Volvo 2001 S80 - Manual (Page 108)

2001 Volvo S80
adjusting the speed of your vehicle to immediate traffic conditions. Observe the following rules:
· 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.
· Whenever possible, avoid using the car for driving short distances. This does not allow the engine to
reach normal operating temperature.
· Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking.
· Do not exceed posted speed limits.
· Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the car.
· Maintan correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
· 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.
· Avoid using automatic transmission kickdown feature unless necessary.
· However, at higher 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.
Other factors which decrease gas mileage are:
· Worn or dirty spark plugs
· Incorrect spark plug gap
· Dirty air cleaner
· Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
· Dragging brakes
· Incorrect front end alignment
Some of the above mentioned items and others are checked at the standard Maintenance Service
intervals.
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as often as possible and
avoid using "kickdown" to help improve fuel economy.
Cooling system
The risk for engine overheating is greatest, especially in hot weather, when:
· Towing a trailer up steep inclines for prolonged periods at wide open throttle and low engine rpm.
· Stopping the engine suddenly after high speed driving (so-called "after-boiling" can occur).
· To avoid overheating, the following rules should be followed: Do not drive for prolonged periods at
engine speeds above 4500 rpm if you are towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
· Reduce speed when towing a trailer up long, steep inclines. The risk of overheat-ing can be reduced by
switching off the air conditioning system for a short time.
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