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Driving your vehicle
Your vehicle's fuel economy depends
mainly on your style of driving, where
you drive and when you drive.
Each of these factors affects how
many kilometers (miles) you can get
from a litre (gallon) of fuel. To operate
your vehicle as economically as pos-
sible, use the following driving sug-
gestions to help save money in both
fuel and repairs:
• Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a
moderate rate. Don't make "jack-
rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts and
maintain a steady cruising speed.
Don't race between stoplights. Try to
adjust your speed to the traffic so
you don't have to change speeds
unnecessarily. Avoid heavy traffic
whenever possible.
Always maintain a safe distance
from other vehicles so you can
avoid unnecessary braking. This
also reduces brake wear.
• Drive at a moderate speed. The
faster you drive, the more fuel your
vehicle uses. Driving at a moderate
speed, especially on the highway,
is one of the most effective ways to
reduce fuel consumption.
• Don't "ride" the brake pedal. This
can increase fuel consumption and
also increase wear on these com-
ponents. In addition, driving with
your foot resting on the brake pedal
may cause the brakes to overheat,
which reduces their effectiveness
and may lead to more serious con-
sequences.
• Take care of your tyres. Keep them
inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tyre wear. Check the tyre
pressures at least once a month.
• Be sure that the wheels are
aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting kerbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tyre wear and may also
result in other problems as well as
greater fuel consumption.
• Keep your car in good condition.
For better fuel economy and
reduced maintenance costs, main-
tain your car in accordance with
the maintenance schedule in chap-
ter 8. If you drive your car in severe
conditions, more frequent mainte-
nance is required (see chapter 8
for details).
• Keep your car clean. For maximum
service, your vehicle should be
kept clean and free of corrosive
materials. It is especially important
that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not be
allowed to accumulate on the
underside of the car. This extra
weight can result in increased fuel
consumption and also contribute to
corrosion.
• Travel lightly. Don't carry unneces-
sary weight in your car. Weight
reduces fuel economy.
• Don't let the engine idle longer
than necessary. If you are waiting
(and not in traffic), turn off your
engine and restart only when
you're ready to go.
ECONOMICAL OPERATION
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