winter tyres Hyundai Matrix 2003 Owner's Manual

Page 253 of 312

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2- 11
o Don't "lug" or "over-rev" the engine. Lug-
ging is driving too slowly in too high a gear resulting in the engine bucking. If thishappens to you, shift to a lower gear. Over-revving is racing the engine beyond its safe limit. This can be avoided byshifting at the recommended speeds.
o Use your air conditioning sparingly. The air conditioning system is operated by theengine power so your fuel economy isreduced when you use it.
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DRIVING FOR ECONOMY
You can save fuel and get more miles fromyour car if you follow these suggestions:
o Drive smoothly. Accelerate at a moderate rate. Don't make "jack-rabbit" starts or full-throttle shifts and maintain a steady cruis-ing speed. Don't race between stoplights.Try to adjust your speed to that of the othertraffic so you don't have to change speedsunnecessarily. Avoid heavy traffic whenever possible. Al- ways maintain a safe distance from othervehicles so you can avoid unnecessarybraking. This also reduces brake wear.
o Drive at a moderate speed. The faster you drive, the more fuel your car uses. Drivingat a moderate speed, especially on thehighway, is one of the most effective waysto reduce fuel consumption.
o Don't "ride" the brake or clutch pedal. This can increase fuel consumption and alsoincrease wear on these components. Inaddition, driving with your foot resting onthe brake pedal may cause the brakes tooverheat, which reduces their effective-ness and may lead to more serious con-
sequences.
o Take care of your tyres. Keep them inflated to the recommended pressure. Incorrectinfla-tion, either too much or too little, re-sults in unnecessary tyre wear. Check thetyre pres-sures at least once a month. o Be sure that the wheels are aligned cor-
rectly. Improper alignment can result fromhitting curbs or driving too fast over irregu-lar surfaces. Poor alignment causes fastertyre wear and may also result in otherproblems as well as greater fuel consump-tion.
o Keep your car in good condition. For better fuel economy and reduced maintenancecosts, maintain your car in accordancewith the maintenance schedule in Section5. If you drive your car in severe condi-tions, more frequent maintenance is re-quired (see Section 5 for details).
o Keep your car clean. For maximum ser- vice, your car should be kept clean andfree of corrosive materials. It is especiallyimportant that mud, dirt, ice, etc. not beallowed to accumulate on the underside ofthe car. This extra weight can result inincreased fuel consumption and also con-tribute to corrosion.
o Travel lightly. Don't carry unnecessary weight in your car. Weight is an enemy ofgood fuel economy.
o Don't let the engine idle longer than neces- sary. If you are waiting (and not in traffic),turn off your engine and restart only whenyou're ready to go.
o Remember, your car does not require extended warm-up. As soon as the engineis running smoothly, you can drive away.In very cold weather, however, give yourengine a slightly longer warm-up period. SC160A1-F SMOOTH CORNERING Avoid braking or gear changing in corners, especially when roads are wet. Ideally, cor-ners should always be taken under gentleacceleration. If you follow these suggestions,tyre wear will be held to a minimum. SC170A1-E WINTER MOTORING The onset of winter conditions subject motor vehicles to greater operating demands. There-fore, the following suggestions will assist inmaintaining peak performance and reliabilityduring these periods: