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Two weeks ago I was contemplating replacing my Honda Accord with a smoother/quieter ride. I was shopping AutoTrader and found a 2006 ES330 an hour away from me that only had 17k miles on it. It was a 1-owner, Lexus-serviced vehicle with all the maintenance records. It was always garaged and was in pristine condition inside and out. I got it for $12,500. Got it home and since the tires were original Michelins, I promptly replaced them with a new set of Cooper UltraTouring S5s (love them!).
Anyway, last week I drove it from FL to Knoxville, TN (1600 mile R/T). I used Premium gas 93 going up and Regular 89 coming home. Through five tanks of gas my average for all highway driving was ~20mpg.
The ride was quiet and comfortable, but the gas mileage was a big disappointment. I wasn't expecting the same gas mileage as my 2010 Accord got last Fall, but I was expecting to get in the mid to upper 20's per tank.
Any ideas/suggestions as to what I can do to improve the mpg?
I am also considering an extended Warranty. My local Lexus dealer offered a 5year/50k warranty for $2300. Does that sound reasonable? Since it's a 9 year old "new" car, I am thinking it might be a good chance to take.
These cars have no major issues so I'd skip the warranty, especially on such an old car.
As for gas mileage, check the tire pressure to make sure the installers filled it correctly. Replace the air filter and double check for vacuum leaks.
Since the car has been sitting for so long, all the rubber parts have probably had a lot of time to deteriorate and become brittle. You should get to replacing these soon, namely the timing belt (skip the WP @ 17K miles), accessory belts, hoses and tires which you've already done.
I assume you've already had all the fluids flushed out and replaced, as they are overdue from age alone.
These cars have no major issues so I'd skip the warranty, especially on such an old car.
As for gas mileage, check the tire pressure to make sure the installers filled it correctly. Replace the air filter and double check for vacuum leaks.
Since the car has been sitting for so long, all the rubber parts have probably had a lot of time to deteriorate and become brittle. You should get to replacing these soon, namely the timing belt (skip the WP @ 17K miles), accessory belts, hoses and tires which you've already done.
I assume you've already had all the fluids flushed out and replaced, as they are overdue from age alone.
Thanks, speedkar9. The tires are brand new, nitrogen filled and up to proper inflation. I will replace the air filter this week.
The timing belt was replaced at 15k by the original owner at the recommendation of the Lexus dealership. A brand new 7-year battery installed in Feb. 2015.
I will need to check the records concerning the fluids being flushed. Not sure if that has been done or not.
Normally I don't recommend doing it, but in your case it may be applicable.
Disconnect the car battery for about 20 minutes. This will reset the ECU and allow the computer to adjust to your particular driving style instead of that of the previous owner.
If you have an OBD II code reader, than check for any codes in memory before performing the reset.
After the reset, you may find that your MPG will gradually improve.
What a crazy find! Welcome to Club Lexus. The above users have already said what I'd recommend. Let me know if you have any other questions regarding the 4ES. You'll love it.
The timing belt was replaced at 15k by the original owner at the recommendation of the Lexus dealership. A brand new 7-year battery installed in Feb. 2015.
I will need to check the records concerning the fluids being flushed. Not sure if that has been done or not.
Fluids probably haven't been done, but hey that's a small thing when compared to the timing belt job... That's done, well, you're laughing now.
*they probably just changed the belt itself, so there is a very good chance its still on original coolant - this depends on your pickiness whether to flush or not. I'd do a transmission drain & fill, since the oil is simply old at this point, again, cheap.
Skip the warranty. Eventually you can go to the dealer and get the transmission flashed to a better firmware, which changes the shift points. It's a slight improvement which is worth it and costs around 100$ [in canada]
These cars are notorious for being jerky - not a sign that the trans is failing but the way they were made is all...
Eventually you can go to the dealer and get the transmission flashed to a better firmware, which changes the shift points. It's a slight improvement which is worth it and costs around 100$ [in canada]
I would definitely not do that; and I would recommend someone else investigate it REALLY thoroughly before doing it.
The original engineering criticism of the shifting was about inadequate mounting. The upper strut and front lower mounts don't stabilize the PT well enough and then they fail prematurely. Replacing/inspecting these is usually enough to make it manageable. Full synthetic fluid smooths it out a bit, too. I am running MaxLife in it the AT and just switching to that helped (among other things like new mounts).
The factory PCU software "hack" was really not a real fix. It changes shift points to minimize driveling lash, but does not address the real mechanical root of the problem. And it robs a lot of MPGs in the process and I've heard those who have had it done really b**** about the results, some loosing 4 to 5 mpg in the process.
Anyway, last week I drove it from FL to Knoxville, TN (1600 mile R/T). I used Premium gas 93 going up and Regular 89 coming home. Through five tanks of gas my average for all highway driving was ~20mpg.
You measured this by the gas pump meter and odometer, not trusting the computer, right? The computer is useless for long-term average mpg.
Re mileage: our 02 can get 30mpg highway (even with over 200k miles on it) if I use 93 octane E0 gas (no ethanol), and drive the speed limit. My mileage plummets if I use ethanol blends, or low octanes. Speed is also a strong factor as you likely know. So these can be a factor even before mechanical issues. 89 octane, 80mph, mediocre ethanol gas, driving style - 20 or low 20s mpg can be a reasonable result.
Otherwise, MAF sensor, check that PCV valve is operating (not clogged), and critical that there are no air leaks in the intake system and vacuum lines as mentioned. PFB's comment about re-setting the computer is good and I recommend it, too. I did that on ours once to let it re-learn and my shifting smoothed and mpg's improved. I also got a small mpg bump from going to full synthetic 5w-30 oil like Mobil 1 and Pennzoil Platinum. I run those now and really appreciate the improved engine smoothness, long service interval, and small mpg boost. VERY worth the small added cost up front if you do your own oil changes.
05-03-15, 06:03 PM
First time Lexus owner: 2006 ES330 w/17k miles
