Economical driving

Fuel economy is affected by several things, such as how you drive, the conditions you drive under and how you maintain your vehicle.

There are some things to keep in mind that may improve your fuel economy:

• Accelerate and slow down in a smooth, moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds without stopping.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
• Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
• Close the windows for high-speed driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds (traveling at 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15% less fuel than traveling at 65 mph [105 km/h]).
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance.

There are also some things you may not want to do because they may reduce your fuel economy:

• Sudden or hard accelerations.
• Rev the engine before turning it off.
• Idle for periods longer than one minute.
• Warm up your vehicle on cold mornings.
• Use the air conditioner or front defroster.
• Use the speed control in hilly terrain.
• Rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
• Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow a trailer.
• Carry unnecessary weight (approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 pounds [180 kilograms] of weight carried).
• Add particular accessories to your vehicle (e.g.; bug deflectors, rollbars or light bars, running boards, ski racks).
• Drive with the wheels out of alignment.

    See also:

    Storage Compartments
    Center console WARNING: Use only soft cups in the cupholder. Hard objects can injure you in a collision. Available console features include: A. Cupholders B. Utility storage compartment with p ...

    Running out of fuel
    If you have run out of fuel and need to refill the vehicle with a portable fuel container, see Running out of fuel in the Maintenance and Specifications chapter for proper fuel filling method usin ...

    Hints on driving with anti-lock brakes
    When the system is operating, the brake pedal will pulse and may travel further. Maintain pressure on the brake pedal. You may also hear a noise from the system. This is normal. The anti-lock bra ...