Get Driving -> Economic driving style Guide for Volkswagen California Van Third Generation (2015-2024)

Information on “cleaning” the particulate filter

The engine management system recognises when the particulate filter is becoming saturated and supports

regeneration of the particulate filter by recommending the most suitable gear when driving. Compared with normal

driving, this may mean driving with an increased engine speed (→ Particulate filter).

CAUTION

The gear-change indicator is only designed to assist the driver and cannot replace the driver's own judgement.

● The driver has full responsibility for selecting the correct gear in all situations(e.g. when overtaking, driving up

and down hills and when towing a trailer).

Driving in the correct gear can help to reduce fuel

consumption.

Gear-change indicator display goes out when the clutch is depressed in vehicles with a manual gearbox or

when Tiptronic position is deselected in vehicles with a DSG^®dual clutch gearbox.

Economic driving style

Fig. 1 Fuel consumption in litres per 100 km at two

different outside temperatures.

Fuel consumption, environmental impact and wear of the engine, brakes and tyres can be reduced by adopting the

correct driving style. A few tips are provided below which will help you protect the environment and also save

money.

Think ahead when driving

The fuel consumption will increase if you do not adopt a steady driving style. Keeping a close eye on the traffic can

help to avoid frequent acceleration and braking. Keeping a sufficient distance from the vehicle in front will help you

to think ahead when driving.

With a gear engaged, allow the vehicle to come to a halt by itself to make use of the engine braking effect, e.g. when

approaching traffic lights.

Use coasting mode

Depending on equipment, for vehicles with DSG dual clutch gearbox:If neither the accelerator nor brake pedal are

pressed in selector lever position D, the vehicle will roll (“coast”) almost without any energy consumption.

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Save energy when changing gear

Changing up a gear early at engine speeds of 2,000 rpm can save energy. Do not drive gears to the limit and avoid

high revs.

Vehicles with a manual gearbox:change from first to second gear immediately after moving off.

Vehicles with DSG dual clutch gearbox: Accelerate slowly and avoid using the kickdown function.

Observe the gear-change indicator (→ Gear-change indicator).

Avoid driving at full throttle

Never make use of the vehicle’s top speed. The drag coefficient increases at excessively high speeds. This in turn

increases the force needed to move the vehicle.

Reduce idling

Pull away immediately with low engine speeds. If you are stopped for a long period, do not allow the engine to idle

but switch it off, e.g. when in a traffic jam or at a railway crossing.

In vehicles with an activated start/stop system, the engine can switch off automatically when the vehicle is stopping

and when the vehicle is stationary .

Refuel moderately

A full fuel tank increases the weight of the vehicle. A fuel tank that is half to three quarters full is sufficient for urban

journeys in particular.

Avoid short journeys

A cold engine has very high fuel consumption. The optimum operating temperature is reached only after driving a

few kilometres. The fuel consumption is above average at very low ambient temperatures, e.g. in winter → Fig. 1.

Plan journeys economically and combine short journeys.

Carry out regular maintenance

Regular maintenance is an essential prerequisite for economical driving and increases the service life of the vehicle.

Observe the tyre pressures

Low tyre pressures does not just mean greater wear, but also increases the rolling resistance of the tyres and thus the

fuel consumption. Use optimised rolling resistance tyres.

Adjust the tyre pressure according to the vehicle load. Observe the information on the tyre pressure sticker .

Observe the Tyre Pressure Loss Indicator or Tyre Pressure Monitoring System .

Use low viscosity engine oils

Fully synthetic engine oils with low viscosity reduce frictional resistance in the engine and spread better and more

quickly, especially for cold starts.

Do not drive with unnecessary loads in the vehicle

You can reduce fuel consumption by clearing out the luggage compartment before setting off, for example by

removing empty drink crates or unused child seats.

In order to keep the drag coefficient of the vehicle as low as possible, remove attachments and add-on parts such as

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ski, bicycle or roof load carriers after use.

Save electrical energy

The alternator is driven by the engine and generates electrical power for convenience consumers such as the air

conditioning system, windscreen heating and ventilation. Reducing electrical power consumption is easy. Observe the

following points:

—Open the windows and doors before driving at high outside temperatures and drive for a short distance with a

window open. Only then switch the air conditioning system on.

—Switch the convenience consumers off as soon as they have served their purpose.

WARNING

Adapt your speed and distance from the vehicles ahead to suit visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions.

NOTICE

Never allow the vehicle to roll down mountains or hills in the neutral positionN. The gearbox will not be lubricated

and could be damaged.

Inform yourself about other ways of protecting the environment.Think Blue. is the global Volkswagen

trademark for sustainability and environmental compatibility.

A suitably qualified workshop will provide you with further information on the correct maintenance and

replacement parts that are particularly energy-efficient, e.g. new tyres.

Information on the brakes

New brake padscannot generate the full braking effect during the first 200 to 300 km and must first be “run in”→

. However, you can compensate for the slightly reduced braking force by applying more pressure to the brake

pedal. During the run-in period, the braking distance is longer when the brakes are depressed fully or during

emergency braking than with that have been fully run in. In the run-in period, the brakes should not be depressed

fully and situations should be avoided that create a heavy load on the brakes, e.g. when driving up close to the vehicle

ahead.

The rate of wear of the brake pads depends to a great extent on the conditions under which the vehicle is operated

and the way in which the vehicle is driven. If the vehicle is used for regular urban trips or short journeys and is driven

with a sporty driving style, the brake pads must be regularly checked by a qualified workshop.

When driving withwet brakes, for example after driving through water, after heavy rainfall or after washing the

vehicle, the braking effect may be delayed as the brake discs will be wet, or possibly iced up (in winter). The brakes

must be “dried” as quickly as possible by careful braking at higher speed. Make sure that no following vehicle and no

other road user is put at risk as a result of this action →

Any salt layer accumulating on the discs and padswill delay the braking effect and increase the braking distance. If

the brakes on the vehicle have not been applied for a long time on roads that have been gritted with salt, the layer of

salt must be reduced through careful braking →

Corrosion on the brake discs anddirt in the brake pads are facilitated through long periods of inactivity, low mileage

and low load levels. If the brake pads have been hardly used, or if they are at all corroded, we recommend that the

brake discs and brake pads be cleaned by braking strongly several times from high speed. Make sure that no

following vehicle and no other road user is put at risk as a result of this action →

Brake servo

The brake servo will only function when the engine is running and reinforces the pressure applied by the driver on

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Driving -> Economic driving style for Your Volkswagen California Van Third Generation (2015-2024)

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