Gas Mileage On Ls430

[skhatri]

I wanted to know I am getting about 15.5 mpg on my LS430 2003 ultra luxury. Does that seam right. It only has 34k miles on it. I recently bought it.

[RFeldes]

Check the airfilter.

[skhatri]

anything else. anyone suggest

[anthonyiez]

sounds about right to me. i get about that in my gs400. remember gas mileage has a lot to do with how you actually drive the car. oh and that little sticker they put on the window when its new...just toss those numbers to the wind.

[JDK]

I average 20.1 overall in my 2004 LS430 with 53K. I have installed a K&N Filter which may help a little and my mechanic (not the dealership!)recommends replacing the fuel filter and having the entire fuel system cleaned every 30K so you may want to try that.

[anthonyiez]

watch yourself with the k&n oil. make sure the filter is nice and dry or the oil can damage the MAF.

[smithg]

sounds about right to me. i get about that in my gs400. remember gas mileage has a lot to do with how you actually drive the car. oh and that little sticker they put on the window when its new...just toss those numbers to the wind.

Mileage seems way off. I was getting up to 27 mpg with my 2005 LS 430. I have 35,000 miles on it and before servicing, I noticed the 'required maintenance' light came on. I placed 93 octane, with 10% ethanol, in it and the mpg went down to 24 (highway). I had the routine 5000 mile service performed, so have to wait until this ethanol/gas is used up before deciding that it was a factor.

[jrbtn]

sounds about right to me. i get about that in my gs400. remember gas mileage has a lot to do with how you actually drive the car. oh and that little sticker they put on the window when its new...just toss those numbers to the wind.

Mileage seems way off. I was getting up to 27 mpg with my 2005 LS 430. I have 35,000 miles on it and before servicing, I noticed the 'required maintenance' light came on. I placed 93 octane, with 10% ethanol, in it and the mpg went down to 24 (highway). I had the routine 5000 mile service performed, so have to wait until this ethanol/gas is used up before deciding that it was a factor.

I have seen 30mpg on my 2004 at 70mph in flat terrain over several hours. I typically average 20-21 combined city/hwy. This is a lot stock LS430. You can't minimize the differences in the way individuals drive and the terrain encountered!! If I was averaging under 18 I would be looking for a problem. Ethanol mix will definitely lower your mileage. There isn't as much energy available.

[Dano123]

For those who are getting 22-25MPG, what numbers does it read on your MPG dashboard? Mines say 14 MPG...seems a bit low. I dont' drive fast and very light on the pedal. I am going to try and replace the air filter (maybe K&N) and slowly make more improvements if MPG does not improve. Maybe plugs, 02 sensors, oil change etc...Want some feedback on your MPG readout on your dashboard and changes made to improve MPG.

[SW03ES]

Remember the 04+ LS430 has an extra gear, you will get signinficantly better mileage at speed than on an 03.

[jainla]

I seem to get between 18-19mpg. But like one of the previous posters says it depends on how you drive the car and also where you drive it. I drive about 60%-40% freeway/city driving. If I avoid the freeway my mileage can go as low as 16mpg. In Vegas where they leave the cars running and you sit at the lights forever I actually hit 10mpg for the tank.

Conversely between here and San Francisco I believe I got between 25-27mpg for the highway leg; and I think between here and Vegas I hit 30 mpg until we started to hit traffic. And bear in mind I drive like an 80yr old man...I don't think I've ever driven the car past 90mph (now someone else's car that's different )

Do you drive mostly city or highway mileage? Also are you sure the tire pressures are set correctly? With the 17 inch wheels and tires I find it hard to tell if one of them is going flat.

[oslo]

Like everyone here has mentioned, it really depends a lot on your driving style and where you do most of your driving. When I really start to lay down the acceleration, I can drop down to 16mpg or lower, but if I cut back and drive a little less crazy, I can get up to around 18-19mpg. This is with a fairly equal combination of city and freeway driving in/around boston. (in a '98 LS) The car used to be my mom's, and with her driving style, she'd get 24+ mpg, even in the city.

[Robert Young]

The original question didn't discuss the driving conditions, but I've seen 12 MPG when driving in rush hour traffic in West LA in the 2006 LS 430. In reality, that was probably not bad when you consider if you're not moving that the mileage is ZERO and traffic in West LA spends a lot of time not moving! In my normal commute, fairly short in fairly heavy rush hour traffic, I get 14 to 15 MPG. On the open road it is a much better story, I just drove from Reno to LA (all Interstate and almost all 80+) and saw 29 MPG, note that the trip is NOT flat as you go over Donner Pass and the Grapevine. The LS 430 is the best highway mileage car I've owned as well as having a reasonably large engine, I'm impressed.

[FWhite]

I wanted to know I am getting about 15.5 mpg on my LS430 2003 ultra luxury. Does that seam right. It only has 34k miles on it. I recently bought it.

I have a 1995 LS 400 and get an honest 17 in town and 25 on the road. I have a K&N air filter and use 5-30 Mobil One. I drive the speed limit and am easy on the gas. fhw

[GKLCPA]

I wanted to know I am getting about 15.5 mpg on my LS430 2003 ultra luxury. Does that seam right. It only has 34k miles on it. I recently bought it.

I have a 1995 LS 400 and get an honest 17 in town and 25 on the road. I have a K&N air filter and use 5-30 Mobil One. I drive the speed limit and am easy on the gas. fhw

One of the best things about the LS is the balance between size, power and good gas mileage. I rountinely get 21 mpg with combined City and highway driving. I don't live in a big city and am fortunately not in a lot of traffic jams.

The LS is one hell of a car IMO

[Jerry Bransford]

Just so you guys know, a K&N air filter may "breathe better" but it also lets in a lot more harmful dust and silica into the engine. I'll never run anything but a high quality paper air filter in my LS430, like an AC-Delco or Purolator.

There is a scientific ISO test of air filters at http://www.duramax-diesel.com/spicer/index.htm where the below chart and text is from. The K&N came in dead last so far as how well it filters the air of harmful dirt.

"In the chart above it’s important to note the different test durations for each filter. The AC Delco filter test ran for 60 minutes before exceeding the restriction limit while the AMSOIL and K&N tests each ran for 20 and 24 minutes respectively before reaching max restriction. In 60 minutes the AC Filter accumulated 574gms of dirt and passed only 0.4gms. After only 24 minutes the K&N had accumulated 221gms of dirt but passed 7.0gms. Compared to the AC, the K&N plugged up nearly 3 times faster, passed 18 times more dirt and captured 37% less dirt."

A K&N is the last air filter I'd run in any vehicle I intended to keep for a while. :)

[holen1]

For those who are getting 22-25MPG, what numbers does it read on your MPG dashboard? Mines say 14 MPG...seems a bit low. I dont' drive fast and very light on the pedal. I am going to try and replace the air filter (maybe K&N) and slowly make more improvements if MPG does not improve. Maybe plugs, 02 sensors, oil change etc...Want some feedback on your MPG readout on your dashboard and changes made to improve MPG.

I changed tires to Michelin with nitrogen and picked up 3 MPG.

[eatingupblacktop]

For those who are getting 22-25MPG, what numbers does it read on your MPG dashboard? Mines say 14 MPG...seems a bit low. I dont' drive fast and very light on the pedal. I am going to try and replace the air filter (maybe K&N) and slowly make more improvements if MPG does not improve. Maybe plugs, 02 sensors, oil change etc...Want some feedback on your MPG readout on your dashboard and changes made to improve MPG.

I changed tires to Michelin with nitrogen and picked up 3 MPG.

Don't know that nitrogen makes any difference but the Michelins could. What pressure do you have them at?

[scottmcc]

One way to get better fuel economy is to make sure your A/C switch is off when not needed. I have noticed mine stays on all the time even when the heat is on.. I turn off the A/C button in the winter as I don't really car if the air is CONDITIONED...

[wwest]

One way to get better fuel economy is to make sure your A/C switch is off when not needed. I have noticed mine stays on all the time even when the heat is on.. I turn off the A/C button in the winter as I don't really car if the air is CONDITIONED...

In actuality use of the A/C system during the wintertime can often result in a HAZARDOUS driving situation. Some of you may ahve already noticed an unusual propensity for the interior windshield surface to suddenly, spontaneously, and unexpectedly fog over. This is due to a fairly serious design flaw made by NipponDenso, Denso US, the supplier of choice for almost all passenger cars of asian origin and many US ones.

As of 2001 the RX300 series has 2 c-best options which can be of aid in the matter. One of those allows you to to turn off the A/C indefinitely, the second will unlink the A/C from operating automatically in defrost/defog/demist mode. There is a later c-best option that allows you to set the system such that it will not automatically switch from heating mode, footwell air outflow, to cooling mode, dash outlet airflow, as the temperature rises to your setpoint. The later modification is to automatically switch the system back into heating mode if the OAT declines below ~34F.

Personally I am VERY careful to run my climate controls systems, CONSTANTLY, in combined footwell and windshield mode. My RX300 has the c-best options set so the A/C can be disabled throughout the winter months simply by shutting it off one time. The c-best option that unlinks the defrost/defog/demist mode is also set for disable. My LS400 has a DIY added switch that opens the A/C compressor clutch control circuit, as does my '01 911/996.

[chbeyer]

On my 2001 LS430, I repeatedly got 25-27MPG on the highway. 18 around town. If you are not getting this kind of mileage, something is wrong.

[MAXUMIZED]

I get 28 HWY mpg on flat terrain on my 2004 LS430

[aqbill]

So far, so good! My new-to-me 2006 LS430 is averaging about 20 mpg in what I'd call "residential" driving and about 26 on the road. The best run across north Alabama at 60-65 mph yielded 29 mpg. Would like to find some stock 17" wheels to replace the chrome 18" stock wheels I now have. From what I've read, I'd surmise, that 17" wheels & tires would yield a softer ride and better gas mileage. :)

[tofu]

Just like OSLO said, it's all depends how you drive.. easy on the acceleration and let go the gas pedal if you see the red signal light in front of you... that will improve your gas mileage..

[LXPearl]

The LS gets excellent mileage considering it has a V8 in it, besting many V6 vehicles. However, because it has a V8, a heavy foot can lower the mileage quickly. A fresh air cleaner is important with these high tech engines, and the Toyota filter is excellent. I am wary of the K&N, it is designed for racing so it allows more air flow, with less filtering, and introduces oil to the intake and electronic components. A racing engine without emmissions controls that gets broken down and rebuilt regularly allows the K&N filter to be effective. However, in domestic service, it could cause premature problems and failures because of the excess particles and filter oil allowed to enter the engine in comparison to the OEM filter. Even when I had a K&N filter in the past, I could not tell any performance advantage in my F150).