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Driving your vehicle
845
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 miles (kilometers) you can get
from a gallon (liter) 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 stop-
lights. Try to adjust your speed to
that of the other traffic so you don't
have to change speeds unneces-
sarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever
possible. Always maintain a safe
distance from other vehicles so
you can avoid unnecessary brak-
ing. This also reduces brake wear.
• Drive at a moderate speed. The
faster you drive, the more fuel your
car 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 tires. Keep them
inflated to the recommended pres-
sure. Incorrect inflation, either too
much or too little, results in unnec-
essary tire wear. Check the tire
pressures at least once a month.
• Be sure that the wheels are
aligned correctly. Improper align-
ment can result from hitting curbs
or driving too fast over irregular
surfaces. Poor alignment causes
faster tire 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 sec-
tion 7. If you drive your car in
severe conditions, more frequent
maintenance is required (see sec-
tion 7 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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