2004 Ford Freestar Owner's Manual - Page 254

Maintenance and Specifications 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 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15% less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]). • 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 third and fourth gear 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. 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 in this chapter. 254 2004 Freestar (win) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA English (fus)