Driving Technique: Slightly Tap the Brakes Once

[ELF]

Tapping the brake does nothing in the sable, Every ECU has its idiosyncrasies.
If tapping the brake makes the mpg go up,keep doing it. Although it might make the guy behind you think your nuts.

[Rick Rae]

Does nothing useful for the Cabrio, either. Tried it both on the way home last night and on the way in this morning.

In gear, a very light quick tap does nothing; a firmer punch (such that I can actually feel the brakes kick in) lowers the numbers a little (thanks to slowing down slightly). No effect in neutral (didn't try the serious braking that way).

Dunno if that helps or not, but there it is.

Rick

P.S. Maybe I'm starting to get the hang of this hypermiling stuff... 39MPG over about 25 miles of mixed highway/city this morning. And that's with a couple of extra brake taps.

[tom_eberhard]

Oh well. Maybe it's just a Volvo thing. I drove her car yesterday, and maybe it just *feels* like the MPG gauge is going up faster than when I just lift my foot off the accelerator. I'll keep trying it when the traffic conditions are better.
Tom.

[GasSavers_StanleyD]

Originally Posted by tom_eberhard

...and when the brake is press the fuel is cut off ...
I think that's what's going on...
...

This seems like a very likely possibility. If true it certainly is a good explanantion. Maybe the car cuts off fuel, which is almost as goos a idle coasting. (Idle coasting would be better because you are not in gear, thus not subject to engine braking). Anyway, maybe the fact the the car MAY be depriving the car of fuel because it senses your braking and decides that gas is the last thing you need while braking.
On a side not, sometimes when its hot and Im coasting downhill I open the windows for a second if Im forced to brake.. Might as well enjoy some fresh air asince the aero hit wont afect me as Im already losing out from braking. If anything it will decrease the amount I have to brake.

[s2man]

Originally Posted by JanGeo

It may be a throttle hold to aid in smooth driving...

My mother's Lincoln does this, and it drives me crazy. When I first drove it, I thought "gee, this glides great". Then I realized the rpm were staying stable when I let off the gas. Even if I slip it into neutral! Stupid Drive-By-Wire.

I'll try tapping the brakes next time I'm it.

[jwxr7]

Originally Posted by s2man

My mother's Lincoln does this, and it drives me crazy. When I first drove it, I thought "gee, this glides great". Then I realized the rpm were staying stable when I let off the gas. Even if I slip it into neutral! Stupid Drive-By-Wire.

I'll try tapping the brakes next time I'm it.

Yeah, the taurus gives the illusion of awesome coasting, but with the scangauge I can see that the tps is higher than idle and gpm are still around 1 gpm even if I'm pushing the brake . If I put it in neutral the rpms will go up and it will use about as much gas as if I left it in gear with my foot off the gas . The numbers change to less tps and fuel as it slows down, but they should have a defeat button for that. It's hard to hypermile and wastes gas and brakes. The highest I've seen the instant mpg go is around 45-48 mpg and that is going down hill with my foot off the gas .