2005 Mercury Mountaineer Owner Guide 3rd Printing - Page 278

Maintenance and Specifications Filling the tank for FFV equipped vehicles Your vehicle will operate on both unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87, or E-85 fuel, or any mixture of these two. For best results it is recommended that you do not add less than five gallons of fuel when refueling. Observing this precaution will avoid possible hard starting and/or deterioration in drivability during warm up. Calculating fuel economy 1. Fill the fuel tank completely and record the initial odometer reading (in miles or kilometers). 2. Each time you fill the tank, record the amount of fuel added (in gallons or liters). 3. After at least three to five tank fill-ups, fill the fuel tank and record the current odometer reading. 4. Subtract your initial odometer reading from the current odometer reading. 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. 278 2005 Mountaineer (mnt) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA (fus)