Caring for a car can save fuel costs, environment

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The high-performance cars that millions of NASCAR fans will see racing around the tracks in Fort Worth, Texas, Phoenix, Ariz., and Talladega, Ala., during NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series races in April wouldn't make it out of the pit box without the kind of ongoing preventive maintenance that car owners can do on their own vehicles. NASCAR recognizes April as National Car Care Month with important maintenance tips to increase vehicle performance, significantly reduce fuel consumption and costs, and help the environment.

Auto Service

• Performance Service Locator
• NASCAR Performance Network

"NASCAR fans don't need an eight-man crew for their vehicles to perform at optimum levels," said Odis Lloyd, managing director of NASCAR's automotive licensing division, which consists of 38 automotive partners under the NASCAR Performance trademark. "Car owners today face a number of hurdles to get their vehicles to run at their most efficient levels. A few basic tips and a pit stop at your local repair shop can help anyone on their way to peak performance, while saving fuel costs and benefiting the environment. Motorists can see anywhere from a 4 to 10 percent increase in gas mileage by performing these maintenance steps, which can mean saving upwards to 30 cents per gallon with today's average gas prices."

The National Car Care Month campaign is intended as a call to action to consumers to encourage more regular vehicle maintenance as the best way to get better fuel economy, lessen the impact of high gas prices, and help the environment. The consumer education effort is part of the automotive industry's "Be Car Care Aware" campaign.

"Many of these maintenance steps can be done at your own garage," Lloyd said. "But car owners can also turn to their local repair shop for a spring clean by locating NASCAR Performance Network members on NASCAR.COM for all their service needs."

The following are the Top 10 Car Care Tips from NASCAR Performance:

1. Have your tires checked and rotated
NASCAR teams may go through eight to 12 sets of tires on any given weekend. For the average motorist, replacing tires comes about every three years. Tire pressure changes with changing temperatures, so it's important to check tire pressure after weather changes. An under-inflated tire not only reduces the life of a tire, but can cause vehicle gas mileage to plummet by as much as 15 percent. Finally, motorists should rotate tires roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles to extend tread life. Car owners should check their owner's manual for exact intervals. A good rule is to rotate tires after every oil change.

2. Inspect hoses and belts
A broken belt is always bad news because when it snaps, all drive power to that component is lost. Likewise, hoses play a critical part in making a car run smoothly. Car owners should visually inspect belts and hoses for any visible damage, abnormal wear or small hairline cracks and replace if needed.

3. Check the battery and spark plugs
A NASCAR driver can switch to a backup battery during a race, but in a consumer vehicle, motorists don't have that option. High heat is brutal on a car's battery. During summer, a battery's best defense against hot temperatures is making sure it stays fully charged. To prevent battery failure, make sure battery posts and connections are secure and free of corrosion. Clean battery terminals with a wire brush and baking soda if they're encrusted with deposits. Have a professional technician perform checks on your battery and spark plugs. Spark plugs fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles. That's a lot of heat and wear and tear in the form of electrical and chemical erosion. Dirty spark plugs cause misfiring, which wastes fuel by as much as 30 percent.

4. Change the air filter
The air filter prevents dust and other impurities from getting into the combustion chambers of the cylinders, resulting in wasted gas and weaker engine performance. According to the Car Care Council, replacing a clogged filter can improve mileage by as much as 10 percent, which translates to approximately 15 cents per gallon. Change the air filter every six months, and more often in dusty locations. (Continued)