Been noticing every time I get on the freeway as I come down the ramp I’m spewing quite the cloud of exhaust out the back.

This isn’t flooring the car, I’d say it’s maybe half to 3/4 acceleration and shifting by 4500 rpm or so.

But man today it was almost embarrassing the amount of smoke it spit out.

Is this normal? My old 3.0L turbo bmw never did this. The Lexus does it every time.

It isn’t blue. Pretty sure not white. I would say it’s black and sooty or particulate looking. Like it’s “blowing out the carbon” or something. But this is every on-ramp.

Car only has 4900 miles. It runs perfectly though it still seems to smell “hot” when I get home like a new engine.

Wondering if I need to take it in.

 

My car puts out quite a bit of white exhaust smoke mainly in cold weather when it is revving out at high rpm. Engine coolant and oil levels never drop.
I spoke to a Lexus tech at my dealership about this and he agreed with my assumption that it is due to condensation that collects in the rather complex exhaust system. The LS500 has a true dual exhaust system that has gasoline particulate filters, catalytic converters, resonators and mufflers. If your engine coolant and engine oil levels never drop then I wouldn’t worry about it. Two turbochargers put out very hot exhaust also which help vaporize any moisture in the system. I notice this smoke tends to cease on longer trips.
Yeah, I like those freeway entrance ramps too. It’s a great opportunity to experience the strong acceleration of the LS500.

 

Why is telling us the year of your vehicle such a state secret on this forum?

If it's a seven year old car with low mileage that usually goes on short trips, that can affect the answer.

 

His isn't white. Yours is condensation. His is carbon.

 

These cars have particulate filters?! I didn’t even know gasoline cars used those. I know they’re not great with diesels.

Car is a 2024. Had it 12 months. So about 4900 miles a year. Most driving is around town and expressway maybe once every week or two weeks.

I’ll keep an eye on coolant and oil. I may also find an open backroad and give the car a few hard acceleration runs in a row and see how it goes. If it cleans up then I probably won’t worry so much.

But will admit it is embarrassing to see cloud of pollution out the back of a brand new LS. Nice car. Cool smoke cloud. Ha.

 

Are you using Tier 1 gasoline? Apparently it does matter.

 

Always Costco! Which I am quite certain I’ve seen on the Top Tier list.

 

Yup they are there.

 

Turbo engines are designed with larger rings gaps and have more blow by than NA engines. I'd make sure to check your oil level to make sure it's consistent. If you don't have any codes it's just how it is. It's possible your PCV valve is in need of replacement? If it's excessive it may be oil making it by the piston cylinders and getting burnt. It's also possible that if you do mostly short trips your cats don't always get up to temp, so when you floor it once and a while all the excess carbon in the cats get burnt as once.

 

If that were the case we'd all see the same smoke and I don't think we do. At the very least I'd report it to the dealer for warranty purposes.

 

Is Tier 1 gasoline available in non ethanol?

 

I agree w/ the above that we'd all have the same issue if it were a result of the car's design. I can definitely vouch for having a rather unsightly cloud of whitish condensation the 1st time I floor it (when/if i do) but it's only the 1st time. Thereafter that day there is no cloud. I would insist the local Lexus tech take a ride with you so he can witness 1st hand the issue. Then there's no denying the symptom. Bear in mind, these cars are relatively rare and techs have little experience w/ them, so it's a process to get the tech, service manager, and ultimately the regional Lexus manager on board that Lexus needs to step up for diagnosis/repair of an odd issue (because there just isn't much opportunity for these guys to encounter issues outside the norm on this model).

 

Good point. You'd hope the senior techs are placed on any work orders on these cars, but my guess is that maximizing dealer profit is the goal on their assignments.

 

Appreciate the suggestions. Haven't gotten out there for a few hard acceleration runs to see if it happens only the first time or every time. Will definitely follow up when I have more info.

 

I have same situation with my 2022 LS 500.When I bought it with sixty five hundred miles and experienced the white smoke you guys are talking about.
i believe my dealer is trained to ignore the issue. When I bring it up they just say that no one has ever complained about that! Very hard to believe they don't know about it!!!