250
KNOWYOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING AND
DRIVING
WARNING
LIGHTS AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING AND
MAINTENANCE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICAT IO
NS
INDEX
9. Air conditioning leads to higher fuel consumption (on average up to +30%). If the temperature outside is not
too extreme, try and use the air vents.
Driving style
1. After starting the engine you should drive away im-
mediately and slowly, avoiding high revs. Do not warm
up the engine at low or high revs when the vehicle is
stationary; this causes the engine to warm up more
slowly, thereby increasing fuel consumption, emissions
and mechanical component wear.
2. Avoid pointless actions such as revving up when at
traffic lights or before stopping the engine. The latter
action, like double-declutching, is unnecessary and caus-
es increased fuel consumption and pollution.
3. Gear selection: select a high gear as soon as possible
(taking into account normal engine operation and traf-
fic conditions) without pushing the engine to high revs
during the intermediate gears. Using low gears at high
revs to get excellent acceleration increases fuel con-
sumption, harmful emissions and engine wear.
PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR REDUCING FUEL
CONSUMPTION AND HARMFUL EMISSIONS
Vehicle condition
1. Have checks and
servicingcarried out in accordance
with the “Scheduled servicing plan”.
2. Check tyre pressure regularly, at least once every four
weeks. Excessively low pressures will increase con-
sumption because rolling resistance will be higher. In
these conditions, the tyre will wear and performance
will decay faster.
3. Use snow tyres only when the weather conditions
make them absolutely necessary. They increase con-
sumption and noise.
4. Do not travel with a heavy load: the weight of the
vehicle (especially when driving in town) and its trim
greatly affect fuel consumption and stability.
5. Remove roof racks or ski racks after use. These ac-
cessories reduce the vehicle’s aerodynamic penetra-
tion and have a negative effect on fuel consumption.
6. It is better to use a trailer to transport particularly bulky objects.
7. Use the vehicle’s air vents if possible: travelling with the windows open impairs aerodynamics.
8. Use electrical devices only for the amount of time needed. The heated rear window, auxiliary headlights,
windscreen wipers and fan heater use up a consider-
able amount of current, causing increased fuel con-
sumption (up to +25% in the urban cycle).
