Is220d Fuel Economy Fixes?

[06G220D]

"In reality, is there not built in inefficiency and higher emissions when driving at the speeds most owners will achieve only rarely. "

Sorry, just noticed that an error in the above sentence. I was trying to point out that this design builds in inefficiency and higher emissions when driving at the most frequently used speeds for most owners.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Oh well....I suppose at the end of the day the higher speed, the more effort to propel the car, so 6th or not, you're not doing the poor squirrels any favours...

[1srb]

My IS220d bought new on the last day of may has just had the 5th injector changed.

3 weeks ago (car had done 8000miles) I was at a crossroads and needed to cross a dangerous road, got the revs over 2000rpm so that I could make a quick getaway and as I launched across the road the engine safe mode kicked in and I had no revs.

Took the car to my closest dealer who kept the car for a week and diagnosed after that time that it required a new 5th injector and that this was becoming quite common fitment across the country but I was LED to believe that it was their first one.

I was averaging no more than 33mpg but since the new injector I am now returning over 38mpg and I can now put the car in 6th around 70mph compared to over 85mph before. I drive mainly over country roads around cornwall and the car is so much more responsive.

Car went in for its 10000mile service on friday 22 september but I have noticed no difference and I have driven 300 miles since friday.

[scott]

My IS220d bought new on the last day of may has just had the 5th injector changed.

3 weeks ago (car had done 8000miles) I was at a crossroads and needed to cross a dangerous road, got the revs over 2000rpm so that I could make a quick getaway and as I launched across the road the engine safe mode kicked in and I had no revs.

Took the car to my closest dealer who kept the car for a week and diagnosed after that time that it required a new 5th injector and that this was becoming quite common fitment across the country but I was led to believe that it was their first one.

I was averaging no more than 33mpg but since the new injector I am now returning over 38mpg and I can now put the car in 6th around 70mph compared to over 85mph before. I drive mainly over country roads around cornwall and the car is so much more responsive.

Car went in for its 10000mile service on friday 22 september but I have noticed no difference and I have driven 300 miles since friday.

I also had my 5th injector replaced as well as the main four. I was told at the time that the 5th injector was a common mod for cars that regularly stall, not that I was having that problem.

What month is your 220d?

[1srb]

My IS220d bought new on the last day of may has just had the 5th injector changed.

3 weeks ago (car had done 8000miles) I was at a crossroads and needed to cross a dangerous road, got the revs over 2000rpm so that I could make a quick getaway and as I launched across the road the engine safe mode kicked in and I had no revs.

Took the car to my closest dealer who kept the car for a week and diagnosed after that time that it required a new 5th injector and that this was becoming quite common fitment across the country but I was led to believe that it was their first one.

I was averaging no more than 33mpg but since the new injector I am now returning over 38mpg and I can now put the car in 6th around 70mph compared to over 85mph before. I drive mainly over country roads around cornwall and the car is so much more responsive.

Car went in for its 10000mile service on friday 22 september but I have noticed no difference and I have driven 300 miles since friday.

I also had my 5th injector replaced as well as the main four. I was told at the time that the 5th injector was a common mod for cars that regularly stall, not that I was having that problem.

What month is your 220d?

TOOK DELIVERY OF THE CAR ON 31/5/06 I ORDERED IT FEB 06.

MY CAR HAD NEVER STALLED BEFORE, ON THAT DAY IT DIDNT STALL BUT SCAREY WHEN YOU GO INTO SAFE MODE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY JUNCTION THOUGH.

[pml9952]

mine was a 1st March delivery but I have a suspicion that it was at the dealership at least a month before that. Does anyone have any idea what VIN numbers we might be talking about for the injectors? Ive done just over 7,000 miles and averaged 38mpg, but only ever break through the 40 mpg barrier if I do A roads at 50 to 60 mph in 4th and 5th gear, when I can get about 45 over a 50 to 60 mile run.

My recent 150 mile motorway journey at midnight in 6th at 80mph on cruise returned 38 mpg. I almost always use Morrisons fuel which gets delivered in a Texaco truck!!

Theres less mirror vibraton than when car was new, and it will run in 6th at around 75ish, but I always drop into 5th below that.

any observations anyone ?

[scott]

mine was a 1st March delivery but I have a suspicion that it was at the dealership at least a month before that. Does anyone have any idea what VIN numbers we might be talking about for the injectors? Ive done just over 7,000 miles and averaged 38mpg, but only ever break through the 40 mpg barrier if I do A roads at 50 to 60 mph in 4th and 5th gear, when I can get about 45 over a 50 to 60 mile run.

My recent 150 mile motorway journey at midnight in 6th at 80mph on cruise returned 38 mpg. I almost always use Morrisons fuel which gets delivered in a Texaco truck!!

Theres less mirror vibraton than when car was new, and it will run in 6th at around 75ish, but I always drop into 5th below that.

any observations anyone ?

Sounds a lot like mine prior to the change out of the injectors except I never got more than 42 mpg and that was trying extremely hard. My immediate tangible difference is that the engine no longer labours in 6th gear at 60-65 mph.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

LGB are still adamant that there is no problem...

Mine I think is OK, but I am very confident that cheap fuel makes it misbehave.

Even Morrisons, delivered by a Texaco truck, may not have the additives. Let it run close to empty, then try BP...

[Maz]

Well I got my IS220d SE+MM today, i was impress, it look good and i did make the right choice of choosing Mesa Red, it very is a nice color, and also have the Oakham Leather interior which suit it very well, now come to driving bit, not bad at all, no problem in 6th from 60mph, and after an 43 miles from the dealer back home it returned 26.9mpg, hope it will improve later on, now only if the rear view mirror dont vibrate at all, saying that it wasnt bad enought that i couldnt see anything from it, overall im well impress with this car, will play with all the toys when i get the chance.... :D :D :D :D :D

[Gord]

Well I got my IS220d SE+MM today, i was impress, it look good and i did make the right choice of choosing Mesa Red, it very is a nice color, and also have the Oakham Leather interior which suit it very well, now come to driving bit, not bad at all, no problem in 6th from 60mph, and after an 43 miles from the dealer back home it returned 26.9mpg, hope it will improve later on, now only if the rear view mirror dont vibrate at all, saying that it wasnt bad enought that i couldnt see anything from it, overall im well impress with this car, will play with all the toys when i get the chance.... :D :D :D :D :D

WOW Maz you got kid same age as mine :D and you gone and got oil burner same as me :D only mine did 39.9mpg on the drive back from the dealers :o And mine is red toooo :D

[spwolfx]

this is how it works - Lexus sends dealers an TSB, so dealers can check it out and find solution to common issues (TSB is not an recall). It can be anything from how to paint new bumper, how to program new keys, updated schematics or engine issue.

Everything is very frank and exact on TSB. If there is an injector TSB for early cars, there are exact VIN numbers of cars that might have the issue. There might be few things for service to check before determening the problem and not all cars might have the problem either.

So whoever got injectors changed, can call up their service advisor and ask them for TSB number, if it exists, and for applicable VIN numbers. If it does, then everyone can check it out with their local dealer.

Or at very least, someone can leave contact info for service rep that has helped before so people can call him up.

---------

On the other note, these engines do need few thousand miles before they can show everything they can do.... My Rav4 after 3,000 miles gets around 10%-15% better mpg than at start and it is a lot smoother and faster - previously at first gear, it really felt like you had to change it right away, now it spins to 4,000 rpm like an petrol engine :-).

Jamboo, I am glad you like the car more and more :-)

[Mr-Lex]

Well I got my IS220d SE+MM today, i was impress, it look good and i did make the right choice of choosing Mesa Red, it very is a nice color, and also have the Oakham Leather interior which suit it very well, now come to driving bit, not bad at all, no problem in 6th from 60mph, and after an 43 miles from the dealer back home it returned 26.9mpg, hope it will improve later on, now only if the rear view mirror dont vibrate at all, saying that it wasnt bad enought that i couldnt see anything from it, overall im well impress with this car, will play with all the toys when i get the chance.... :D :D :D :D :D

Get some pixrs up Maz :winky: So did you trade in your old lex for this one

[scott]

So whoever got injectors changed, can call up their service advisor and ask them for TSB number, if it exists, and for applicable VIN numbers. If it does, then everyone can check it out with their local dealer.

There is no TSB number.

AFAIK it is only Lexus Poole who have changed out the injectors. They have realised there is a problem on early cars (including their early demonstrators), identified the problem and pioneered the solution. They are now in discussion with Lexus GB and I can't comment any further.

[down south]

I'm going on Sunday to my local dealer to look at my consumption = 21-22 MPH almost exclusively urban.

They said the injector problem was not a directly related problem and that us on here get a bit wound up sometimes.

Any advice?

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

this is how it works - Lexus sends dealers an TSB, so dealers can check it out and find solution to common issues (TSB is not an recall). It can be anything from how to paint new bumper, how to program new keys, updated schematics or engine issue.

Everything is very frank and exact on TSB. If there is an injector TSB for early cars, there are exact VIN numbers of cars that might have the issue. There might be few things for service to check before determening the problem and not all cars might have the problem either.

So whoever got injectors changed, can call up their service advisor and ask them for TSB number, if it exists, and for applicable VIN numbers. If it does, then everyone can check it out with their local dealer.

Or at very least, someone can leave contact info for service rep that has helped before so people can call him up.

---------

On the other note, these engines do need few thousand miles before they can show everything they can do.... My Rav4 after 3,000 miles gets around 10%-15% better mpg than at start and it is a lot smoother and faster - previously at first gear, it really felt like you had to change it right away, now it spins to 4,000 rpm like an petrol engine :-).

Jamboo, I am glad you like the car more and more :-)

Cheers matey - I absolutely love the car. It is by far the best car I've ever had, and I can accept the small issues, 'cos in the grand scheme they are small. If I'd bought the Alfa 159, or a Merc, I might have a lot more to worry about by all accounts... :D

Anyway, I did finally get a call back from my local dealer , who were quietly working away in the background with LGB technical (thanks Leic Lex)...

All I can say is watch this space. The clear indication is that Lex technical have identified the 5th injector issue as being a possible cause for certain but limited problems on SOME CARS, and more details will follow to the dealers within a few weeks, possibly months.

At this stage I wouldn't worry too much. Not all cars are affected, only a smallish number, and the fix won't necessarily improve things for every car. It only seems to work on 60% by the sounds of it. I'm sure that VIN numbrs affected will be communicated and fixed as appropriate (like the seat belts issue).

Mine I think is borderline, showing signs of an intermittent glitch and a tendancy to perform badly on cheaper fuels. This of course could be coincidence...being an ICT designer I know that problems can hide in config, and manifest themselves in an 'annoying' way. So it's more likely to be a software issue. But I'm no ECU/BUS signalling specialist...

In the meantime, my dealer has agreed to take mine in (waiting for call back to confirm this with the Technician at Leicester) for the 5th injector changeout and possibly a reset of the ECU, to see if that works. I'll be booking it in and will report back.

I also believe that Scotts issue was possibly a whole row of dodgy injectors :duh: which is the sort of problem I would normally get At least I know I'm not alone for bad luck of that magnitude It's been the story of my life

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Just spoken to dealer again - a bit of a turn around! My symptoms are not specifically covered!! In fact there are no bulletins regarding poor consumption from Lex Tech. Poor consumption is not a logged problem, and as such un-recognised by Lexus as an issue.

This means there's little point in changing out the 5th Injector or anything else on mine, which apparently is the one that squirts diesel onto/into the Cat (must have a good aim, I thought the injectors were at the top of the engine and the Cat on the exhaust at the bottom of the engine - too technical for me). This happens when the engine has warmed up. Apparently this is supposed to reduce emissions!

How that marries up to fixing the engine stall is beyond me. The last thing I want is the car opened up :o and dismantled for exploratory purposes.

Anyway, I don't think that my problem is anything other than poor quality fuel from Sainsbo's. 95% of my fillups happened at the same Sainsbo's in the past, and I have never noticed this before on any other car. The car has 1/4 tank and am just about to head out and fill it up with BP again. maybe it's just my car which is more sensitive...

The best advice to improve your poor consumption is to change your supply of fuel, switch to another and monitor.

If your car stalls, or goes into safe mode, take in to have it looked over.

[down south]

I always use Shell or BP yet consumption is still pants! :duh:

[down south]

My dealer assessed the car on Saturday - I got the use of the RX400h for the day :)

They have now ordered injectors for my car so hopefully my car should be sorted within the next few weeks ;)

[tyrrp]

I was watching "Myth Busters" last night and they actually tried the cooking oil thing. They got a few litres of used oil from a "Greesy Spoon" and ran it through a coffee filter.

As a comparison they set up an old diesel Volvo with a bottle mounted beside the windscreen so they could track fuel consumpsion. Filled it first with 1 litre of ordinary diesel and drove untill it was gone. Then they put in the filtered oil with nothing added at all. Drove the same route and found that they got the exact same distance.

So it works. Who's going to be the first to try it.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

I was watching "Myth Busters" last night and they actually tried the cooking oil thing. They got a few litres of used oil from a "Greesy Spoon" and ran it through a coffee filter.

As a comparison they set up an old diesel Volvo with a bottle mounted beside the windscreen so they could track fuel consumpsion. Filled it first with 1 litre of ordinary diesel and drove untill it was gone. Then they put in the filtered oil with nothing added at all. Drove the same route and found that they got the exact same distance.

So it works. Who's going to be the first to try it.

and it burnt without any additives? WOW... :o

In answer to your question buddy, NOT ME

The best advice to improve your poor consumption is to change your supply of fuel, switch to another and monitor.......

...and then insist on the Injector changeout...and when I say use a different supply, I don't mean cooking oil !!

@douwnsouth - will they change all Injectors, or just #5? Let us know...

Well, completed 72 miles at the weekend, all town on BP - medium traffic - today the MPG readout Tank Average is ..... 32.4 mpg. It consisted of 4 journeys, starting from "Cold engine" each time...so I reckon that's OK...

On Sainsbo's, I reckon it would have been 26-28mpg tops.

[evilweasel]

Took my 220d in today for a wheel refurb (damn kerbs!). Also asked them to look at fuel consumption and to speak to Richard at Lexus Poole - I picked up the car tonight and was told that no errors were in the car's event log and to try using BP ultimate etc. and then get back to them. I filled up with it on the way back. I find it hard to crack 40mpg at the minute (tesco's) so I'll be interested to see how good BP's finest performs....

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Took my 220d in today for a wheel refurb (damn kerbs!). Also asked them to look at fuel consumption and to speak to Richard at Lexus Poole - I picked up the car tonight and was told that no errors were in the car's event log and to try using BP ultimate etc. and then get back to them. I filled up with it on the way back. I find it hard to crack 40mpg at the minute (tesco's) so I'll be interested to see how good BP's finest performs....

This will be interesting. Was it close to empty when you filled up? If not, you may want to let it run to quarter of a tank or lower and then fill it to the brim...also, how many miles on the clock?

I believe I only used BPU once, on that way back from Cumbria, and that car performed flawlessly, achieving 48+mpg on the run back. Even on some of those sharp hills (Kirkstone pass etc) the car was hitting high 30's on Shell...so let us know...

One thing that 'a' dealership mentioned was that some cars needed Injector changeout due to using poor quality fuel. Something to do with Low Sulphur diesel, inadequate "cleaners" (whatever they are)....dunno how true that is - each dealership tells you a slightly different story. I have telephoned 4 so far, and 2 have consistently said that 5th Injector mod is for cars that stall, the other 2 mentioned things like detergents, and one was patronising implying I had no idea of how to drive diesels....

I know some of the more expensive brands have detergents in them - maybe the cheapo stuff or some brands have insufficient cleaning agents...

My knowledge of detergents goes as far as Fairy liquid only which I use on a regular basis

[evilweasel]

Interesting.

The car was empty - 62 litres to fill it up. I've done around 100 miles, half of which on the M40, other half on A roads/urban. I've managed to get, without changing driving style, 43mpg, where usually I'd obtain around 38mpg. I've used a fifth of a tank of this stuff and on current form it looks like I'll be sticking with it. I took the mileage down at the time I filled it, so I'll calculate MPG accurately next time I fill up, and let you all know.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Nice one.... :)

[rick11]

Well ive been on to my dealer (leeds) again and there still not interested with this injector problem, ive written to Lexus GB but no reply yet,

those of you that have had the injectors changed what tactics did you use to get it to happen, i just keep getting fobbed off. and really getting down about this legendary lexus service.