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The Car Baggage & Large Loads
Once again the official book has lots of pages on basic car parts, how the clutch works, etc. That stuff is not going to be covered here, as the audience of this web page is assumed to be experienced adult drivers. However, some maintenance questions could come up on the test, so they will be discussed below. Since the U.S. license exams never cover this, it may or may not be new information for you.
Maintenance
The periodic government inspection required for cars was discussed in the Official Papers section. In addition that that, you need to regularly check the fluid levels in the car:
- Antifreeze / coolant
- Windshield wiper fluid
- Battery
- Motor oil
- Brake fluid
Most cars have indicator lights in the dashboard that indicate mechanical or fluid level problems.
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| You should replace your spark plugs ("bougies d'allumage") every 15,000 km. |
| A dirty air filter causes a richer fuel mixture, which leads to extra fuel consumption. |
| Underinflated tires wear out faster and cause much higher fuel consumption. |
Economical Driving
| Air resistance at 130 km/hr is nearly 2X the air resistance at 90 km/hr. Thus, the fuel consummed is not linearly proportional to the speed. |
In order to reduce wind resistance, you should avoid things that reduce the car's aerodynamics:
- Lowering windows
- Mis-centered loads
- Carrying baggage on the roof
- Leaving a roof rack ("galerie") that is not being used ... causes the car to consume 1 liter more of fuel per 100 km at 100 km/hr
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| There is a huge difference between the fuel consumption of a nervous driver and a calm one: around 40% on the same route. |
| It is not helpful to warm up a cold engine. Just drive calmly until the engine warms itself up. |
| Cut the engine when you will be sitting for a long period of time (traffic jam, toll booth, etc.) |
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