer thinks it’s too hot and dumps extra fuel into the mix to protect it—wasting gas and risking damage. These aren’t minor issues. They’re silent money leaks.

You don’t need to be a mechanic to spot the signs. If your car suddenly starts gulping fuel, the check engine light flickers, or you hear strange noises when accelerating, it’s not just bad luck. It’s your car telling you something’s off. The posts below cover exactly these problems—how to test a failing fuel pump, why the wrong oil cuts mileage, and when a bad radiator is secretly costing you dollars every mile. You’ll find real fixes, not myths. No fluff. Just what works.