Drivers are amazed to discover ‘helpful’ button which saves them £100s on hefty fuel costs
DRIVERS have been amazed to discover a “helpful” button saving them hundreds of pounds on hefty fuel costs.
A car guru has shared advice on TikTok about keeping petrol bills down simply by activating an electronic feature many might neglect.
The social media user @chegeceping, who has 1.7million online followers, explained key differences between buttons marked ECO and SPORT.
He captioned the 25-second clip with the words: “Ninety per cent of people use the wrong ECO mode and SPORT mode.”
And he urged watching motorists: “Do not press these two buttons by mistake, otherwise the car will become fuel-intensive.
“These are the two buttons – one is ECO, the other is SPORT.
“ECO stands for energy-saving mode which will save fuel after turning it on, but the power will be weaker.
“SPORT stands for sports mode – after turning it on, the power will become stronger and the fuel consumption will become very very high.
“So if you want to save fuel, don’t turn on the SPORT mode – just turn on the ECO mode.”
His video has been “liked” more than 3,200 times, with appreciative viewers offering comments such as: “Thanks for this – very useful.”
Another posted: “ECO is for people who live in a small area like me.”
Che was also told his footage was “so much help” and “very helpful” – but less impressed watchers wrote responses such as “Everybody knows that” and “Isn’t that obvious?”
He was also pulled up on his description of what “ECO” stands for, with people pointing out it means “economy” or “economical mode”.
The two settings are available in many modern cars – but not non-petrol electric vehicles – with the ECO feature reducing an engine’s power output.
This can mean your vehicle acclerates more slowly but it does use less fuel while pumping out fewer emissions, Progressive explained.
Air conditioning can also weaken and interior lights get dimmer.
Experts recommend using the mode when driving below 45mph, describing it as “a great way to save on some fuel while running errands around town”.
But the car’s response times will be reduced, meaning motorists are recommended to opt out when on highways, merging into traffic or driving on tricky roads or in bad weather.
Meanwhile, other drivers are only just realising what a “weird squiggles” button on the dashboard does – and how useful it can prove in winter.
Another button which makes engines more powerful has met a mixed response after being recommended online.
Yet more “hidden” while helpful car buttons have also been revealed – including ones which keep you safer, can defog mirrors or prevent pet-related problems.