mrbuddy

I've been driving a 2008 LS460 for a year now with 120k on the odometer. Usually right before the next oil change comes due per the sticker I start getting a low oil light periodically, mostly while idling. I've never pulled the dipstick before today after getting a low oil light. After about 5 minutes sitting in the garage the dip stick comes out bone dry. What?!?

Last oil change was in March so I'm not quite due yet. The car is not leaking on the ground, seems to be in great shape and shows no other major symptoms.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

This is a common issue with these cars and nothing to really be concerned about, Like FunFact stated you need to periodically check the oil level on any car but especially this one. It's not unusual to be down a quart or two around the 3500- 4000 mile mark. Do I think that's acceptable? NO but like I said it seems to be a common thing and nothing to get worked up about.

mrbuddy

Not sure the sensitivity of the dipstick. Down a quart or two means no reading?

tx170754

If your last oil change was done in March, and assuming that they put the right amount of oil in it and you did not drive the car for several thousand of miles, end even so, if there is no sign of oil on your dipstick you may have a big oil consumption problem, which at 120,000 miles you shouldn’t have, I would take car to a dealer and have them check it. You can also add oil to the middle mark on the dipstick and then check it periodically, if the level goes down fast then you have a problem.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

I may be only an n-of-one (well, maybe two) but I've never had this issue with my 2007 (100,000 miles) or 2014 (40,000 miles) LS. I don't think using a quart or more of oil over 5000 miles is normal, despite the small group of people that have posted this issue on the forum.

jdanielca

Try again when the engine is cold like let it sit a long while the check again.

Ppl need to be checking their own oil levels every week or so, just in case, if something happens you can catch it.

JPauwels

I'll add to what everyone else is saying here. NEVER wait for your oil light to come on. By the time you see that light, your engine may have already sustained damage. It's not meant to be used for that purpose. It's more of a final warning to stop driving immediately and add oil before you experience catastrophic engine failure. If you check the oil when the oil light is on, I'd expect it to be bone dry because that's all the light does is save you from destroying your engine by running it without oil. It's not meant to be used like a fuel light.

That goes for any car and not just this model. Since you know that it's losing oil, whatever the reason, you should check it periodically and add oil as needed to keep it filled to the appropriate level.

mrbuddy

I was two quarts low after 2,000 miles of driving. I'll start keeping a closer eye on it.

UDel

Generally yes.

I can pour a 5 quart jug of oil in my GS430 and would get no reading or just at the very bottom of the dipstick, it was the last quart of oil which gave the reading and made the difference between low and the correct amount.

You need to put a lot of oil in the engine before you get even a low reading on a dipstick. Just because your dipstick reads low or does not show oil does not mean you still don't have a good amount of oil in the engine, the dipstick is only really reading the top level of oil. You still have to add oil and keep it at the correct level but it is not like the engine has no oil in it and being run dry just because there is no oil reading on the dipstick, there is a margin.



The LS is known for consuming oil, it also has a very large sump which is why it takes over 9 quarts for a relatively small V8.

colfax

My 07 with 115,000 miles now burns about a quart every 800-1000 miles.

I keep in the garage around five quarts of 0-20 full synthetic from Autozone's brand STP because it is their cheapest, I check level every two weeks add as necessary.

I used to change at 5000 miles but I have now switched to 7500 as the oil at 5000 is still very good and clear looking.

stasek

I had a brain cramp and forgot to check oil in our ‘08 w/126k miles. We wife drives the car on daily basis. Lo and behold, I’m driving the car couple weeks ago and the low oil light comes on. I was only few miles away from home (the light would stay in for few seconds and disappear), so made it home without any issues. Roughly 2.5 quarts later, the oil got to the middle of the dipstick markings.

703

It is not normal at all. Mine only loses 0.5 quart between oil changes. Anything more your engine consumes oil excessively

UDel

Wow, talk about a lack of reading comprehension.

Lets break down why you should re read things before you post, why you are wrong, and point out why you are arguing against something that was never said.

First of all I said GENERALLY. Not all cases.

It was not just my GS430, it is all the cars I have owned and changed oil, I just gave a example of my GS430.

I never once said not to keep your oil at the correct levels, not to watch it, to do nothing about a low reading, or it is okay to drive a car that is reading low oil or nothing shows up on the dipstick, nor did I give any advice on any way of maintaining your vehicle that way, don't know how you got that. Actually this is what I said since you missed it the first time.
"You still have to add oil and keep it at the correct level"

This was not just my personal experience but car mechanics telling me what I said too, again neither the mechanics nor I ever said to not check your oil periodically, to not do anything about a low/no oil reading(you need to add oil to get it to the proper level), just that if your reading is low or you don't get the reading in most cases you don't have to panic thinking you ran the engine dry, it normally does not mean you have no oil in the engine as it still takes a good amount of oil to even get a reading. Being just a quart or 2 low can give a very low reading or no reading in many cases, it is not like the engine had no oil in it.





Definitely don't listen to this guy telling you to drain your oil and then measure it to see how much oil you have in your engine when you have a low reading, terrible advice.

tx170754

Apparently he also had a “low oil warning” along with no oil sign on the dipstick, not so sure what’s happening there but unless they did not put the right amount of oil when they did change it, his engine definitely has an oil problem, the dealer could probably easy detect it, compression test, etc. It is really a surprise for me to hear that oil consumption is a common Lexus problem, my 460 is the second Japanese car, the first was a M45, I have always drove German cars but never had an oil consumption problem...

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

Lexus states in the owners manual that anything up to 1.1 quarts every 600 miles is acceptable oil consumption. 1.1 or over they tell to contact the nearest dealer for an oil consumption test. So Lexus had the engine built, tested and produced with all this in mind. Now I don't like the fact that the scary LOW ENGINE OIL light comes on btw 3-4k miles into a 5k oil change but according to the manufacturer this is normal. If you don't like what Lexus deems normal your free to get rid of the car and try another manufacturers normal. From what I've read lots of these newer engines burn a certain amount of oil and it's considered normal throughout the industry. I keep 5 gallon jugs around so I can top up the oil and just keep driving my car. FYI my 400 never burned oil but that engine can't even compare to the 460.