Driving
Driving
General notes
Running in
A new vehicle should be run in over a distance of
1,500 km. For the first 1,000 km the engine
speed should not exceed 2/3 of the maximum
permissible engine speed - do not use full throt
tle. From 1,000 to 1,500 km you can gradually
increase the engine rpm and road speed.
During its first few hours of running, the internal
friction in the engine is greater than later on
when all the moving parts have bedded down.
How the vehicle is driven for the first 1,500 km
also influences the engine quality. After this peri
od you should continue driving at moderate en
gine speeds, in particular when the engine is
cold. This helps to reduce wear and tear on the
engine and increases the potential mileage which
can be covered by the engine.
You should also avoid driving with the engine
speed too
Low.
Change down to a lower gear
when the engine no longer runs "smoothly". Ex
cessively high engine speeds are prevented by an
automatic rev limiter.
Driving through water on roads
Please note the following in order to prevent
damage to the vehicle when driving through wa
ter (e.g. on flooded roads):
- The water level must not be higher than the ve
hicle's underbody.
- Do not drive faster than walking pace.
A
WARNING
After driving through water, mud, sludge,
etc., the braking effect can be delayed slightly
due to moisture on the discs and brake pads.
Applying the brakes carefully several times
will remove the moisture and restore the full
braking effect.
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CAUTION
Parts of the vehicle (e.g. engine, gearbox, run
ning gear or electrical components) can be
badly damaged when driving through water.
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Note
- It is advisable to check the depth at the
deepest point before approaching the wa-
ter.
- Do NOT stop the vehicle, drive in reverse or
switch off the engine before you are out of
the water.
- Bear in mind that waves created by oncom
ing traffic could exceed the permissible
wading depth of your vehicle.
- Avoid driving through salt water (corrosion).
How to improve economy and minimise
pollution
Fuel economy, environmental impact and wear
on the engine, brakes and tyres depend largely
on the way you drive the vehicle. By adopting an
economical driving style and anticipating the
traffic situation ahead, you can reduce fuel con
sumption by 10-15%. The following section gives
you some tips on lessening the impact on the en
vironment and reducing your operating costs at
the same time.
Anticipate well in advance
A car uses most fuel when accelerating. If you an
ticipate hazards and speed changes well in ad
vance, you will need to brake less and thus accel
erate less. Wherever possible, let the car slow
down gradually
with a gear engaged,
for in
stance when you can see that the next traffic
lights are red.
Change gear early to save fuel
An effective way of saving fuel is to
change up
quickly
through the gears. Running the engine at
high rpm in the lower gears uses an unnecessary
amount of fuel. Press the accelerator slowly and
avoid using the "kick-down" feature.
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