Ann Arbor, Mich. – With gas prices holding above $3 a gallon, that bottle in the auto-parts store or gadget on a website that claims to “improve fuel economy by 20 percent” can sound enticing, but federal regulators caution consumers not to act too quickly.
A recent consumer warning from the Federal Trade Commission showed that gas gadgets such as air-bleed devices, mixture enhancers and fuel additives rarely pay off. In fact, they’re 0-for-93.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Ann Arbor laboratory tested 93 additives, modifications and other products that claim to improve fuel economy. None received the agency’s seal of approval.
The lab’s analysis, spanning 30 years, found only 10 devices that showed even a small improvement in fuel economy, and four of those increased emissions.
“Generally as gas prices go up, consumers are more concerned about saving on fuel cost, and companies or marketers take advantage by selling questionable gas-saving devices,” FTC spokesman Hampton Newsome said. “These products often are found to have little or no savings in terms of fuel economy and can damage your engine or increase emissions.”
Products flagged as scams include: ADAKS Vacuum Breaker Air Bleed, Electro-Dyne Superchoke mixture enhancer and Fuelon Power additive.
Regulators say finding those exact brands is unlikely (the names of faulty products tend to change quickly) but similar devices abound.
Sometimes regulators take punitive action, as the FTC did last year when it claimed a $4 million settlement from the makers of FuelMax, a product that claimed to increase gas mileage by 27 percent but didn’t come anywhere close to that.
Instead of trying questionable devices, regulators and auto experts say properly maintaining a vehicle is a smarter choice.
Keeping tires inflated, changing filters and getting a tune- up are far more likely to increase gas mileage than trying a specialty item.
Not all fuel-improving products should be painted as worthless, however, said Bill Ponkowski, a manager at Glendale Auto Supply in Farmington, Mich.
He said he does recommend fuel-injector cleaners but says drivers should be cautious with other products.
“Don’t expect a miracle, but some additives can be very good at cleaning a dirty fuel system out,” he said. “A lot of people do ask how to get better gas mileage. First we ask when they last had a tune-up.”
