sreddy

I have mileage problems with brand new TL, However careful I drive for better mileage I'm not getting more than average 18 MPG. So far total 750 miles and total close 4 tanks of gas.

Am I lost or missing anything? Did anyone experience same issues. Picked up the car with 50 miles on odometer few weeks ago from dealership. Just wondering I'm not the only one experiencing this in break-in period.

I live in northern Virginia and 60% to 65 % Highway and 35% to 40% city driving. Based on the specs I should be averaging over 22 MPG and close to 25 MPG.

-Sam

Fulani has a TL

iTrader: (1)

Your answer lies within living in NOVA!!!! haha, I lived there and got shitty mileage too. Do you perhaps drive on 495 alot? that stop and go traffic on there will play a number on your mileage as well as ALL the other roads like, 28, 7, 66, 95.... you get the point

tclavell

WOW!! only 18MPG. I have an 07 Type-S and since day one I have been averaging 24MPG.

I drive about 80 miles a day in stop and go traffic. Are you using premium fuel?

Entranced

Mileage will improve after the initial "break-in" period. I have heard this can take anywhere from 1000-5000 miles. My '07 TL has close to 5k on it, and it still gets horrible MPG on city streets. However, take it on a long trip, and you'll see mileage upwards of 31+ MPG.

darksky

@sreddy - Are you basing your 18 MPG average on what the onboard computer is telling you, or on the miles driven divided by what you physically put into the tank? I have found my onboard computer to be wrong (too high by 4-5 MPG) on every tank so far.

Winter gas formulations will negatively affect your gas mileage as will low ambient temperatures. Also find out if your gas station is using an E10 blend or pure gasoline (E10 contains 10 % Ethanol). Ethanol will give you inferior mileage. Also, what's your driving style (hard acceleration or easy acceleration)? How many red lights did you hit? Both of these factors have a huge effect on mileage.

I didn't calculate my mileage on my 2008 until after the first 900 miles since I was driving it pretty aggressively on stop-and-go city streets (no highway) during the break-in period. After that, I'm finding that my highway mileage is about 27 when it's over 30 °F. It dropped to 24 for the same highway trip (~250 miles) when the temp was under 10 °F. Again, this is using winter fuel E10 blends (I can't find any stations around here that sell pure fuel anymore).

One thing I forgot to mention is that you want to verify that your odometer is accurately counting your miles traveled. You'll need a long stretch of the same highway (in other words consistently numbered mile markers) to figure this out. If for example you travel 100 miles as-per highway mile markers, but your odometer reads 108 miles, you have an error built into your MPG calculations.

Bearcat94

What's your average speed (according to the MID)?

If you're doing primarily highway miles at highway speeds, you MPG should be around 30 for those miles.

Most of our miles are around town - moderate traffic short commutes - and our MPG Average (over ~3,000 mile period) is ~18, BUT our average speed is only around 20 MPH.

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

I always say the break in period ends the day the mid tells you it is time for your first oil change

Immedietly after my first oil change I noticed a jump in mpg on the mid by 2mpg, went from 15-17 (I live in nyc lol)

currently I am at 11mpg, no comment, I just did some mods and I've been ripping it up on the highway

JD TL-S

iTrader: (1)

With my 07 TL-S I got 17-18 in 90% city driving. Don't get on the highway much. When I did go to Chicago, it was like being in a race. So didn't get good mpg going there.

darksky

@Bearcat94 - the average speed according to the MID is always about 4 MPH less than the indicated speed in the speedo. The speedo is off by ~3 % which I have established experimentally (timing known distances at different speeds and by a GPS). The MID is therefore off by ~6 % of the true speed.

sreddy

Based on filled 4 fulltanks of gas and trip comuter.

I have not seen gas station that sell gas with no Ethanol %, Use 91 or 93 rating gas from costco gas station. I was very easy on acceleration to ensure I follow brek-in recommendations, kinda following AAA advise of "think that you have egg under your gas pedal".

True, I don't see either here in N. Va that sell pure fuel.

I have 10 yrs old Lexus ES300, consistently getting 25 on the same roads I drive my TL. Its definitely got to do either with break-in period or somthing wrong. Any further ideas to narrow down the problems with mileage?

sreddy

I will always maintain between 50 and 60 MPH, very rare that I reach 70 just to let engine feel RPM variations in the break-in period.

I hate cars

Mileage will always be lower when the car is breaking in. Combined with winter gas the mileage could be down by 4-5mpg. I suggest not babying it too much during break-in. A few hard runs are good for it. I keep very close tabs on the mileage and the car always drops by a solid 2-3mpg in the winter. My best mileage on my weekly 4 hour trip is 35mpg in the summer and I struggled to get 30 on my last trip.