Cars and Light Trucks
Aftermarket Retrofit Device Evaluation Program
EPA conducts a voluntary program to evaluate aftermarket devices and fuel additives that manufacturers claim will improve fuel economy and/or reduce exhaust emissions for passenger cars and trucks. The purpose of the Aftermarket Retrofit Device Evaluation Program (also known as the "511 Program") is to generate, analyze, and disseminate technical data on the effectiveness of such products. This web page provides information for manufacturers on how to have a device evaluated, along with information for consumers interested in such products.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: EPA does not approve, certify, endorse, or register any products that pass through this voluntary evaluation program. Neither does EPA approve, certify, endorse, or register any independent laboratory or the test results from any independent laboratory. Any claims by a manufacturer to the contrary are false.
Contact: Jim Snyder (snyder.Jim@epa.gov), telephone: 734-214-4946
NOTE: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.
Consumer Information
- Devices and Additives to Improve Fuel Economy and Reduce Pollution - Do They Really Work? (PDF) (5 pp, 115K, EPA-420-F-11-036, August 2011, reviewed September 2012)
- Federal Trade Commission Facts for Consumers: “Gas Saving” Products: Fact or Fuelishness? (PDF) (4 pp, 198K, September 2006)
- Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert: Gas-Saving Products: Proceed with Caution (PDF) (2 pp, 70K, July 2001)
Program Information for Manufacturers
- Program Overview Fact Sheet (PDF) (3 pp, 128K, EPA-420-F-11-013, June 2011)
- Program Description and Application Requirements (PDF) (14 pp, 40K, EPA420-B-00-003, May 2000)
- List of Independent Test Labs (PDF) (2 pp, 74K, EPA-420-B-13-054, November 2013)
Test Reports
These test reports are for all of the specific products tested by EPA under the Aftermarket Retrofit Device Evaluation Program. They are listed alphabetically by product name. There has been diminishing interest in the program however; the most recent report was issued in 2005.
Related Links
- Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Complaint Form: The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them.
- Federal Trade Commission: Information for Consumers on Automobile Maintenance
- Better Business Bureau Warns Drivers to Wary of Gas-Saving Gadgets and Additives
- www.fueleconomy.gov This joint website by EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy provides fuel economy ratings, gas mileage tips, and gasoline prices.