1999 Ford F150 Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 201

Maintenance and care • Drive at reasonable speeds (traveling at 105 km /h [65 mph] uses 15% more fuel than traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph]). • Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy. • Use of the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy. • Use of speed control (if equipped) may improve fuel economy. Speed control can help maintain a constant speed and reduce speed changes. You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain as unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gears may occur and 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. Maintenance • Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size. • Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel economy. • Use recommended engine oil. Refer to Lubricant Specifications. • Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks found in your vehicle Scheduled Maintenance Guide. Conditions • Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy at any speed. • Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately 2 km/h [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried). • Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug deflectors, rollover/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may reduce fuel economy. • To maximize the fuel economy, drive with the tonneau cover installed (if equipped). • Use of fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy. 201