Appalling T180 Consumption Figures

[Noffie]

Having owned my T180 for almost 2 years now, I am generally delighted with the car. Except that the fuel consumption started out slightly disappointing and seems to be getting worse.

In town driving the computer now says roughly 24mpg. The very best I see (pure motorway at 75-80mph) is 35mpg.

The only thing I can think of that might be a factor is that I have roof bars fitted (Toyota ones attached to the rails). Is this normal, or does the car have a fault?

Cheers

Paul

[T600]

I think you'll find a few threads on this topic here.

Though nothing on what you'll find on the Lexus Forum, which I also frequent. I've been watching with interest the fuel consumption concerns listed by owners of the IS220 which has same engine as the Toyota T180s I believe. Not inspiring me to upgrade at the moment.

[The Iceman]

I'm getting 34 mpg at the moment and having only done 900 miles I've been taking it easy, I knew that in the real world 40 mpg was impossible but it looks like it'll be worse than I thought. The roof bars will have an effect though.

[anchorman]

Paul

Is the air filter getting clogged. It is dead easy to remove and a Toyota dealer told me they fitted loads of them (prematurely). My sceptical mind says they don't do that without good reason. Kingo sells them for about £18 from memory and its a good starting point.

[bothwell_buyer]

Unfortunately, its a fundamental design fault, which you will be unlikley to fix without some surgery.

yer car has 2 doors too mony.

This means yer carrying an extra 400kg of scrap material which is only used 1 minute, 3 times a week. The extra length of chassis this causes is a major problem as weel - ah ken a man whit does a grand job o cutnshut and will guarantee fuel savings o 45%. Most of this is gained from the motor bein aff the road fur 6 months - but think aboot the savings ---

nae road fund tax; nae fuel tax; nae tyre wastage; nae oil used; dinna hae tae polish yer wreck; an yer spare glass can be made intae a table fur yer champagne.

jist trying tae be helpful ye ken

[cc.gibson]

I too have a T180 and am lucky if i get 32mpg (mix of A roads and motorways!). No roof bars or anything - even thought about driving with the wing mirrors folded in and the Wiper Blades taken off!!!! But not sure how well the police would take it if they stopped me and i explained its all in the name of getting somewhere near the 'official' fuel consumption figures!

What about one of those devices you put in the storgae tank of a toilet to save water consumption? - the ones like a small balloon - wonder if that'll work????????????

Sorry I'm not much real help apart from assuring you that most if not all of the T180 drivers are a bit miffed by the 'official' figures of 42mpg!

[sywy]

I would say that at 24mpg, you have a problem somewhere.

I usually get anywhere between 32-35mpg, and I don't hang around!!

If I try really hard, I can get 37/38mpg.

[Mirar]

Sorry I'm not much real help apart from assuring you that most if not all of the T180 drivers are a bit miffed by the 'official' figures of 42mpg!

Hm. In my papers here for the Swedish Rav4 2007,

2.2 D-4D 180

Mixed 7.0

Highway 6.1

City 8.4

(liter/100km)

That'd be, if I'm not too mistaken,

Mixed driving 33.6 mpg

Highway 38.5 mpg

City 28.0mpg

Have they been fooling you with figures over there? But 24 sounds way too low... :P

As for air filters, have been running with a stock replacement K/N filter for a long time now, worked perfectly. Just take it out, wash it, and re-oil it now and then.

[T600]

That'd be, if I'm not too mistaken,

Mixed driving 33.6 mpg

Highway 38.5 mpg

City 28.0mpg

You're not mistaken; if you're calculating the m p american gallon, that is.

We have proper imperial gallons, not those tiny US ones, so conversion factor is 282.481 rather than 235.2146.

If you used Google to convert, it uses the latter unless you specify Imperial.

[Mirar]

If you used Google to convert, it uses the latter unless you specify Imperial.

Doh, it fooled me again. Sorry ^^

[T600]

Doh, it fooled me again. Sorry ^^

:D

I only knew that because it's caught me out before. I blame the yanks for not using proper gallons.

[bothwell_buyer]

Dear paul

forgot to ask - have you got a wind power generator fitted to the roof rails? ;)

[sywy]

That'd be, if I'm not too mistaken,

Mixed driving 33.6 mpg

Highway 38.5 mpg

City 28.0mpg

Even though they have been converted wrong, they look pretty accurate for real life, IMO.

Not sure about 'city' as i don't do pure urban driving, but the other 2 figures are pretty close to what I get.

Do you think Toyota have done their conversions wrong?? :D

[druand]

Am patiently waiting for new Rav Diesel Automatic which i am told is due towards end or year. As autos have a higher fuel consumption i hope its not offered on 180 engine only.

Anybody heard anything?

Test drove a Freelander 2 diesel auto and was told 35mpg, goverment figure 33.2 combined, pressed t-t on computer and salesman who was using car and told me 35 mpg was average was slightly embarrased when trip showed 25.8 over 1800 miles. Road tax £310 next year

STORY and TEST ENDED!!! without further interest.

[T600]

That'd be, if I'm not too mistaken,

Mixed driving 33.6 mpg

Highway 38.5 mpg

City 28.0mpg

Even though they have been converted wrong, they look pretty accurate for real life, IMO.

Not sure about 'city' as i don't do pure urban driving, but the other 2 figures are pretty close to what I get.

Do you think Toyota have done their conversions wrong?? :D

Maybe you've all being buying your diesel at American filling stations :)

Do they have pumps marked Gas there?

[duncerduncs]

Paul

Have you tried going to your dealer? They could have a look at the 5th injector and also see if there are any error codes.

I'm led to believe that the main problem with the IS220d is a problem with the 5th injector which has an effect on fuel economy.

Having looked on the Avensis part of the forum, there are some owners who've had EGR valves replaced as a result of poor performance and economy.

[Noffie]

Thanks for everyone's responses. I think I'll start off replacing the air filter as anchorman suggests. Failing which it's time to pay the dealer a visit.

I'm curious to see what difference the roof bars make. If I find the time I'll do some trips up and down the M1 to find out and let you all know.

Cheers

Paul

[DaisyFitz]

Hi Paul

I was really concerned when I got my T180 a couple of months ago - cleared the MPG and was getting 25mpg. Ouch. Made dealer check all was okay. They said it was.

At the time I was doing v short journeys on counrty roads to work - we're talking 2.5miles each way and not a single metre of flat road. Since then I'm on mat leave so doing different driving - longer trips on "A" roads (but country style wiggly A-roads) and we've cruised to Dumfires and back. In short, now averaging 34mpg. Unless OH gets in and then you can watch it drop!

I also will only put proper low sulphur diesel in. Am currently trialling the mpg/ and £ difference between using low sulphur diesel and performance diesel. Has anyone else seen a difference in using fancy diesel (e.g. Shell V-Power Diesel)? I know it costs more, but then if mpg goes up does it go up enough to off set the extra cost? It's giving me something to do while I wait for this pesky baby to come out!

;)

[The Iceman]

I'm on my second tank of v-power after running the first 2 on standard Shell and can't honestly notice any difference in economy or performance. I've noticed with my last three cars that my average mpg is around 8 miles less than the manufacturers listed average so I suppose that's my driving style, I would imagine T180 owners paid the extra money for the extra performance (not the chrome grill or run flats) and therefore wish to drive more agressively so should expect poorer fuel economy.

[DaisyFitz]

I'm on my second tank of v-power after running the first 2 on standard shell and can't honestly notice any difference in economy or performance. I've noticed with my last three cars that my average mpg is around 8 miles less than the manufacturers listed average so I suppose that's my driving style, I would imagine T180 owners paid the extra money for the extra performance (not the chrome grill or run flats) and therefore wish to drive more agressively so should expect poorer fuel economy.

You could start a new thread - "why on earth did you buy a T180..."

My name is DaisyFitz and I bought a T180 because... there were no XTRs or XT4s for sale at the time!

Seriously! I was running out of time, needed a car to put the car seat in. OH wanted something with "poke" - I'm not so fussed but it is fun. My mpg woes are due to driving around wiggly roads - and I'm probably a rubbish driver! Did have the mpg up tp 34.2 on Sat, but then OH drove it on Sunday and now down to 33.6! Doh! He's not allowed to drive it again now til the weekend.

[The Iceman]

My girlfreind wanted me to get a 4x4 after my beloved Renaultsport ended up like this..............

for safety and to slow me down, plus the two pups we got keep getting bigger and we aquired a caravan in the lakes so aT180 is a fair compromise I suppose.

[Fujisan]

The motoring press and the manufactures like to use the Combined driving mpg figure in adverts and road tests and the like.

Myself, I look at the Urban driving mpg figure when comparing different cars merits etc., from experience I have found that this is a more accurate reflection of my driving style.

So maybe instead of trying to reach the Combined figure of 40.4 mpg, T180 owners can look to the Urban figure of 33.6 mpg.

Some T180 owners will better this Urban figure and good luck to them , some will not Enjoy the car, the cost of a couple of extra mpg is nether here nor there, unless you do astro-miles!

Personally being a humble XT4 owner I look to better the quoted Urban figure of 34.9 mpg, if I do that, I know I can bury my foot deeper into the carpet next week!