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An overlooked issue with the brake pads of the car could be the reason behind a driver\u2019s poor gas mileage, a\u00a0car\u00a0mechanic has shared.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to\u00a0Scotty Kilmer, one of the main reasons\u00a0drivers see their gas mileage\u00a0dwindle unexpectedly is due to issues with their brake system.<\/p>\n
Brake pads will get sticky over time as they begin to wear out, applying resistance to the engine which is forced to work harder.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, when the\u00a0engine\u00a0is forced to work harder it will be forced to burn more fuel and drivers get fewer miles out of each gallon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The car\u00a0mechanic\u00a0explained: \u201cThe brakes are supposed to […] do nothing while you\u2019re driving down the road, then when you step on them they\u2019re supposed to squeeze the rotors or the drums to make all the energy of the car turn into heart and stop the car.\u201d<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> As the car gets old, however, several of its components including the brakes will stick a lot of the time.<\/p>\n \u201cYears ago I had a customer who was getting bad gas mileage in a BMW, I checked all kinds of stuff out and I really couldn\u2019t find anything wrong with the car,” explained Kilmer.<\/p>\n Eventually, the mechanic took the car for a ride with the driver in the driver’s seat, to watch him operate the vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cHe had one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake,\u201d explained Kilmer, prompting him to ask the driver: \u201cWhy do you have one foot on the brake?\u201d<\/p>\n To which the driver responded: \u201cWell they taught us that way, one foot on the gas one foot on the brake.”<\/p>\n To confirm his suspicions Kilmer asked the driver to drive ahead while he followed him in another vehicle to check if the car’s brake lights would come on. They stayed on for almost the entire car journey.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was driving down the road with one foot on the road and one foot on the ga, and of course, he was getting bad gas mileage. Sticking brakes will do the same thing of course.\u201d<\/p>\n According to experts at Fixter, signs that the brakes are sticking include a feeling that the brakes are on while driving and a grinding noise originating from the wheels.\u00a0<\/p>\n The vehicle may also feel low on power or may slow down quickly by itself, warranting a visit to a mechanic.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nHow to tell if your brakes are sticking?<\/h3>\n
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