Germany: Auto Bild magazine confirms effectiveness of additives

A test by Germany’s Auto Bild magazine has confirmed the effectiveness of cleaning additives such as LIQUI MOLY’s injector cleaner.

"This offers real savings" – the 26/2009 issue presented low rolling resistance tyres, automatic switch-off for engines and fuel additives with a cleaning effect: "Both fuel consumption and emissions are reduced" – which is kind to your wallet and kind to the environment.

Deposits and carbon build-ups are removed from fuel systems without the costly and time-consuming process of dismantling the engine. Auto Bild curbed its praise, however, mentioning that improvements were only made in cases of high contamination.

Application technician Harry Hartkorn from LIQUI MOLY confirms that the effect is most noticeable in such cases, and goes on to explain: "Vehicles that are mainly used for short journeys and those with high mileage regain their original engine performance and the exhaust values reach the required levels again. The engines of newer cars do not become contaminated in the first place."

In conjunction with the DEKRA academy and Dresden University for Applied Sciences, a range of products were tested to see whether their promises of saving on fuel hold true.

The verdict was often extremely negative – whether for liquids such as the "Energie-Aktivator" or for built-in parts such as magnets, a fuel converter or power energy spiral. According to the car magazine, the majority of the products are "hocus pocus".

Credits: JRC