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With no end in sight to rising gas prices, consumers who modify their driving habits and properly maintain their vehicles will get more miles per gallon. The Car Care Council recommends the following ways to drive smart and save gas money:

A Fouled Engine Air Filter Can Damage The Mass Air Flow Sensor

Every day seems to bring higher prices at the gas pump. Some commuters are sharing rides, others are taking public transportation. But if you are like countless others, you depend on your personal vehicle. So here are some easy-to-follow gas-saving tips from the experts at the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) on how to conserve fuel and make sure your car or truck gets optimal miles per gallon.

Sluggish performance, hard starting? Could be a worn out or sluggish oxygen sensor. The automotive gasoline engine uses a mixture of air mixed with gasoline to create a combustible mixture. It is the burning of this mixture that operates the engine, and after the combustion process a small amount of oxygen remains in the exhaust.

It's the beginning of fall, and time to consider your coolant.

Being green doesn’t have to mean you have to spend a lot of green.  According to the Car Care Council, by properly maintaining your vehicle’s fuel system, you will not only improve the performance of your vehicle, but lower its emissions and save money at the pump, too.

Summer can be tough on cars, especially during high temperatures when heat can destroy batteries and stress the cooling system and tires. As a precaution, these vehicle components should be checked periodically during summer to help avoid breakdowns and car problems, according to the Car Care Council.

Your car’s exhaust system has come a long way from the old days of exhaust pipes and mufflers. Today, the exhaust system is safety and emissions control rolled into one. Your vehicle’s exhaust system consists of one or more mufflers, one or more oxygen (O2) sensors, one or more catalytic converters, a tail pipe and an exhaust pipe.

Now that winter is just a memory, millions of Americans will take to the roads to enjoy the warmer weather. The Car Care Council reminds motorists that spring is the perfect time of year to make sure your vehicle is ready for the upcoming travel season.

Whether you’re driving across the country or driving across town, the Car Care Council recommends checking the following vehicle components before embarking on your next trip:

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The 10-billionth Bosch spark plug recently rolled off the production line at the firm’s Bamberg plant, making Bosch the world's most prolific manufacturer of spark plugs. And more than 100 years after inventing the first commercially viable spark plug, readers of Popular Mechanics magazine have named Bosch Spark Plugs as their favorite spark plug brand in the magazine's 2009 Reader's Choice Awards.