What are the reasons for increased fuel consumption after the first maintenance?
2 Answers
The reasons for increased fuel consumption after the first maintenance are as follows: 1. Overfilled engine oil: Adding too much engine oil (or using oil with higher viscosity) often creates certain resistance to the working conditions of internal engine components, leading to abnormal engine operation, reduced power, and various 'abnormalities' appearing subsequently, resulting in increased fuel consumption. If the engine oil is overfilled, simply removing the excess oil to restore the oil level to the normal value can return the fuel consumption to normal. 2. Driving habits and road conditions: Most people drive gently during the break-in period of a new car, maintaining slow speeds, gradual acceleration from a start, etc., keeping fuel consumption relatively stable. However, after the first maintenance, attitudes may change slightly, with drivers daring to press the accelerator harder, accelerate more quickly, and reduce the frequency of early deceleration, etc. Such changes can unconsciously affect fuel consumption by 1-2, which is entirely normal. Traffic congestion conditions can also influence changes in fuel consumption; fuel consumption variations at low speeds or when fully loaded with passengers can also become unstable.
I just bought a new car not long ago, and after the first maintenance, I also noticed that the fuel consumption has increased. I specifically looked up some information. It's actually quite common for fuel consumption to rise after the first maintenance, mainly due to a few possible reasons: one is the engine oil issue—if the oil level exceeds the standard mark, the internal resistance of the engine increases, leading to higher fuel consumption; another is that the viscosity of the newly replaced oil is higher than that of the factory oil, for example, the oil used by the 4S shop is thicker and less fluid, making the engine work harder. Additionally, many driving habits change after maintenance—previously, you might have been cautious and avoided heavy acceleration, but after maintenance, you feel the car is more durable and drive more aggressively, which also increases fuel consumption. Another detail is the air filter—if it's not installed properly or is clogged during maintenance, the reduced air intake lowers combustion efficiency, which also raises fuel consumption. It's recommended to observe your driving habits for a week or two and check the oil dipstick level yourself. If there's too much oil, have some removed.
