196 Driving and en vironm ent
@ For the sa ke of the environment
Even when the Emission Contro l System is
operating properly, the exhaust gas can
have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell under
some operating states. This depends on
the sulfur content of the fue l being used .
Using a different brand of fuel may help,
or filling the tank w ith lead-free super
grade gasoline.
Operate your vehicle
economically and minimize pollution
General
Your personal style of driving will determine
t he economy of your vehicle, as well as ex
haust and noise levels.
Fue l economy, environmental impact , and
wear on you r engine, bra kes and t ires la rgely
depend on th ree factors:
= yo ur personal dr iv ing sty le
- operating conditions
- technical lim itations
If yo u anticipate what you need to do next and
drive economically, you can easi ly cut your
fue l consumption by 10-15 percent. This sec
tion will give you some t ips on how you ca n
he lp the environmen t and your pocketbook.
(D Tips
The consumpt ion estimates as published
by ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
(EPA) and Transport Canada may not co rre
spond to your actual consumption on the
road, wh ich will vary depending upon vehi
cle load an d speed, road and weather con
ditions, tr ip le ngth, etc.
Drive smoothly and keep a lookout
ahead
Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac
celerating .
.,. Avoid unnecessa ry accelerating and braking. Vehicles use the most fuel when they are ac
ce le rating. If you anticipate what is going to
happen next, you will need to brake less and,
th us, acce lerate less. Let the vehicle coast
whenever possible -for example when you see
that the next traff ic light is red .
· Avoid full throttle
Driving at moderate speeds saves fuel and
improves your mileage.
.. Try and keep well below your car's maxi-
m um speed .
Acce lerat ing gently red uces fue l cons ump
tion, engine wear, and does not disturb the
environment.
F uel consumpt ion, exhaust emissions a nd en
gine noise inc rease disproportionate ly at high
speeds . If yo u drive at approximately th ree
quarters of top speed, fuel consumption w ill
be reduced by one half. Never drive faster
than the posted speed limit and weathe r con
ditions pe rm it.
Reducing unnecessary idling
Even when your car is jus t idling it burns up
fuel.
.. Shut the eng ine off when you are not driv
ing the vehicle .
.. Do not warm up the vehicle by letti ng the
eng ine run at idle .
It makes sense to shut off the engine in traffic
jams, when wa it ing for tra ins to pass at rail
r oad crossings, or at traffic lig hts that have
long wai ts on red . Tu rn ing the eng ine off for
j ust 30-40 seconds saves more fuel tha n is
burned start ing t he e ngine aga in.
It takes a long t ime for the engine to warm up
fully when it is ru nning at id le. However, wea r
and noxious emissions a re espec ia lly high
whe n the eng ine is wa rm ing up. So you s hou ld
dr ive away as soon as yo u start the engine and
avo id running at high rpms whi le the engine is
still warming up.
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