Your Fuel-Efficiency Might be Taking a Hit from Excessive Heat

 If you're well into your adult years, you might have figured out that moderation is the key. Doing things in excess can often lead to bad consequences and balance is the healthiest way to go. It's true! It's also true that things in excess can be bad for your car as well. Think about it. Imagine if you had too much engine oil, or your brakes were sized too large, or you had an overflow of gasoline in your tank. You'd probably be running into mad issues after some time. If you drive an internal combustion engine, heat must be kept at equilibrium to ensure proper function. If there's too much of this process happening, it can lead to terrible consequences. 

Using heat is central to combustion and it's what makes generating power by an ICE engine possible. But, while the engine creates miniature explosions inside your engine compartment, it's done in a contained and balanced way. If that's thrown out of balance, well, that's the topic of this article. If you're noticing a drastic drop in your fuel-efficiency or performance, don't worry! Toyota of Clermont is here to help you diagnose the issue and get it figured out. 

Heat is Good Until it Isn't

ICE engines have come a long way since the day of the big block or the archaic Model T. Today they're fuel-efficient and can perform well. They can even be combined with electrical battery-powered components in a hybrid vehicle. The battery is used to enhance the ICE's fuel-economy and can even boost overall performance. When it comes to a loss in fuel-efficiency, these vehicles can suffer greatly due to excessive heat. 

To say it plainly, excessive heat can cause your Clermont Toyota hybrid much suffering. Here's a shortlist of those things:

• Your car's battery works best when it's exposed to moderate amounts of heat (energy). Excessive heat, from external forces or the engine itself, can actually lead to electrolyte evaporation. Symptoms of this include bulging, bubbling, and inefficient recharging. 
• A compromised Clermont Toyota hybrid battery means a dramatic drop in fuel-efficiency. As the battery continues to fail or underperform, the smaller ICE engine will be required to overcompensate and it's typically not enough to bring your ride up to full speed. Kind of like riding a unicycle. You'll go somewhere, just super slowly. 

High amounts of natural or manufactured heat are a big issue, that much is clear. But, what are people to do (especially those in an area like Clermont) supposed to do about high temperatures every day? 

Lend an Assist to Your Overheated Ride

If caught in time, reviving your declining fuel-efficiency is actually pretty easy and can be done with few changes involved. Consider employing these new habits: 

• Do your best to keep the cabin cool and your A/C running. On many Clermont Toyota hybrid models, the battery pack is placed in a spot that is inconspicuous and doesn't obscure undercarriage or trunk space. This spot is under the back seats. While Toyota uses a cooling system designed specifically to keep the battery pack at optimal temperatures, keeping your cabin cool can help you go the extra mile in protecting your fuel-efficiency. 
• Tinting your windows is another great way to keep your cabin cool overall. It can also help you preserve the condition of your A/C system. 
• In some extreme cases, Clermont Toyota hybrid drivers have devised a jerry-rigged system in which they pipe cool air from an A/C vent to an inlet to the battery pack. It's practical, but might be a bit extreme if your issues aren't serious. 

Need more tips to boost your fuel-efficiency? Keep it here with Toyota of Clermont!