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Hi all, New to the forum here! Just recently got my 2008 Acura TL Type S AT. I have to say, I really really like driving the car but I've noticed a few things about it.
One, the gas mileage on seems to be pretty bad. I seem to be getting about 400-420 km out of a full 60L tank city driving. I haven't had the chance to drive on the highway for any reasonable amount of time so I don't know how the highway driving is. Is this normal? The car is reaching 100,000 km, and I have to inspect the spark plugs. My front tires are bald, and need to get them replaced. Will these things affect gas mileage at all? The car also seems to be lacking low end torque, and have seen a few people mention that the AT does lack that low end torque, but again was just wondering if it was normal. Should I inspect anything else regarding the gas mileage?
Also, I love the Type S rims that come with the car. However, my tires are getting bald now and need to get new tires. Should I keep a separate set for winters and summers so I don't ruin the rims, or should I get all seasons? My question is, will the winter snow/salt/water ruin the rims?
Lastly, I want to increase the power on the car. I know this kind of contradicts my gas mileage concern but what are some bolt ons I can put on that will give me some reasonable power for reasonable money?
Thanks for the help everyone
Also, how do I adjust the handbrake on this car? I believe the handbrake is electronically controlled (correct me if I'm wrong) and I don't know if my handbrake is not sending the signal on the rear discs or my rear brakes are just worn? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Last edited by Steven Bell; 11-08-2016 at 07:16 PM.
Reason: Merged Posts
Your bold front tires will make a big impact on your MPG. The Type S is not great on gas I average 17mpg mix
do replace your spark plugs. I replaced mine at 90k and they were bad. Also check your air filter.
Yes it lacks low end torque unless you floor it, cause max torque is reached around 6k RPM
Also, how do I adjust the handbrake on this car? I believe the handbrake is electronically controlled (correct me if I'm wrong) and I don't know if my handbrake is not sending the signal on the rear discs or my rear brakes are just worn? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
I have a 2004 TL AT, I was trying to take out the shifter plastic covers so I could paint them and I ended up removing the cup holder and discovered the handbrake cable. I forgot the wrench/socket size but you can adjust the cable from there, I made mine much tighter. It holds my car when in drive, with about 5-7 clicks it holds tight.
To remove the cupholder you need to pull up on the aluminum trims, and after you remove them, you need to take out 4-6 screws to get the cupholder out. It was difficult for me remove and place it back, only because I never have done something like this before, but there should be an either way.
OP my gas mileage is 17 MPG City (I live in Houston so rush hour traffic is mean 5 mph if I ma that lucky) On the highway you can get up to 30 MPG. The Hand brakes is mechanical and fully adjustable, remove the rear wheel and adjust the screw, its most likely whoever did the rotor job didn't readjust after rotor replacement.
1.) Mileage -- It is crap in the city but good on the highway. I don't do conversions in my head....but expect low 20s (MPG) or high 10s if driving mostly stop and go. And for highway, expect upper 20s or low 30s. Lots and lots of threads on here discussing MPG. Your average speed on your MID will pretty much correlate directly to your actual MPG.
2.) Tires -- Tires for sure can make a difference in MPG....but usually 1-3MPG depending on tire and air pressure...etc.
3.) Winter Wheels -- I would assume harsh winters will take their toll on the rims eventually...but if you live somewhere that has snow/ice often in the winter, it may benefit you to have a dedicated set of snow/ice tires.
4.) Low End Torque -- I don't have an auto so my experience will be different, but these engines usually feel a little weak at the bottom especially when compared to how alive they come above 4k RPMs.
5.) Bolt On Power -- Wrong car to easily get power with bolt on parts. The easy stuff (basic intake, exhaust, etc) don't do much on their own other than add noise.
6.) Handbrake -- Mechanical...adjustments in center console and at rear brake (as stated before). These cars use dedicated shoes inside the rear rotor for the parking brake.
and only "bolt on" I would say you could see a substantial power increase on is flash pro. Not sure about on an automatic but there is a thread concerning the flash pro as well. I know on the k series most users see a small increase in mpg, more power, and improved drivability
Hi all, I too am experiencing some extremely poor gas mileage. I am driving mainly in the City and am getting ~300 KM per tank, and my trip calculator shows I am averaging 17L / 100 KM's. I currently have about 97K, 08 TL-S A/T.
Hi all, I too am experiencing some extremely poor gas mileage. I am driving mainly in the City and am getting ~300 KM per tank, and my trip calculator shows I am averaging 17L / 100 KM's. I currently have about 97K, 08 TL-S A/T.
the vehicle weighs 3400lbs and some change.
if you are driving ALL city, then yes, it takes a lot for the engine to move the piggy from a stop.
if you jump on the highway,and do some steady driving, you will see your MPG increase
There is something off with your mileage. I'm in Vancouver too, and I mainly use the hwy, too and from work. On average, I can hit about 400km halfway through my tank.
But keep in mind when I fill up, I don't stop when the gas pump clicks "off". I continue to fill until gas is almost spilling out, I can usually get 10 bucks more in the tank after it "clicks", so that's 10 bucks more of mileage if your stopping at the "click".
I only drive the 5 days to work, then have city driving for 4 days, and I usually end up hitting about 550-600km before filling again. I cruise on 100km/hr most of the time on the hwy, but I do see stop and go traffic for about 30 min each day.
There is something off with your mileage. I'm in Vancouver too, and I mainly use the hwy, too and from work. On average, I can hit about 400km halfway through my tank.
But keep in mind when I fill up, I don't stop when the gas pump clicks "off". I continue to fill until gas is almost spilling out, I can usually get 10 bucks more in the tank after it "clicks", so that's 10 bucks more of mileage if your stopping at the "click".
I only drive the 5 days to work, then have city driving for 4 days, and I usually end up hitting about 550-600km before filling again. I cruise on 100km/hr most of the time on the hwy, but I do see stop and go traffic for about 30 min each day.
you know filling after it stops is really bad for tank right? There's a reason it stops at a certain point
There is something off with your mileage. I'm in Vancouver too, and I mainly use the hwy, too and from work. On average, I can hit about 400km halfway through my tank.
But keep in mind when I fill up, I don't stop when the gas pump clicks "off". I continue to fill until gas is almost spilling out, I can usually get 10 bucks more in the tank after it "clicks", so that's 10 bucks more of mileage if your stopping at the "click".
I only drive the 5 days to work, then have city driving for 4 days, and I usually end up hitting about 550-600km before filling again. I cruise on 100km/hr most of the time on the hwy, but I do see stop and go traffic for about 30 min each day.
Well, that more or less confirms that there is definitely something not right with mine. Apart from bad spark plugs, what else should I be looking for?
Well, that more or less confirms that there is definitely something not right with mine. Apart from bad spark plugs, what else should I be looking for?
Mileage is not great on this car, city 17-19 is what I average and its all on how you drive also. For sure the tires will make a difference in MPG,quality of tire, tire pressure, etc. contributes to MPG. Having a dedicated set for winter is totally up to you, if your winter is harsh then it's not a bad idea. I used to run Continental DWS all season for years and they were great, no problems at all in the snow! Now I have summer and winter set-up. As far as salt ruining the rims it shouldn't as long as you have the clear coat on it and it's not damaged that much. Power wise not much as of bolt-on, but you can increase a small amounts of power with cold air intake and full exhaust system (include J-pipe and maybe PCD).
I disagree with this......if your getting 300km per tank for 100% city driving, your either gunning it off the line 100% of the time and braking hard, or there is something seriously wrong with your tires, tire pressure, and possibly other components as mentioned earlier. I get more than 300km in my 5.0....
Originally Posted by LP700-4
300kms is right for 100% city driving. I get 16-17 l/100km every tank and have put 40k on the car with the same gas mileage.
Unfortunate but you don't really buy this car to save gas.
you know filling after it stops is really bad for tank right? There's a reason it stops at a certain point
The reason that the pump stops at a certain tank fill level is to reduce/eliminate the potential of a fuel spill. This, and overfilling your tank when the temps are 70+ and then parking in the sun can cause fuel to expand in the tank and push out the overflow, resulting in a fuel spill. Of my 4 vehicle, I can typically add another 3+ gallons to the tank after the pump autostop is triggered.
Thanks for all the info guys. I'm just surprised that the car gets 300 km in the city, that's about 5 km per liter but thats pretty poor. Then again, I didn't really buy this car to be good on gas. I do have to change spark plugs which I will do and the tires. I'm not going to do anything on the O2 sensors until the car throws a code so I guess I'll have to bear with it. Thanks for all the info everyone!
I'm just surprised that the car gets 300 km in the city, that's about 5 km per liter but thats pretty poor. Then again, I didn't really buy this car to be good on gas. I do have to change spark plugs which I will do and the tires. I'm not going to do anything on the O2 sensors until the car throws a code so I guess I'll have to bear with it. Thanks for all the info everyone!
Last edited by Steven Bell; 11-08-2016 at 07:18 PM.
Reason: Merged Posts
I disagree with this......if your getting 300km per tank for 100% city driving, your either gunning it off the line 100% of the time and braking hard, or there is something seriously wrong with your tires, tire pressure, and possibly other components as mentioned earlier. I get more than 300km in my 5.0....
Vancouver traffic + hills and stuff with the occasional pull, 300km +/- 30km is what i've seen my entire time owning the car.
Tank only fills up 50l even with fuel light on, i bet your 5.0 needs to fill up much more than that.
I decided to take a couple pics of my fuel gauge and trip computer stats.
Also, last time I filled up I also had reset the trip computer stats, so the stats you see in the pic are from the mileage I have driven since filling up (this sounds more confusing than it needs to be lol)
Ill let you guys judge for yourselves, but 300km a tank in city driving is something I cannot wrap my head around.
As many on the forums have discovered, the fuel economy depends 100% on the average speed you drive. As I said, with Vancouver traffic (26km/h avg) stoplight to stoplight its not unusual to see this kind of mileage. Base tl and Type-S also has small difference but not significant.
your distance shows 312km, did you reset this after filling up? where is your fuel gauge at?
It does not make sense for you to average such bad fuel consumption (unless there is something off about your car), as mentioned earlier my 1990 5.0, which chugs oil and gas, among other things, has better mileage than your 2007-08 type-s
well it could be a number of things that's affecting his mileage, as discussed earlier......tire pressure, alignment, tire wear etc. Not even getting into the mechanics of the vehicle (cuz I don't know jack), but his mileage is definitely off.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I am still of the belief that 300K (or less) is certainly not acceptable by any stretch. I've owed the car since 2012, and have just begun to see a noticeable decrease in mileage this year, not to mention a decrease in power. I see a number of you have suggested checking the tire pressure. If the pressure were low, wouldn't the TPMS automatically indicate this? Since i'm at 97K, I'm due for the big service soon. I suppose I'll wait to change the spark plugs at that time too. I will look into replacing the air filter, as its been well over 30K, since I last did this.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I am still of the belief that 300K (or less) is certainly not acceptable by any stretch. I've owed the car since 2012, and have just begun to see a noticeable decrease in mileage this year, not to mention a decrease in power. I see a number of you have suggested checking the tire pressure. If the pressure were low, wouldn't the TPMS automatically indicate this? Since i'm at 97K, I'm due for the big service soon. I suppose I'll wait to change the spark plugs at that time too. I will look into replacing the air filter, as its been well over 30K, since I last did this.
check your trip computer for your tire pressure. The TPMS will only indicate low tire pressure once it hits a certain level of low, but even having 10psi lower than whats needed will have an impact on your mileage/pickup.......another thing that hasnt been mentioned yet is the ecu reset, it can be done a couple different ways but Ive always done the gas pedal way and I swear it makes a difference. This could help in terms of how your vehicles throttle response is, especailly if you feel that it is decreasing in power (how?)
MyGuti - Ok thanks, I will check the trip commuter for the pressure. I have done this before, but perhaps I am missing something... The tire pressure reading which I see is in 'Kpi'. How do I accurately gauge what the recommended PSI pressure should be? I'll take a pic of the commuter and post it to further explain what I show. As for the ECU reset, is it as simple as:
"To reset the ECU you suppose to enter into the car, press full gas, turn key into II position (no ignition), wait 50 secs, put key on 0 position, wait 10 secs, release gas."
In terms of loss of 'power', I've just found that the pick up for the car has been 'sluggish' as of late.. Sorry I'm a noob when it comes to the technical terms.
YungMoola15 - I have always filled up with 94 Octane, nothing less. I know its a bit overkill, and 91 is sufficient, but I've always found the car to run smoother with 94.
Hi all, I took the following pics last night, showing my trip computer stats, as well as my current tire pressure. I have running on Continental Extreme all season tires 235/45/17. What should be the recommended PSI setting for these tires? Based on these figures, I am current running 31/31 in the front, and 30/31 in the rears.
10-16-2016, 02:50 PM
, has better mileage than your 2007-08 type-s
