Road users in Great Britain have been advised to check their vehicles for a little-known feature that not only saves on fuel consumption, but helps with asthma and hay fever too
UK motorists have been urged by a TikToker expert to check their cars for an often over-looked button that can slash petrol costs and improve the atmosphere inside your car.
With yet another UK heatwave expected to hit on September 8, with temperatures over 30C forecast, keeping you cabin fresh is a priority. Although the air-con may feel good, Kwik-Fit warns it can increase fuel consumption by between eight and 10 per cent. The company stated: “Translated into litres, estimates reveal that using your air conditioning while driving can use between 0.2 and 0.4 litres per hour.”
But fear not — there is a little-known hack to help your fuel economy and comfort, which may come in handy. An expert recently took to TikTok to highlight the benefits of using the recirculating air button in your car, describing it as a way to make your motor “so much more efficient”.
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TikToker @HarleyPerkins said: “There’s a button in your car that could literally save you £300 a year. But 90 per cent of drivers don’t know about it.”
Using this feature in combination with the air conditioning can be especially effective, as the expert explained: “When it’s on, the car recirculates the air that’s already in the car and doesn’t pull air from the outside. And here’s the trick: when you use this properly, especially with your air con, it makes your car so much more efficient.”
He went on to describe how it works: “Basically, in simple terms, your car doesn’t have to work as hard to heat up the car or cool down the car — inside the car of course.”
The TikToker then went into the financial implications, saying: “Studies have actually shown this has boosted your fuel efficiency by 10 per cent across the whole year, saving drivers an average of £300. Obviously it depends how much you drive. It could be £200, it could be £1,000, it all depends.”
But the biggest benefit of all, at least for those of us with allergies and medical conditions? Harley helpfully explained: “I almost forgot to mention it keeps put bad smells from outside, air pollution, and it’s also great if you have asthma as well. And if you have hay fever, it’s perfect.”
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However, if you’re not using the air conditioning, you should avoid activating the recirculating air button — without it on, this setting simply circulates lukewarm air, which can cause the cabin to become even warmer and windows to steam up.
So if you were none-the-wiser, fear not — this often overlooked, simple and effective feature can improve comfort and fuel efficiency while you drive, particularly during hotter weather.
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