Get Saving fuel and helping the environment Guide for Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

Saving fuel and helping the environment

¤ Introduction

In this section you’ll find information about:

Efficient driving style

Fuel-efficient driving

Fuel consumption, environmental impact, and wear and tear on en-

gine, brakes and tires depend mainly on the following 3 factors:

Your personal driving style.

External conditions (weather, road conditions).

Technical requirements.

You can reduce fuel consumption by up to 25% by using a few simple

techniques and adjusting your driving style.

WARNING

Always adjust your speed and the distance you keep between

you and the vehicles ahead of you to the road, traffic, weather,

and visibility conditions.

Efficient driving style

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

Shifting faster

As a rule, the following applies: The higher gear is always the most

efficient gear. The rule of thumb for most vehicles is to drive in 3rd

gear at 20 mph (30 km/h), 4th gear at 25 mph (40 km/h), 5th gear at

30 mph (50 km/h), and 6th gear at 36 mph (60 km/h).

If traffic and driving conditions permit, “skipping” gears when upshift-

ing also saves fuel.

Do not run the gears up to their limit. Use 1st gear only to start mov-

ing and then smoothly shift into 2nd gear. Avoid kick-downs in vehi-

cles with automatic transmissions.

Vehicles with gear recommendation aid in fuel efficient driving by in-

dicating the optimum time to shift gears.

Coasting

If you take your foot off the accelerator, fuel delivery to the engine is

interrupted, which lowers fuel consumption.

Therefore, when nearing a red stop light, for instance, allow the vehi-

cle to coast without using the accelerator. Press the clutch pedal and

release it only if the vehicle moving too slowly or the coasting dis-

tance is too long. The engine will then continue to run at idle.

In situations where the vehicle will be stopped for a longer period of

time, such as at a railroad crossing, physically switch off the engine.

Defensive driving and “flowing” with traffic

Frequent braking and acceleration increase fuel consumption signifi-

cantly. Just by driving defensively and keeping a sufficiently large

distance away from the vehicle in front of you can make up for the

speed fluctuations caused by taking your foot off the accelerator. Ac-

tive braking and accelerating is then not necessarily required.

Calm and smooth driving

Consistency is more important than speed. The more smoothly you

drive, the less fuel the vehicle consumes.

When driving on the highway or freeway, a constant, moderate speed

is more efficient and economical than constantly accelerating and

braking. Usually you can reach your destination just as quickly by

driving at a moderate, but steady speed.

The cruise control system can assist in maintaining a uniform driving

style.

Moderate use of extra electrical loads

Comfort inside the vehicle is nice and important, but it is important to

use them in an environmentally conscious manner.

Some devices can increase fuel consumption when activated (exam-

ples):

Climate control system (air conditioner): If the air conditioner has to

produce starkly contrasting temperatures, it requires a large amount

of energy, which is generated by the engine. The temperature in the

vehicle should therefore not be extremely different from that of the

outside temperature. It may be helpful to ventilate the vehicle before

driving and then to drive a short distance with the windows open. Af-

ter that, switch on the air conditioner with the windows closed. Keep

the windows closed when driving at high speeds. Open windows in-

crease fuel consumption.

Switch off seat heating once it has served its purpose.

Switch off the rear window defroster as soon as the windows are

free of fog and ice.

Additional factors that increase fuel consumption (examples):

Malfunctioning engine control.

Driving in the mountains.

Towing a trailer.

NOTICE

Never let the vehicle coast or roll down a hill in Neutral (N), es-

pecially when the engine is not running. The transmission will

not be lubricated and will be damaged.

Fuel-efficient driving

Fig. 147 Fuel consumption in mpg at 2 different outside air tempera-

tures.

Fig. 148 Fuel consumption in l/100 km at 2 different outside air tem-

peratures.

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

Driving defensively and economically can easily reduce fuel con-

sumption by 10 to 15%.

The vehicle consumes the most fuel when accelerating. Defensive

driving requires less braking and therefore less acceleration. If possi-

ble, coast the vehicle to a stop, for example, when you can see that

the next traffic light is red or about to turn red.

Avoid traveling short distances

A cold engine consumes significantly more fuel immediately after

starting. It takes a few miles (km) before the engine is warmed up and

fuel consumption is stabilized.

To reduce fuel consumption and the emission of pollutants effectively,

the engine and catalytic converter must reach their optimal operating

temperature. Critical in this context is also the outside air tempera-

ture.

fig. 148 and ⇒ꢀfig. 148 display the varying fuel consumption rates for

the same distance driven, once at +68 °F (+20 °C) and once at

+14 °F (-10 °C).

Therefore, avoid driving short distances unnecessarily and consoli-

date routes.

Under the same conditions, the vehicle consumes more fuel in winter

than in summer.

“Letting the engine run to warm up” is not only illegal in some places,

but also technically not necessary and wastes fuel.

Adjust the tire pressure

The proper tire pressure helps reduce rolling resistance as well as

fuel consumption.

When purchasing new tires, always make sure that the tires are opti-

mized for lower rolling resistance.

Use low viscosity engine oil

Fully “synthetic,” low viscosity engine oils that expressly comply with

Volkswagen oil quality standards reduce fuel consumption. Low vis-

cosity engine oils reduce the frictional resistance on the engine and

are distributed more evenly and quickly, particularly when cold-

starting the engine. The effect is particularly apparent in vehicles that

frequently travel short distances.

Always ensure the right engine oil level is maintained and keep to the

scheduled service intervals (engine oil changes).

Make sure the engine oil that you purchase expressly complies with

Volkswagen oil quality standards and is the oil approved by

Volkswagen for your vehicle.

Avoid unnecessary weight

The lighter the vehicle, the more economical and eco-friendly it will

be. For example, an extra 220 lbs (100 kg) of weight increases fuel

consumption by up to 1 pint per 60 miles (0.3 l/100 km).

Remove all unnecessary items and unnecessary dead weight from

the vehicle.

Remove unnecessary aftermarket components

The more aerodynamic the vehicle, the less fuel it will consume. Af-

termarket components such as bicycle racks reduce its aerodynamic

performance.

Therefore, remove unnecessary structures and unused rack systems,

particularly if planning to drive at higher speeds.

Saving fuel and helping the environment for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

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