My car is an auto. when i dont accelerate the car barely goes past 4mph isnt it suppose to go upto 10 without any acceleration (pressing the gas pedal). do i have brake drag? can this cause low mpg if its the case?

 

It doesn't sound like you have an issue to me. If you are concerned, go a reasonably fast speed, maybe 50-60 and carefully pop the car into neutral and start coasting. If your car slows down quickly as if you were putting on the brakes you might want to look into it farther.

 

After driving the car for a while get out and touch the center of the rim NOT THE ROTOR. If the rim is crazy hot then that brake is dragging. Simple and easy way to tell.

 

My car idles at around 5MPH in first gear (manual transaxle)



Jack up each wheel in turn, chocking the others to keep the car from rolling. You should be able to feel/hear if the brakes are dragging when rotating a wheel by hand.

 

I just pictured someone grabbing the rotor to check for heat.. OMG my brakes are the screwed?!@?!?@!?@!1

 

I had one of my rears drag once. And you could put your hand by the rim and feel the heat. The rim was hot to the touch but didn't burn me. I'm sure you could get the rim hot enough to burn you.

 

If it can be hot enough to catch nearby hoses on fire (and it can) it can get hot enough to burn you.