Power Button Gas Mileage

[Brooke]

I like driving my new IS 350 with the power button on, but it seems to burn more gas. Does anyone know the delta mpg when using the power ect as opposed to not using it?

When I first bought the IS my salesman said to drive with the power button on for the first two weeks. Anyone know why?

Thanks

[bartkat]

I like driving my new IS 350 with the power button on, but it seems to burn more gas. Does anyone know the delta mpg when using the power ect as opposed to not using it?

When I first bought the IS my salesman said to drive with the power button on for the first two weeks. Anyone know why?

Thanks

The salesman probably said that because the power button will have the transmission downshifting sooner and more often, thus varying the engine RPM more, which is part of the break-in procedure (varying engine speed) . As for mileage, it might make 1 MPG difference if you do a lot of town driving. On the highway it should not make much difference at all.

[Kaizen-san]

The PWR button doesn't only alter transmission shift points but also modify the pedal map of the ECU. For example, when you are applying 20% of the gas pedal, once the PWR button is pressed, ECU will switch to a different pedal map and thinking you are pressing 30%. You should notice the difference of the sensitivity of the pedal once the button is pressed.

[Brooke]

I like to do the VDIM hack, and then drive with the power button on. I did notice that it consumes more fuel, but I like the responsiveness, especially when driving in heavy traffic. Nobody can cut in front of me...

Will it hurt anything if I leave the power button on all of the time?

I do turn it off if I am crusing down the highway at 80 mph, but most of my driving is in the city.

Thanks

[bartkat]

You're not one of those guys who tries to fill up the gap when I try to merge into the passing lane are you?

As for your question, I don't think it will hurt anything to drive with ECT power on.

[CJAY]

i'm new to lexus, please dont judge when i ask this question. what is "Power On" button? I was searching how to improve my gas mileage and i ran into this quite interesting thread.

thanks

[Chops]

i'm new to lexus, please dont judge when i ask this question. what is "Power On" button? I was searching how to improve my gas mileage and i ran into this quite interesting thread.

thanks

You will find there is a toggle switch to the right of the steering column labeled "ECT" with "Power" being the top option and "Snow" being the bottom option. As for a more detailed explanation of what this switch does I'll leave it to the pros on here to explain it as I'm pretty new too.

[moonrayker]

I like driving my new IS 350 with the power button on, but it seems to burn more gas. Does anyone know the delta mpg when using the power ect as opposed to not using it?

When I first bought the IS my salesman said to drive with the power button on for the first two weeks. Anyone know why?

Thanks

I can feel the difference in throttle response on my car as soon as I press the ECT Power button. I like the feel of the car when it's in that mode but I assume it's just the same as putting your foot in it further when it's in normal mode. I have not had my GS very long and I am still experimenting with it, I just finished a tank of gas driving like my Granny, i.e. sticking to the limits or under, accelerating very very gently etc etc. and very boring it was too. I gained around 2mpg compared with my "normal" driving, which is steady acceleration most of the time and cruising as fast as I can get away with safely, and without incurring tickets. Currently I am running an experiment to find out what difference it makes if I leave it in "Power" mode all the time. After that I shall drive a tank or two just using the sequential gearchange and my brain to decide when to shift, to see what difference that makes, if any. I'll post the results as soon as I have any.

[CJAY]

i'm new to lexus, please dont judge when i ask this question. what is "Power On" button? I was searching how to improve my gas mileage and i ran into this quite interesting thread.

thanks

You will find there is a toggle switch to the right of the steering column labeled "ECT" with "Power" being the top option and "Snow" being the bottom option. As for a more detailed explanation of what this switch does I'll leave it to the pros on here to explain it as I'm pretty new too.

got em!!! and yes total difference! not a huge difference on torque but you can tell.

thanks

[remat457]

Salesman probably recommended so that the car 'learns' this driving mode and sets everything around it. I did it the other way, drove super conservatively in normal mode and found that I did not like how it shifted. I took it back, they reset it and I drove it in "power" as it re-learned. Now I like it even out of power mode.

[IS250_rookie]

Salesman probably recommended so that the car 'learns' this driving mode and sets everything around it. I did it the other way, drove super conservatively in normal mode and found that I did not like how it shifted. I took it back, they reset it and I drove it in "power" as it re-learned. Now I like it even out of power mode.

You can reset the car yourself. Disconnect the battery's negative terminal for a minute, it will reset your transmission shift points. Your radio and odo readings will stay the same, which is nice.

Back on topic, the PWR button doesn't actually decrease your fuel economy it just makes you drive more aggressively since the pedal becomes much more sensitive to driver input. You can have the same MPG with the PWR button on, it's just harder to do it.

[moonrayker]

So my scientific test of driving with the ECT button on power all the time was foiled by the weather. The week I tried it we had high winds, rain and snow, which affected my milage far more than any settings or driving style. Bah.

[remat457]

You can reset the car yourself. Disconnect the battery's negative terminal for a minute, it will reset your transmission shift points. Your radio and odo readings will stay the same, which is nice.

Dealer said that doing that does not completely reset the computer. Just relaying what they told me, because I did ask that.

[bartkat]

You can reset the car yourself. Disconnect the battery's negative terminal for a minute, it will reset your transmission shift points. Your radio and odo readings will stay the same, which is nice.

Dealer said that doing that does not completely reset the computer. Just relaying what they told me, because I did ask that.

It does reset the ECU to default settings. Check the owners manual on smog testing.