Driving
pollutant emissions are also especially high
during this initial w arm-up phase
. It is ther
e-
fore best to drive off immediately after start-
ing the engine. Avoid running the engine at
high speed.
Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that,
before beginning a journey, you will not con-
sume more than the required amount of fuel.
A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit
of improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale val-
ue.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to
10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of
polluting exhaust gases, the engine and the
exhaust gas filtration systems should reach
the optimum operating temperature.
With the engine cold, fuel consumption is pro-
portionally higher. The engine does not warm
up and fuel consumption does not normalise
until having driven approximately four kilome-
tres (2.5 miles). This is why we recommend
avoiding short trips whenever possible.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an ade-
quate pressure saves fuel. If the tyre pressure is just one bar (14.5 psi/100 kPa) too low, fuel
consumption can increase by as much as 5%.
Due to the gr
eater rolling resistance, under-
inflation also increases tyre wear wear and
impairs handling.
The tyre pressures should always be checked
when the tyres are cold.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as
they increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid unnecessary weight
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable to
always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
A roof rack is often left in place for the sake of
convenience, even when it is no longer nee-
ded. At a speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and
120 km/h (75 mph) your vehicle will use about
12% more fuel as a result of the extra wind re-
sistance caused by the roof rack even when it
is not in use.
Save electricity
The engine activates the alternator, which
produces electricity. With the need for elec-
tricity, fuel consumption also increases. Be-
cause of this, always turn off electrical devi-
ces when you do not need them. Examples of
devices that use a lot of electricity are: the fan at high speeds, the rear window heating
and the seat heaters*. Note
