2012 Volvo C30 Owner's Manual - Page 142

06 Starting and driving General information Economical driving conserves natural resources Better driving economy may be obtained by thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stops and adjusting the speed of your vehicle to immediate traffic conditions. Observe the following rules: • Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (when tires are cold). WARNING Driving with the liftgate open: Driving with the liftgate open could lead to poisonous exhaust gases entering the passenger compartment. If the liftgate must be kept open for any reason, proceed as follows: 1. Close the windows. 2. Set the ventilation system control to air flow to floor, windshield and side windows and the blower control to its highest setting. • Remove snow tires when threat of snow or ice has ended. • Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc, increase air resistance and also fuel consumption. • Bring the engine to normal operating temperature as soon as possible by driving with a light foot on the accelerator pedal for the first few minutes of operation. A cold engine uses more fuel and is subject to increased wear. • At highway driving speeds, fuel consumption will be lower with the air conditioning on and the windows closed than with the air conditioning off and the windows open. • Using the onboard trip computer's fuel consumption modes can help you learn how to drive more economically. • Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle for driving short distances. This does not allow the engine to reach normal operating temperature. and hard braking. Weight distribution affects handling At the specified curb weight your vehicle has a tendency to understeer, which means that the steering wheel has to be turned more than might seem appropriate for the curvature of a bend. This ensures good stability and reduces the risk of rear wheel skid. Remember that these properties can alter with the vehicle load. The heavier the load in the cargo area, the less the tendency to understeer. Other factors that decrease gas mileage are: • Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration 06 • Use the transmission's Drive (D) position as often as possible and avoid using kickdown. Dirty air cleaner Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter Dragging brakes Incorrect front end alignment • On models with a manual transmission, use the highest gear possible, depending on the vehicle's speed. Some of the above mentioned items and others are checked at the standard maintenance intervals. • Do not exceed posted speed limits. • Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the vehicle. 142