How to Save Fuel When Using Manual Car Air Conditioning?
2 Answers
When there is only the driver or one additional passenger in the car, it is generally recommended to set the air conditioning to the first gear unless the weather is extremely hot. This helps save fuel. Increase the gear only when there are more passengers. Ensure that the air conditioning vents are unobstructed and free of debris to prevent blockage, which could impair airflow. Blocked vents may lead to prematurely increasing the air conditioning gear, thereby increasing fuel consumption. When the vehicle is climbing a slope, it requires more power output. Running the air conditioning at full blast during this time can strain the vehicle's performance, especially for small-displacement cars. If you forget to turn off the air conditioning before shutting down the engine, it will automatically restart when you next start the car, unnecessarily increasing fuel consumption. Try to avoid this situation.
I've been driving a car with manual air conditioning for ten years, and the key to saving fuel lies in using the compressor less. When the weather isn't too hot, simply opening the windows for ventilation is more fuel-efficient than using the air conditioning, especially when driving at low speeds in the city. On the highway, opening the windows actually increases wind resistance, so it's more economical to turn the air conditioning down a notch. Remember not to rush to press the AC button after starting the car; first, turn on the fan to blow away the hot air before pressing AC, which can reduce the compressor's high-load working time. When waiting at a red light, turn off the AC a few minutes early and just leave the fan on to blow air; the cooling effect can still last for a while. Regularly cleaning the air conditioning filter is also very important, as a dirty filter can prevent cold air from coming out, wasting fuel.
