Cadillac BLS Owner's Manual page 159

460_OM_MY09.book Page 159 Wednesday, April 2, 2008 10:32 AM
• Do not warm up the engine while the car
is stationary.
If idling, the engine will take much longer
to reach its optimum temperature, and
engine wear is at its greatest during this
period. Drive off as soon as possible after
starting the engine and avoid high engine
speeds.
• Drive as smoothly and carefully as pos-
sible. Match your driving to the prevailing
traffic conditions.
• Driving in a low gear gives rise to higher
fuel consumption than driving in a high
gear because of the higher engine speed
for any given road speed. Always change
up as soon as traffic conditions allow and
drive in the highest gear as much as
possible.
• Check the tyre pressure once a month.
Incorrect tyre pressure increases tyre
wear. It is preferable for the tyre pressure
to be slightly high than too low. Under-
pressure increases fuel consumption.
• Check the fuel consumption regularly.
Increased fuel consumption can indicate
that something is wrong and that the car
needs to be checked at a workshop.
We recommend that you contact an
authorised Cadillac workshop.
Practical road tests have demonstrated that
substantial savings in fuel consumption can
be made if the above advice is followed.
WARNING
Never switch off the engine while driving
as the effect of the brakes and power
steering will be greatly reduced.
Road conditions
Wet roads increase fuel consumption, as do
unmade roads and driving in hilly country
(the amount of fuel saved driving downhill is
less than the additional amount required to
climb the hill).
Starting and driving
Engine heaters 3
The use of an electric engine heater is
favourable for your car and the environ-
ment. Here are some of the advantages:
• Lower fuel consumption.
• Reduced wear on the engine.
• Cabin warms up faster.
• Considerably lower exhaust emissions on
short journeys.
The engine heater is effective at outside
temperatures up to +15 – +20 °C. The
warmer it is outside, the shorter the time the
engine heater needs to be connected.
Longer than 1.5 hours is unnecessary.
If the car is equipped with a removable,
electric cabin heater that is not in use, store
this in the luggage compartment.
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