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Fuel Economy
The condition of your vehicle and
your driving habits are the two most
important things that affect the fuel
mileage you get.
Vehicle Condition
Always maintain your vehicle accord-
ing to the maintenance schedule.
This will keep it in top operating
condition.
An important part of that mainte-
nance is the Owner Maintenance
Checks (see page 149). For
example, an underinflated tire
causes more "rolling resistance,"
which uses fuel. It also wears out
faster, so check the tire pressure at
least monthly.
In winter, the build-up of snow on
your vehicle's underside adds weight
and rolling resistance. Frequent
cleaning helps your fuel mileage and
reduces the chance of corrosion.
Driving Habits
You can improve fuel economy by
driving moderately. Rapid acceler-
ation, abrupt cornering, and hard
braking use more fuel.
Always drive in the highest gear that
allows the engine to run and acceler-
ate smoothly.
Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your vehicle uses extra fuel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy.
A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
"warm-up" a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of "cold starts," try to
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
Before Driving
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