The gear-change indicator display
goes out when the clutch is depressed
in vehicles with a manual gearbox or a
er
leaving the manual shi program in vehi-
cles with an automatic transmission.
Economic driving style
Fig. 109 Fuel c
onsumption in litres per 100
km at two dierent outside temperatures.
Adopting the correct driving style can
reduc
e the average fuel consumption,
overall environmental impact and wear
of the engine, brakes and tyres. A few
tips are provided below which will help
you protect the environment and also
save money.
Use coasting mode
Vehicles with an automatic transmission: If
neither the accelerator nor brake pedal are
pressed in selector lever position
, the ve-
hicle will roll (“c
oast”) almost without any
energy consumption.
Change gears in an energy-saving way
Changing up a gear early at engine speeds
of 2,000 rpm saves energy. Do not drive
gears to the limit and avoid high revs.
— Vehicles with a manual gearbox: change
from first to second gear immediately af-
ter moving o.
— Vehicles with an automatic transmission:
Accelerate slowly and avoid using the
kickdown function.
— Observe the gear-change indicator
→ pa
ge 160.
— Use the
driving profile if possible.
R
educe idling
Pull away immediately with low engine
speeds. If you are stopped for a long period,
do not allow the engine to idle but switch it
o, e.g. when in a trac jam or at a railway
crossing.
In vehicles with an activated Auto Start-
Stop system, the engine can switch o au-
tomatically when the vehicle is stopping
and when the vehicle is stationary.
Refuel moderately
A full fuel tank increases the weight of the
vehicle. A fuel tank that is half to three
quarters full is sucient for urban trips in
particular.
Avoid short trips
A cold engine has very high average fuel
consumption. They do not reach optimum
operating temperature until the vehicle has
travelled a few kilometres (miles). The
average fuel consumption is above average
at very low ambient temperatures, e.g. in
winter → Fig. 109. Plan trips economically
and combine short trips.
Carry out regular maintenance
Regular maintenance is an essential pre-
requisite for economical driving and increa-
ses the service life of the vehicle.
Do not drive with unnecessary loads in
the vehicle
You can reduce the average fuel consump-
tion by clearing out the load compartment
before setting o, for example by removing
empty beverage crates or unused child
seats.
To keep the air resistance of your vehicle as
low as possible, remove any add-on parts
and equipment once you have finished us-
ing them.
Save energy
The alternator is driven by the engine and
generates electrical power for convenience
features such as the Climate Control sys-
Information on driving
161
2KF012720AE
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