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 146). 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 clown on the number of "cold starts," try tocombine 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 tocut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is moderate.
Before DrivingProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Tires
Inspection
Every time you check inflation, youshould also examine the tires for
damage, foreign objects, and wear.
You should look for: Bumps or bulges in the tread or
side of the tire. Replace the tire if
you find either of these conditions. Cuts, splits, or cracks in the side
of the tire. Replace the tire if you
can see fabric or cord.
Excessive tread wear.
INDICATOR LOCATION MARKS
Your vehicle's tires have wear indica- tors molded into the tread. When the
tread wears down to that point, you
will see a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) wide
band running across the tread. Thisshows there is less than 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) of tread left on the tire. A
tire that is this worn gives very little
traction on wet roads. You should
replace the tire if you can see the
tread wear indicator in three or more
places around the tire.
Maintenance
In addition to proper inflation,
correct wheel alignment helps to
decrease tire wear. If you find a tire
is worn unevenly, have your dealer
check the wheel alignment.
The tires were properly balanced by the factory. They may need to berebalanced at some time before theyare worn out. Have your dealer
check the tires if you feel a consis-
tent vibration while driving. A tire should always be rebalanced if it is
removed from the wheel for repair.
Maintenance
TREAD WEAR INDICATORSProCarManuals.comMain Menu Table of Contents s t
Index
Coolant
Adding......................................... 177
Checking..................................... 132
Proper Solution.......................... 177
Temperature Gauge.................... 55
Corrosion Protection..................... 218
Crankcase Emission Control
System......................................... 255
Cruise Control Operation............... 64
Customer Relations Office........... 251
DANGER, Explanation of................. ii
Dashboard........................................ 50 Dashboard Compartment............... 88
Daytime Running Lights................. 58
Dead Battery, What to Do............ 230 Defects, Reporting Safety............. 264
Defogger, Rear Window................. 61
Defrosting the Windows................. 99
DEXRON ®
III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.................... 182
Dimensions..................................... 248
Dimming the Headlights................ 58 Dipstick
Automatic Transmission........... 182
Engine Oil................................... 131
Directional Signals........................... 59
Disabled, Towing Your Car If...... 244
Disc Brake Wear Indicators......... 147
Disposal of Used Oil...................... 176
Doors Locking and Unlocking............... 70
Power Door Locks....................... 70
DOT Tire Quality Grading........... 251
Driver and Passenger Safety............ 3
Drive Belts...................................... 195
Driving............................................ 139 Economy..................................... 133
In Bad Weather.......................... 148
In Foreign Countries................. 254
Economy, Fuel............................... 133
Emergencies on the Road............. 221
Battery, Jump Starting.............. 230
Brake System Indicator............ 237
Changing a Flat Tire................. 223
Chargilng System Indicator ...... 235 Checking the Fuses................... 240
Low Oil Pressure Indicator...... 234
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.... 236
Manually Closing Sunroof........ 238
Overheated Engine................... 232
Emergency Brake............................ 85
Emergency Flashers....................... 61
Emission Controls......................... 255
Engine Belts............................................. 195
Coolant Temperature Gauge ..... 56
Malfunction IndicatorLamp................................. 32, 236
Oil Pressure Indicator......... 32, 234
Oil, What Kind to Use............... 173 Overheating................................ 232
Specifications............................. 249
Ethanolin Gasoline....................... 254 Evaporative Emission Controls.... 255
Exhaust Fumes................................ 47
Expectant Mothers, Use of Seat Belts by......................................... 17
Exterior, Cleaning the................... 214
CONTINUEDProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t
Index
Fabric, Cleaning............................. 216
Fan, Interior...................................... 94
Features, Comfort and Convenience................................. 93
Filling the Fuel Tank..................... 129
Filter
Air................................................ 185
Oil................................................ 175
First Gear Position......................... 144
Flashers, Hazard Warning.............. 61
Flat Tire, Changing a.................... 223
Fluids
Automatic Transmission........... 182
Brake........................................... 183
Power Steering........................... 184
Windshield Washer................... 181
FM Stereo Radio Reception.................................... 117
Folding the Second Seats ............... 78
Folding the Third Seats.................. 80
Foreign Countries, Driving in...... 254
Four-way Flashers........................... 61
Front End, Towing by Emergency
Wrecker...................................... 244
Fuel.................................................. 128
Fill Door and Cap....................... 129
Gauge............................................ 56
Octane Requirement................. 128
Oxygenated................................ 128
Tank, Filling the......................... 129
Fuses, Checking the...................... 240
Gas Mileage, Improving................ 133
Gasohol........................................... 128
Gasoline.......................................... 128
Gauge............................................ 56
Octane Requirement................. 128
Tank, Filling the......................... 129
Gas Station Procedures................. 129
Gauges
Engine Coolant Temperature .... 56
Fuel................................................ 56
Gearshift Lever Positions............. 142
Glass Cleaning............................... 217
Glove Box......................................... 73 Halogen Headlight Bulbs.............. 206
Hazard Warning Flashers............... 61
Headlights......................................... 58
Aiming......................................... 202Daytime Running Lights............. 58
High Beam Indicator................... 54
High Beams, Turning on............ 58
Low Beams, Turning on............. 58
Reminder Chime.......................... 58
Replacing Halogen Bulbs ......... 206
Turning on.................................... 58
Head Restraints............................... 76 Heating and Cooling........................ 94
High Altitude, Starting at.............. 141 High-Low Beam Switch .................. 58
Hood, Opening the ........................ 130 Horn................................................... 57
Hot Coolant, Warning about........ 177 Hydroplaning.................................. 151
Identification Number, Vehicle.... 246
If Your Car Has to be Towed....... 244ProCarManuals.comMain Menu s t