Why Does My Ford Consume More Fuel Than Usual?

A Ford consuming excess fuel might be due to various issues such as poor tire maintenance, which affects gas mileage by up to 3%, or faulty oxygen sensors that can decrease efficiency by 40%. Engine performance problems, like misfiring cylinders and old spark plugs, increase fuel usage. Incorrect tire pressure, if not maintained, can reduce economy by 0.2% per psi drop. Additionally, inefficient driving habits, like fast accelerations and idle time, contribute significantly to increased consumption. Blocked air filters can escalate fuel consumption by roughly 10%. Addressing these factors can improve fuel efficiency and vehicle operation, ensuring optimal performance.

Poor Tire Maintenance

Keeping your tires in good shape can help you save on gas in your Ford. Make sure your tires have the right amount of air. If they don't, it makes the car work harder to move, using more fuel. The U.S. Department of Energy says this can save you up to 3% on gas if done right.

Besides air pressure, watch how your tires are lined up and how the tread looks. If the tires aren't aligned, they wear out unevenly, which can hurt your gas mileage and shorten tire life. Worn tread can reduce grip, so the engine needs more power to keep speed.

Check and rotate your tires often to stop this from happening.

The type of tires you choose also matters. Low rolling resistance tires are designed to use less energy, which can improve fuel efficiency. They have special rubber and tread patterns to help your car use less gas.

Faulty Oxygen Sensors

Tires in good shape can help save fuel, but the oxygen sensor in your Ford also affects fuel use. This sensor checks how much unburned oxygen is in the exhaust and sends this information to the car's engine control unit (ECU). The ECU uses this data to adjust the air-fuel mix for the best combustion.

If the oxygen sensor is not working right, it might send wrong information, leading to an unbalanced air-fuel mix. This can make the engine use more fuel than it should. A bad oxygen sensor can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 40%. This impacts both the environment and your wallet.

You usually need to replace it every 60,000 to 90,000 miles, depending on how and where you drive. For example, a 2018 Ford F-150 might use more fuel if a faulty sensor is not fixed. Changing an oxygen sensor can cost between $200 and $400, including labor.

But a new sensor can save you money on fuel over time. Regular checks can spot sensor problems early, helping you avoid wasting fuel.

Engine Performance Issues

If your Ford's engine isn't working well, it could use more fuel than it should. This can cost you more money on gas. Problems like misfiring cylinders, blocked fuel injectors, or old spark plugs make the engine use more fuel.

For example, if a cylinder misfires, the fuel doesn't burn completely, wasting energy. A Ford F-150 might use 30% more fuel because of this.

The engine control module (ECM) helps manage how much fuel your engine uses. If it gives wrong readings, the engine might use too much fuel.

Regular maintenance is key. Changing the oil and replacing air filters on time helps keep the engine running smoothly. A 2018 Ford Explorer owner found that a dirty air filter and old spark plugs made their car use 5 more gallons of gas than expected.

Checking your car regularly can help find these problems early. Fixing them can help your car use less fuel and last longer.

Incorrect Tire Pressure

Have you ever thought about how tire pressure affects your car's fuel use? It's a big deal that many people overlook. Tires that aren't inflated enough make it harder for the engine to move the car, so it uses more gas. The U.S. Department of Energy says that keeping tires at the right pressure can save up to 3% on gas.

For Ford cars, like all cars, check the owner's manual or the sticker on the driver's door to find the right tire pressure. If the pressure drops by 1 psi in all four tires, fuel economy can drop by 0.2%. Checking tire pressure regularly helps your car run better.

Tires with too much air can also waste fuel. They don't grip the road well, wear out unevenly, and could be unsafe.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that tires with 25% less air than needed are three times more likely to be involved in accidents. Keeping tire pressure right helps with both saving fuel and staying safe.

Worn-Out Spark Plugs

Check your Ford's spark plugs regularly because they affect how much fuel your car uses.

Spark plugs help start the engine by igniting the fuel. If they're old or not working, your car might use more gas.

Here's what to watch out for:

Performance Issues: Bad spark plugs can make your engine misfire. This means the car won't run smoothly and needs more gas to keep going.
More Pollution: When spark plugs don't work right, fuel might not burn completely. This can lead to more pollution and higher gas use.
Hard to Start: If your car has trouble starting, especially when it's cold, the spark plugs might be worn out. This can make the car use extra gas just to start.
Save Money: Changing spark plugs regularly can save you money on fuel. Even though replacing them costs a bit upfront, you spend less on gas later.

Inefficient Driving Habits

Driving habits can impact your Ford's fuel use. Fast accelerations and sudden stops use more gas. They break the car's flow, making the engine work harder.

Studies show these habits can cut gas mileage by 30% on highways and 40% in city traffic. Keeping a steady speed helps save fuel. Speeding up and slowing down too often makes the engine use more gas.

Cruise control on highways can help keep your speed steady and improve fuel use. Extra weight in the car affects fuel use too. Heavy loads or unevenly packed stuff can slow the car down.

Every extra 100 pounds can drop fuel efficiency by 1%. Using air conditioning a lot, especially when driving slow, can also raise fuel use. The U.S. Department of Energy says air conditioning can cut fuel economy by over 25% in hot weather.

These driving habits can lead to using more fuel if not changed.

Excessive Idling

Letting your Ford's engine run while parked uses more fuel. The engine burns gas even when the car isn't moving. This is common in cities with lots of traffic and stoplights.

Here are some reasons why idling wastes fuel:

Fuel Usage: Sitting idle can use up to half a gallon of fuel each hour. Bigger engines use more fuel when they're idling.
Engine Damage: Keeping the engine running without moving wears it out faster. This could mean more repairs and a shorter engine life.
Pollution: Idling releases harmful gases which dirty the air and harm the environment.
Modern Features: Many new Ford cars stop the engine when the car isn't moving and start it again when needed. This helps save fuel.

Cutting down on idling saves gas and helps the environment.

Air Filter Blockages

Blocked air filters can make your Ford use more fuel. These filters keep dirt and dust out of your engine. But after a while, they can get clogged. When this happens, less air gets to the engine, and it burns more fuel because of less oxygen.

If your air filter is blocked, your engine might not work as well. It struggles to get enough air. Studies show that a clogged filter can make older cars use up to 10% more fuel. For example, a 2015 Ford Focus might go from 30 miles per gallon to 27 if the filter is really clogged.

Changing the air filter is easy and not expensive. You can also get high-performance filters like those from K&N. They help air flow better and might save fuel, but they need regular cleaning.

Check your air filter often and replace it when needed to keep your engine running well.