Page 86 - Driving Commercial Vehicles Manual

chapter 4 — fuel-efficient driving

Maintaining your vehicle
driving tip
Regular maintenance keeps your vehicle running well, helps you avoid
Low-viscosity lubricants such unexpected delays caused by vehicle breakdowns, and helps maintain fuel
as synthetic motor oil can efficiency. Fix small problems before they become big — and more expensive.
improve fuel economy by up
to four per cent.

Regular maintenance helps
the fuel efficiency of your
vehicle.

In addition to scheduling regular maintenance, you should:

• Ensure your tires are inflated according to the manufacturer’s
recommendations. For every 10 p.s.i. (69 kPa) underinflated, one per cent
of fuel is wasted.
• Before you begin driving, it’s the law to do a pre-trip inspection, and it can
help you avoid breakdowns during your trip.

• Ensure all fluid levels such as motor oil and coolant are correct —
underfilling or overfilling can damage your vehicle.
• Continually monitor your vehicle’s condition during the trip:
• Check the gauges on your instrument panel frequently. Conduct enroute
inspections, including tires and cargo, at least every three hours.
• Monitor the air filter restriction indicator for signs that the filter is
becoming plugged or contaminated.
• Check for air leaks. They affect the use and effectiveness of the vehicle’s
air brakes. They also make the air compressor keep running longer, and
this reduces fuel efficiency.
• Do a post-trip inspection to spot problems that could delay you next time.

71