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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Emily Hodgkin & Michelle Cullen

Woman reveals how to slash fuel consumption by 12 per cent with just one click of a button

A woman has shared a simple way to reduce your fuel consumption by up to 12 per cent with just one click of a button.

TikTok user Megan's Bubble went viral for posting her clever money-saving car hacks on his social media account.

Now she has shared her latest tip, which involves another button in the car many drivers may not understand.

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Megan, who previously recommended drivers use an air conditioning setting shown to save fuel, posted the video to her TikTok account demonstrating what the button looks like.

In her car, the button featured an "A" with a circular arrow wrapping above it.

Close ups shot of moder luxury car engine start button (gettyimages.ie)

Megan said: "If you have a button that looks like this in your car, this is your automatic start-stop button," reports Express.

"It's going to automatically shut down your vehicle when it is stationary for a long time, like when you're sitting at a stop light or maybe through the Starbucks drive-through.

"It's supposed to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions."

The system works by shutting down the engine and restarting it again to prevent idling.

Not only does idling waste money on fuel for the driver, but it is also bad for the environment.

Idling increases air pollution in high-traffic areas, which often happen to be pedestrian areas - such as outside of schools.

For drivers using this feature, fuel economy could increase by up to 12 per cent.

The operation of the button can vary from vehicle to vehicle.

However, a number of the commenters on the video claimed the setting could wear out batteries.

One wrote: "But the battery will need to be replaced much sooner and more frequently."

Another said: "One kills the battery faster, so instead of it lasting 10 years it only lasts five and it's also really bad for your engine."

Although, both these claims are inaccurate, according to experts.

The RAC says: "Many stop-start systems are found on newer cars that have modern, robust batteries with a high capacity. In some cars, a separate battery is used to restart the engine as well.

"Cleverest of all, your car's computer checks charge levels in your battery before attempting to shut it down. If it decides there isn't enough charge to restart the engine, it's left running."

Another car content creator, Abigayle, told motorists to avoid a costly mistake at the petrol pumps.

The expert behind She Talks Cars detailed one tip which may surprise drivers.

She said motorists never fill up their tanks. While it may seem counterintuitive, there is some logic behind the tip.

Abigayle said: "You might think, well, what if people are panic buying fuel? But, fuel is really heavy."

A full tank of petrol will weigh down your car, with the average weighing around 43.2kg.

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