Never coast with the engine off
Many units don't work (e.g. signaling devices, brake booster, power steering, airbag systems). You are putting yourself and other road users at risk.
Brake booster
Do not start driving until a vacuum is created in the vacuum brake booster, otherwise considerable effort must be applied to the brake pedal when braking.
Power steering
If the power steering fails, for example during towing with the engine off, the vehicle will still be steerable, but more effort is required.
Motor shaft speed
In all road conditions, drive the car in the optimal range of engine speeds.
Downshifting
When reducing the speed, switch to a lower gear, do not slip the clutch at increased engine speeds. This is especially important when driving in mountainous conditions.
Clutch
Fully depress the clutch pedal to prevent difficulty shifting and damage to the transmission. There should be no mats near the pedals.
Do not use the clutch pedal as a footrest while driving, otherwise accelerated wear of the clutch discs may occur.
Battery safety
When driving at low speeds or during stops, such as when driving in the city, during short trips and traffic jams, switch off electrical consumers if possible (glass heating, extra lights, etc.).
When starting the engine, disengage the clutch to avoid idling resistance of the gearbox, unload the starter and battery.
Idling
The engine consumes fuel even when idling.
Even during stops longer than 1 minute, it makes sense to stop the engine. Five minutes of engine idling corresponds to one kilometer of travel.
Forced idle mode
During overrun, the fuel supply is automatically cut off, eg when driving downhill or when braking.
During this mode, do not "accelerate" and do not disengage the clutch so that the fuel cut-off system works to reduce fuel consumption.
Shift gears in time
High engine speeds increase the wear of vehicle components and fuel consumption.
Do not bring the speed to high values. Too high speed in individual gears or steps increases the wear of vehicle components and fuel consumption.
Tachometer control helps save fuel. Try to drive the car in each gear at low engine speeds (approx. between 2000 and 3000 rpm) and at a uniform speed.
Tire pressure
Tire pressure below the norm leads to increased costs due to increased fuel consumption and increased tire wear due to an increase in rolling resistance.
Additional consumers
Turning on additional power consumers increases fuel consumption.
Additional consumers should be turned off (air conditioning, heated rear window, extra lights, etc.), if their work is not required.
Driving tips
When driving through puddles, you must be extremely careful, as they can hide pits and bumps on which wheel disks and suspension parts can be damaged.
Moisture can get into the ignition system components and stop the engine when driving on the road during heavy rain. A good and reliable way to prevent dampening of the elements of the ignition system is to pre-treat them with water-repellent preparations in aerosol packaging.
Pay special attention and caution in the first minutes after the onset of rain, as moistened dust on the road surface forms a soapy film that sharply reduces the grip of tires on the road.
Regularly while driving, lightly brake the car to dry the brakes, as the effectiveness of damp brakes drops sharply.
When overtaking, turn on the windshield wiper to the maximum mode, as this will help to avoid loss of visibility due to the possible release of water from under the wheel of the vehicle being overtaken. It is advisable to apply such precautions even if you are overtaken.
At dusk, turn on your headlights. If your car is painted in a dark color, turn on the low beam a little earlier, so against the background of dark asphalt your car is not noticeable and its appearance for oncoming drivers becomes unexpected.
Be careful on wet or slippery roads. Avoid sudden braking with the risk of blocking the wheels, which will inevitably lead to a skid. To this end, drive the car smoothly, without sharp turns.
The braking distance depends on the reliability of the brake system itself, the condition of the tire tread, the vehicle load, the road profile, the type and condition of the road surface, and the speed of the vehicle. The braking distance increases in proportion to the square of the speed, i.e. if the speed doubles, then the braking distance increases fourfold.
To prevent brake pads from freezing to the drums after driving on wet roads with sudden temperature fluctuations, do not leave the car in an open area with the parking brake applied without drying the brakes by gently braking when driving to the parking lot.