Top 3 Reasons Your Car Needs a Tune-Up

January 4th, 2024 by

A regular vehicle tune-up is just as important as getting your oil changed or tires rotated, however not everyone makes a point to get a tune-up often enough. The benefits that your car will see from getting a regularly scheduled tune-up are expansive. We’re here to break it down and let you know about the top benefits that are most easily noticeable in the short and long run for your car.
A regular tune-up should not be ignored and these are the most important reasons why.

Improved Gas Mileage

The range of mileage you should expect from your car is very much under your control, and a tune-up has a direct impact on this. There are multiple items that a tuneup will help you take care of that will impact your car’s mileage range. These include things like tire pressure, air filters, and spark plugs.

Misfiring spark plugs are known to reduce overall gas mileage by 30%. Even though most modern cars have technology that serves the purpose that spark plug parts would handle in older cars, a replacement of the plugs themselves should still be done with regular tune-ups. The general recommendation for replacing them is about every 30,000 to 90,000 miles.

Regarding tire pressure, gas mileage can be improved by 0.6% on average by keeping tires at the proper pressure. In most tires, for every 1 psi under the recommended level, you’ll be getting 0.2% lower mileage. The proper tire pressure for your vehicle is typically found under the driver-side door jamb. It’s important to utilize this info, and not the pressure printed on the tire’s sidewall, which is the maximum allowable pressure.

Improved Handling

The handling of your car has a direct impact on its in-the-moment operability, of course. However, ensuring that your car has good handling is also a means to extend the lifespan of your vehicle overall.

Suspension and tire tread can impact your car’s handling if left unchecked. Typical signs that your car needs adjustment include:

– A bumpy ride
– The car rocks back and forth when you steer
– Your vehicle feels lower to the ground
– Your vehicle stutters when you brake or accelerate

If you notice any of these factors while driving your car, you should make sure that your handling is looked at by a mechanic during your next service visit. They should be able to identify issues such as uneven wear on your tire tread, misaligned wheels, or even leaking oil from your struts or shocks.

Reduced Emissions

Regular tuneups are also essential for regulating your car’s emissions. Overused parts and components can cause your engine to run inefficiently. This leads directly to the burning of oil and other fluids that are important for your car to run. Not to mention the harmful pollutants this spits out. Changing out overused parts will make your car operate more efficiently, reducing its impact on the environment.

Most people aren’t aware that the condition of your tires can contribute to your car emissions. If your tire tread is worn down, or the vehicle needs an alignment, you’ll be using more fuel when driving your car.  This is directly due to the amount of rolling resistance that your tires face when being used on the road. With worn tread or uneven alignment, you’ll be forcing your tires to push through more resistance just to get you from point A to point B. So save yourself the gas, energy, and emissions by ensuring that your tires are taken care of properly.

At Kia Country of Charleston, our service department will be more than happy to give your car the tuneup it needs, on a regular and reliable basis. Be sure to book your service appointment here, or check out all of our monthly service specials.