2009 Mercury Sable Owner's Manual - Page 288

Maintenance and Specifications 5. Follow one of the simple calculations in order to determine fuel economy: Calculation 1: Divide total miles traveled by total gallons used. Calculation 2: Multiply liters used by 100, then divide by total kilometers traveled. Keep a record for at least one month and record the type of driving (city or highway). This will provide an accurate estimate of the vehicle's fuel economy under current driving conditions. Additionally, keeping records during summer and winter will show how temperature impacts fuel economy. In general, lower temperatures give lower fuel economy. Driving style - good driving and fuel economy habits Give consideration to the lists that follow and you may be able to change a number of variables and improve your fuel economy. Habits • Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel. • Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel economy. • Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste fuel. • Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop. • Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy. • Slow down gradually. • Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15% less fuel than traveling at 65 mph [105 km/h]). • Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy. • Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy. • You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if unnecessary shifting between the top gears occurs. Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel economy. • Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may reduce fuel economy. • Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel economy. • Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving. 288 2009 Sable (mgo) Owners Guide, 2nd Printing USA (fus)