Why does the fuel consumption display increase after maintenance?
2 Answers
The reasons for the increased fuel consumption display after maintenance include the replaced engine oil having too high viscosity, excessive oil added during maintenance leading to increased fuel consumption, incorrect spark plug model or improper installation. Enhance car maintenance: Car owners should regularly go to auto repair shops for routine maintenance, such as checking tire pressure, wheel alignment, adjusting the gap between brake friction pads and brake drums, lubricating various points on the car chassis, changing engine oil on schedule, checking filters, etc. Additionally, among the specified models in the manual, choose the engine oil with the lowest viscosity because the higher the viscosity, the greater the friction, which increases fuel consumption. Avoid prolonged engine idling: When idling, the engine's fuel consumption is much higher than during normal driving. During a cold start, do not warm up the car for more than 1 minute; maintaining low-speed driving for a few minutes is sufficient.
I also encountered the issue of high fuel consumption display right after a car service, which was quite puzzling. Possible reasons include changes in the viscosity of the new engine oil, as the engine needs a few days to adapt to the new lubrication effect, leading to a temporary increase in fuel consumption. Additionally, the technician might have reset the trip computer's fuel consumption meter during the service, causing it to start calculating short-term data from scratch, hence the higher display. Improper tire pressure adjustment is another common factor; if it's too low, it increases rolling resistance and wastes fuel. Check that the front and rear tire pressures are maintained at the manufacturer's recommended values, usually listed on the sticker inside the door. Also, a newly replaced air filter might initially cause slight fluctuations in air intake efficiency. I suggest not worrying too much right away. Drive for three or four days to let the car adjust automatically, and meanwhile, check your refueling records to see if you're actually burning more fuel. Many car owners report that fuel consumption returns to normal levels within about a week. Of course, if it's still high after a week, revisit the service shop to recheck the oil type and computer settings to rule out any other minor issues.
