2004 Toyota Echo Owners Manual - Page 435

04 01.06 Trailer towing How to save fuel and make your vehicle last longer, too Improving fuel economy is easy-just take it easy. It will help make your vehicle last longer, too. Here are some specific tips on how to save money on both fuel and repairs: D Avoid long engine idling. If you have a long wait and you are not in traffic, it is better to turn off the engine and start again later. SU31001 D Keep your tires inflated at the correct pressure. Underinflation causes tire wear and wastes fuel. See Section 7- 2 for instructions. D Avoid engine lugging or over- revving. Use a gear position suitable for the road on which you are travelling. D Avoid continuous speeding up and slowing down. wastes fuel. Stop- and- go driving D Do not carry unneeded weight in your vehicle. Excess weight puts a heavier load on the engine, causing greater fuel consumption. Toyota does not recommend towing a trailer with your Echo. It is not designed for trailer towing. D Avoid D Avoid lengthy warm- up idling. Once the engine is running smoothly, begin driving-but gently. Remember, however, that on cold winter days this may take a little longer. D Always keep the automatic transmission overdrive turned the overdrive off will economy. (For details, transmission" on page on. Driving with reduce the fuel see "Automatic 101.) unnecessary stopping and braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try to time the traffic signals so you only need to stop as little as possible or take advantage of through streets to avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper distance from other vehicles to avoid sudden braking. This will also reduce wear on your brakes. whenever possible. D Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams D Do not rest your foot on the clutch or brake pedal. This causes needless wear, overheating and poor fuel economy. D Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high gear as quickly as possible. D Maintain a moderate speed on highways. The faster you drive,the greater the fuel consumption. By reducing your speed, you will cut down on fuel consumption. 2004 ECHO S/D from Feb. '04 Prod. (OM52573U) 173