13 Car Myths
to Kick to the Curb
in 2022

Premium fuel guarantees superior performance

Premium fuel is essential for some high-end sports cars and luxury models. It typically boosts their overall performance. However, this does not mean premium fuel works the same way for all vehicles.

So if your ride doesn't require premium fuel, there isn't any compelling reason to make the switch. It's best to stick to the recommended fuel type for your vehicle.

You can sleep behind the wheel of a self-driving car

Self-driving technology has undoubtedly come a long way. So much so that most people believe they can sleep behind the wheel of a self-driving car—which is a dangerous misconception.

The current wave of self-driving technology that’s available to the public is semi-autonomous, meaning it still requires a driver’s input and attention. It can make mistakes while on the road. So it’s essential that passengers of such semi-autonomous cars stay awake and aware of their surroundings throughout their ride.

The 3,000 mile myth

When it comes to car care myths, this one takes the cake. The 3,000 mile myth says that vehicles need their oil changed every 3,000 miles. This might be true for some vehicles (usually older models) but not all. To determine how often your daily driver needs its oil changed, consult your owner’s manual or check or supplemental service booklet.

Filling up your tank in the morning gets you better fuel

Many people think that filling up the fuel tank in the morning makes fuel better. They believe that the cool morning breeze makes gasoline denser.

But the fact of the matter is that cold weather does not make gasoline denser. Moreover, gasoline is stored in underground, temperature-controlled tanks. In short, the time of the day has no impact on the quality of gas in your tank.

Catalytic converters can catch fire

Catalytic converters generally will not catch fire, but they can become a fire hazard. An overheated catalytic converter can ignite surrounding flammable materials while it's running hot. Check out this guide to learn more about this phenomenon.

You can't drive without a catalytic converter

You can drive without a catalytic converter, but it's not advisable. Your vehicle will produce more toxic emissions if you drive it without a catalytic converter and the check engine light will likely remain illuminated.

Removing, disabling, or tampering with this component is also illegal in most states with strict laws against vehicle emissions. Read this article to find out more about driving without a catalytic converter.

Coolant is the same as antifreeze

No, they are not the same, though the terms are often used interchangeably. Coolant helps regulate your vehicle's temperature, while antifreeze is one of its components. Check out this guide for an in-depth discussion of their differences.

Letting the car idle uses less fuel than turning the engine on or off

Research shows that letting your car idle for more than 10 seconds wastes more fuel than simply turning the engine off.

You need to warm your engine up before you drive in winter

Warming up your engine before you drive in winter is one of the most widely believed myths on this list. While idling the engine might have been a necessity back then, when vehicles relied on carbureted fuel systems that would stall out when cold, that no longer holds true today. That's because the vehicles of today mostly have modern, fuel-injected engines. These days, letting your car idle for more than 30 seconds does nothing for the engine, but it does waste fuel and increases harmful tailpipe emissions.

Of course, if it's frigid outside, you might want to warm the engine up to make sure that the heater and defroster are working well before you take off.

Manual cars are more fuel-efficient than automatics

Manual transmissions once offered better mileage than automatic transmissions—but that was back when automatic transmissions weren't as smart as they are today. At present, most automatic vehicles provide the same (or even better) fuel economy as their manual counterparts.

You can't drive an electric vehicle during winter

It's not that you can't drive an EV during winter; EVs just have a reputation of performing poorly during winter. Cold weather can limit the range of EVs, but that doesn't mean that EVs will stop functioning altogether. If you want to learn how to make your EV a better winter vehicle, read this article.

Muscle cars can't turn

Old American muscle cars are infamous for their understeer and less-than-ideal handling—but automakers have come a long way since then. New muscle cars are often just as fast and agile as other vehicle types.

Electric vehicles are prone to catching fire

By and large, electric vehicles pose no greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. Under certain conditions, fires can happen to both electric-powered and gasoline-powered vehicles.