wipers FIAT DUCATO 244 2005 3.G Owners Manual

Page 126 of 258

125GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
Electric devices
Use electric devices for the neces-
sary time only. The heated rear win-
dow, fog lights, windscreen wipers,
heater fan require large amounts of
electricity and increasing the request
for power will also increase fuel con-
sumption (up to +25% when driving in
towns).
Climate control system
The climate control system is an ad-
ditional load which greatly affects the
engine leading to higher consumption.
When the temperature outside the
vehicle allows it, use the air vents
where possible.
DRIVING STYLE
Starting
Do not warm the engine when the
vehicle is stationary or at high or low
speed: in this way the engine will warm
up gradually increasing consumption
and emissions. You should drive off
slowly straight away avoiding high revs
so that the engine will warm up more
quickly.Unnecessary actions
Avoid revving the engine when
stopped at traffic lights or before
switching off the engine and avoid dou-
bling the clutch as these actions have
no purpose on modern vehicles and
serve only to increase consumption
and pollution.
Gear selections
As soon as the traffic and road con-
ditions allow it, shift to a higher gear.
Using a low gear to liven up accelera-
tion greatly increases consumption. In
the same way improper use of high
gears will increase consumption, emis-
sions and engine wear.
On passenger transportation versions
fitted with 2.3, 2.8 JTD and 2.8 JTD
POWER engines, fuel consumption can
be optimised by starting (on level road)
in 2nd gear instead of 1st gear.Top speeds
Fuel consumption increases consid-
erably as speed increases. Your speed
should be kept as even as possible and
superfluous braking and acceleration
avoided as this increases both con-
sumption and emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently increasing the
revs will greatly affect consumption
and emissions; acceleration should be
gradual and should not exceed the
maximum torque.

Page 181 of 258

180VEHICLE MAINTENANCE
WINDSCREEN
WIPER
BLADES
Periodically clean the rubber part
with suitable products. We recom-
mend TUTELA PROFESSIONAL
SC35.
Change the blades if the rubber edge
is warped or worn out. You should in
any case change them approximately
once a year.Changing the windscreen
wiper blade
1)Lift windscreen wiper arm A-
fig. 18off the glass and position the
blade so as to form a right angle with
the arm.
2) Press tab Bon the retainer and
remove the blade to be replaced from
arm A .
3)Fit the new blade by inserting the
tab into the special slot in the arm.
Make sure it is properly locked into
place.
fig. 18
F0D0123m
Some simple steps can reduce po-
tential damage to the blades:
– if the temperature falls to below
zero, make sure the rubber blade is
not frozen to the windscreen. If nec-
essary, free it with a de-icing com-
pound;
– remove any snow that has settled
on the glass: besides saving the blades
you will avoid straining the electric
windscreen wiper motor and causing
it to overheat;
– do not operate the windscreen or
rear window wipers on dry glass.
Travelling with worn wiper
blades is dangerous be-
cause it reduces visibility in bad
weather.
WARNING