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Driving
for a minimum of about 5 seconds already
sav es mor
e than the amount of fuel necessa-
ry for restarting.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high during
this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore best
to drive off immediately after starting the en-
gine. Avoid running the engine at high speed.
Regular maintenance
Regular servicing helps in saving fuel even
before the engine is started. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel
efficiency as well as maximum reliability and
an enhanced resale value. A badly serviced
engine can consume up to 10% more fuel
than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their optimal operating temperature
in order to minimise fuel consumption and
emissions.
A cold engine consumes a disproportionate
amount of fuel. The engine reaches its work-
ing temperature after about four kilometres
(2.5 miles), when fuel consumption will return
to a normal level. Check tyre pressure
Alw
ays make sure the tyres are inflated to the
correct pressures ››› page 356
to save fuel. If
the pressure is below half bar, fuel consump-
tion may increase by 5%. Due to the greater
rolling resistance, under-inflation also increa-
ses tyre wear and impairs handling.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as
they increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
Since the luggage rack increases the aero-
dynamic drag of the vehicle, you should re-
move it when not needed. At speeds of
100-120 km/h (62-75 mph), this will save 12%
of fuel.
Save electrical energy
The engine drives the alternator, thereby
generating electricity. This implies that any
increase in power consumption also increa-
ses fuel consumption! For this reason, switch
off any unneeded electrical devices. Devices
that use a lot of electricity includes the blow-
er at a high setting, the rear window heating
or the seat heating*. Plug-in hybrid drive: brak
e early and evenly
to take advantage of energy recovery. Note
Page 332 of 405
Practical tips
Refuelling Fig. 235
Fuel tank flap with tank cap attached. The fuel tank flap is on the rear right of the
v
ehicl
e.
The flap that covers the tank cap is unlocked
and locked automatically using the central
locking.
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Checking and refilling levels
at least 30 seconds before starting the en-
gine
. When you then st
art the engine it may
take longer than normal (up to one minute)
to start firing. For the sake of the environment
Do not overfill the fuel tank, it may cause
the fuel t o o
verflow if it becomes warm. Note
There is no emergency mechanism for the
manual r el
ease of the fuel tank flap. If nec-
essary, request assistance from special-
ised personnel. Note
Diesel vehicles are fitted with a protective
de vice that pr
events the insertion of the
wrong fuel hose 1)
. It is only possible to re-
fuel with Diesel nozzles.
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Practical tips
Super unleaded petrol 95 octane petrol or
normal 91 oct ane petr
ol at least
We recommend refuelling with super 95 oc-
tane petrol (91 AKI). If not available, normal 91
octane petrol (87 AKI) (with a slight power
loss) may be used.
Super unleaded petrol, 95 octanes at
least
You should use super 95 octane petrol (91
AKI) at least.
If super is not available, if necessary, use nor-
mal 91 octane petrol (87 AKI). In this case only
use moderate engine speeds and a light
throttle. Refuel with super as soon as possi-
ble.
Unleaded super plus 98 octane petrol or
super 95 octane petrol at least
We recommend refuelling with super plus 98
octane petrol (93 AKI). If not available: super
95 octane petrol (91 AKI) (with a slight power
loss).
If super is not available, if necessary, use nor-
mal 91 octane petrol (87 AKI). In this case only
use moderate engine speeds and a light
throttle. Refuel with super as soon as possi-
ble. CAUTION
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