’06 MATRIX_U (L/O 0508)
223
Improving fuel economy is easy—just take
it easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
! Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See page
277 in Section 7−2 for instructions.
! Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
! Avoid lengthy warm−up idling. Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
driving—but gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.
! Keep the automatic transmission
overdrive turned on when engine
braking is not required. Driving with
the overdrive off will reduce the fuel
economy. (For details, see “Automatic
transmission” on page 117 in Section
1−7.)
! Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
! Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.
! Avoid engine lugging or over−rev-
ving. Use a gear position suitable for
the road on which you are travelling.
! Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop−and−go driving
wastes fuel.
! Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
! Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
! Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes premature
wear, overheating and poor fuel econo-
my.
! Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
! Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
! Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
! Keep your vehicle tuned−up and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease,brakes not adjusted, etc. all
lower engine performance and contrib-
ute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle
receives more frequent maintenance.
(For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, please refer to the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manu-
al Supplement”.)
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer
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