Tips to Fix the Increased Fuel Consumption Problem in Volkswagen

Volkswagen is particularly known for two things: excellent German craftsmanship and good gas mileage. For decades people have trusted the Volkswagen brand to get them to their destination with little trouble or cost. Let’s discuss why a Volkswagen may be experiencing fuel consumption problems and what to do if it occurs.

Five Problems that Cause Fuel Consumption

During the modern era of cars, manufacturers have engineered better and faster cars while increasing the mileage per gallon. That does not mean that your Volkswagen will be getting the same fuel consumption after a few years when it was new. Below are a few reasons your fuel consumption may have increased over time.

• Faulty Spark Plugs: The spark plugs in our Volkswagen are meant to last for only so many miles or hours of driving. Once plugs begin to go bad, you will see a spike in fuel consumption.
• Ignition Coil Failure: The ignition coils on your Volkswagen are part of your ignition system, just like the spark plugs. These can also begin to have issues over time and will result in poor engine performance, leading to more fuel use.
• Underinflated Tires: The tires of your Volkswagen are designed to run with a specific amount of air in them. Many people do not pay attention to tire pressure until they are notified by the car’s low tire pressure system. Did you know by then you may have spent a large amount of money on extra gas? Low tire pressure makes your vehicle work much harder to push your car down the road.
• Fuel Injector Issues: Fuel injectors are designed to provide just the right amount of fuel for your car to run at top efficiency. When fuel injectors begin to fail, they may send more fuel than needed to your engine, costing you money down the road.
• Dirty Air Filter: There are many people who do not realize that replacing a dirty ten-dollar air filter can save you a lot of money in fuel consumption. Your Volkswagen’s air filter is designed to stop harmful particles from entering your engine while allowing clean air If the filter becomes clogged, the air and fuel mixture that is supposed to be available to run the car efficiently will be negatively affected. High fuel usage will occur, as the car’s computer thinks it needs to add more fuel to make up for the mixture loss.

Correcting Increased Fuel Consumption

The list above is only a small glimpse of potential issues your Volkswagen may have that can increase fuel consumption. They all have something similar in common. Many people will attempt to save money by skipping regularly scheduled maintenance on their Volkswagens. What they do not realize is, without the scheduled maintenance, these problems will cost you much more in the end.

While keeping the correct air in your Volkswagen’s tires is the owner’s responsibility, all of the other items in our list can be corrected by having scheduled maintenance performed.

Each Volkswagen has owner’s manual checklists that are completed during scheduled maintenance. Certified Volkswagen technicians will not only know when components are beginning to fail but they can change them before they cause fuel consumption issues.

Below are examples of what will take place at scheduled maintenance for your Volkswagen.

• Spark plugs and ignition coils will be inspected and changed out on a regularly scheduled service based on miles or performance.
• Air filters will be changed to provide oxygen to your Volkswagens fuel system.
• Fuel injectors and the entire fuel system will be inspected and repaired if any failures within the system are predicted by the technician.

Who to Trust Your Volkswagen Too

For keeping your Volkswagen or another high-end European vehicle in top condition, contact us at A&M Auto Service. We are located in Pineville, Charlotte, and Greensboro, NC. Our ASE certified technicians have been trained on properly maintaining your Volkswagen and catching any fuel consumption issues before they arise.

With over 25 years of local service, we are the experts to trust. Call us today to make an appointment to have your vehicle serviced by A&M Auto Service, and let us prove why we’re the best in the area.