Is Your New Tundra Getting The EPA Rated Gas Mileage?
Jason Lancaster | Aug 08, 2007 | Comments 151
We recently received an email from a new Tundra owner who wasn’t getting the mileage stated on the sticker. Basically, this person said that “I drive mostly on the highway, but I’m not getting the 18 mpg listed on the sticker. Instead, I’m getting about 15.5 mpg.”
We haven’t heard back from this person yet, but we sent them an email with the following ideas. We figured it might be useful to someone else so we copied it here…
1) Calculate the mileage manually — sometimes the automatic system is inaccurate. We’ve found that minutes spent idling at the dealership (before you owned it) will throw the computer-calculated mileage off substantially, especially for the first few tanks of gas.
2) New engines need at least 1k miles to break-in properly, but it may take as much as 5k miles before you get the best mileage.
3) Have you added any aftermarket wheels or tires, or maybe a camper or other high profile item to your truck? Any of these things could be hurting your mileage. Surprisingly, even a set of tires can drop 1 or 2 mpg if they have aggressive tread.
4) The engine control module (ECM) adapts to the driver’s style to provide the best performance and fuel economy. If you have another driver in the family, their style could be drastically different. Even if this other driver isn’t “hot rodding” the truck, the drastic difference can trick the ECM to switch into “programming” mode every time you switch drivers. I can’t imagine this would result in such a big difference between EPA and actual, but it is possible.
5) How much of your driving is on the highway? Even if you drive 90% of the time on the highway, the other 10% of the time you drive in the city can lower your overall mileage as much as 1 mpg.
6) Finally, if none of the above seem plausible, your truck may be one of a few Tundras that simply doesn’t achieve the stated mileage. Just like some trucks do better than the sticker, some trucks do worse. Your dealer can try to fix this be re-flashing the ECM, or maybe updating the truck’s software. Either of these will fix the problem.
Filed Under: Maintenance Tips
I bought a new tundra in Alberta, Canada.
After several tanks I figured out that the computer derived calculation from liters/ 100 km to mpg is based on US gallons. Canadian(imperial gallons are larger) There are 3.79 L to 1 US gallon and 4.54 L to 1 Imperial gallon. Some what confusing and I would have thought tundras shipped to Canada would have their computer software configured to Imperial gallons. I will ask my dealer if it can be changed. I currently get 15 mpg (US)city and up to 22 mpg highway if I keep my speed at or below 60 mph. The truck has 3500 miles on it.
Fascinating comment — had no idea an “Imperial Gallon” even existed!
Obviously, neither did anyone at Toyota…great comment!
I would like to hear why my Tundra is doing so horrible on gas mileage
Does 381 HP ring a bell?
I bought my tundra in Feb of ’07 and since then I’ve put 5k miles on and I’ve gotten up to 22.2 MPG on the highway and 18 in the city. I have 5.7 V8, Double Cab, limited.
I’m amazes at all the Great millage I’ve been hearing. Let me just say this, I owned a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5.7 Hemi. After 235,000 miles I figured I was due for a new truck. I purchased a Used 2013 Tundra very clean with only 30,800 miles on it. I now have 32,587 miles on the Tundra and I’m bewildered. I drive hwy miles and I’m getting maybe 10 miles to the gal. I’m very disappointed dealer could not believe it when I showed him the proof. I drive from San Jacinto to San Diego and back, and the Tundra uses a Full tank of Gas and my Dodge might, might used a half of a tank. I can’t afford to drive this thing and I’m considering getting out of it Quickly
Note: I purchased the Tundra from a Local Dealer as well who is very well known. my wife and I are just so heart broken after heart and reading so many good things I’m just so disappointed
Awesome — glad to hear the truck is doing so well for you.
I just bought a new Tundra 2 months ago because I had heard pretty decent numbers about the gas mileage. Being a Ford guy my whole life, I made the switch from my 05 expedition with the thought It would be a smart long term investment (better mileage, new warranty etc). Mind you I drive like a Grandmother, I havent ever done better than 11.5 MPG on a tank of gas. The dealership has assured me its going to get better as it breaks in, but i mean…. 5/6 MPG better? I also have the 4.6 V8 which I thought would help me out. Truck drives and looks amazing but if nothing changes by 5k I think shell be looking for a new home.
Eric Nagle,
That’s odd. We consistently hear from other owners that it gets upwards of 20 mpg. I wonder what’s going on.
-Tim
I’d love to figure out what’s going on myself. I own a construction crew and work on a lot of decent sized commercial project and always have guys saying they love my truck and have been thinking about switching from the big 3. I don’t wanna be that guy and ruin a reputation cause besides the milage the truck is awesome. But eventually when that 11mgp comes out they could care less about the break in theory’s I have been told by Toyota.
I’m actually having the same experience myself with my new 2013 Double Cab. I also selected a 4.6 after 12 years with my Ram 5.9; during test drives the 4.6 transmission felt more responsive in city driving than Toyota’s 5.7. I’m only getting about 11.36 mpg through the trucks first 1400 miles; actually the same or worse than my Ram. That’s combined city/ hwy; I’ve seen no difference with A/C or without. I’ll update if I see any improvement after the 1st 5k; definitely a bit concerning, as this is almost Hummer territory.
I’ve had my 07 tundra 5.7 V8 for 10 days now. I picked it up with 5 miles on the od. It had a full tank of gas. At 272 miles the gas light came on. So what’s that mean, I get about 15-20 more miles? So then I’m getting about 11 miles per gallon! That is all city driving. I just had about 40 hwy miles and I’m still not impressed. I will be contacting the dealership Monday. Maybe they need to check the computer? I am not an aggressive driver. In fact, I am being particularly careful not to gun it, brake hard, etc. until I get at least 1k miles.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
dS
On a brand-new truck, the engine computer is in “learn” mode. That means it is probably running your fuel mixture a little rich until it determines exactly how to manage your fuel use.
Second, not only is your engine in learn mode, but your transmission is too. It may be shifting in a less than economic fashion until the engine computer tells it to do otherwise.
I hate to say it, but you’re dealership probably won’t be able to help you. Once you’ve got a few miles (500-1000) on it and the computer has programmed itself, your mileage should improve. If you’re still getting bad mileage after that, you definitely should bring it in.
i have had my tundra since 2007 with about 37,000 miles.
i am only getting 12-14 mpg in city driving and 15-17 mpg on hwy driving.
it has never met driver specs.
what can i do to improve gas mileage?
Ditto. I’ve owned a 2007 v8 TX edition (20″ wheels and towing package) for 6 years, 150k miles. Brand new, I got 19 mpg avg on the computer. City was 14~ and highway was 22. After about 3 years, it dropped to 17 avg. 5 years, 15. At 6 years, I got 14.7 mpg. I was upset. So, I bought a set of high performance spark plugs, tires aligned and balanced, did a dealership fuel treatment, diff and tranny flush and wallah. Right back up at 19 avg within 2 tanks of gas. Dealership told me that simply replacing the spark plugs works 9/10 on the mpg with the 5.7L. So, give it a shot. It’s cheap and you’ll be amazed at the performance boost.
thanks Chris, i never got 19, i would have loved that. i have stock on my truck and the mileage is still at 12-15MPG. i will try the spark plugs.
iburchett1@roadrunner.com
Ive had my Tundra for 2 months now and have close to 20k miles on it… i drive alot for my job. After my first 1k miles I reset my gas economy od and have let it accumulate for the past 2 months over a hundred tanks of gas. Sadly my average mpg is 15.5 aswell. This is my only complaint against this otherwise awesome truck. Im currently looking for aftermarket products to increase my fuel economy that doesnt sacrafice the quiet engine.
I’m actually getting well above the rated MPG of 14/18.
I’m at 17.5/24.1 and been driving it normally (60-65mph hwy, some burst to 80-90 to pass etc).
Break it in as directed in the manual.
Take it easy on take offs from dead stops.
For the first 4-5000 miles the truck averaged 19+ on the highway and around 17 in town. When it hit about 5k the mileage fell off significantly. It’s now approaching 10k and manually or via onboard computer the mileage is averaging 15.7. Best highway I’ve seen has been 18.2 over 250 miles at 70-75 mph in rolling country. Dealer says everything is normal, and can’t explain the mileage drop after 5k miles. Personally I think it’s the transmission, it wants to downshift at the slightest increase in load, and doesn’t want to upshift quickly when the load drops. When this thing downshifts, usually to 4th, the mileage drops to below 8 mpg at 70. Dealer seems to think this is normal too. But I havn’t had an outfit hunt gears this much since a chrysler minivan several years ago. Otherwise I love the thing. Maybe the best overall truck I’ve ever owned.
Bob, your experience makes sense. The engine has “broken in” and the mileage has stabilized into a fairly normal range. Most full-size truck owners experience about the same mileage (regardless of what they may say).
However, if you want to try something(and if your dealer will co-operate), the dealership can “flash” the engine control module (ECM). This will put the truck back in “learn” mode. It might lower your mileage in the short term (the first 100-200 miles after the flash), but it might also re-calibrate the engine’s fuel management system and improve your mileage.
There are no problems with trying this, but it might not help either. Like I said, it might be worth a shot.
I looked at your comments on the 5.7 fuel mileage issue (normal do
Dan — first of all, your MPG numbers on your old truck are out of this world. I’ve never seen or heard of a truck that averaged 22mpg at 80mpg — it’s phenomenal. I doubt you’ll ever own a truck that gets that kind of mileage again.
As for the new Tundra, keep in mind that the engine may still be “breaking in” since it has less than 5k miles.
For a suggestion, I try talking to the local dealer and asking them if you can get a data recorder put on your truck. They can use the data to make sure all your truck’s sensors are working properly — for instance, a poorly calibrated or bad quality O2 sensor can single-handedly tube your gas mileage without triggering any codes.
Hope that helps, and good luck.
I just owned a 07 4×4 5.7 doublecab Tundra, It just have over 1200 miles. When I filled the tank it showed the driving range to be 373 miles meaning to say it will average 14.3 mpg. After driving to 1/2 of the tank, after driving 150 miles, it consumed 1/2 gas in the tank averaging about 11.3 mpg. Does anybody have similar experience?
I just bought my 2012 Tundra last week. I got it with 23 miles and have gone through 1.5 tanks since I’ve had it and the odometer is barely over 300 miles. I just out in a K&N air filter to see if that would help. Any suggestions?
I purchased my 2007 5.7 double cab Tundra in March 07. When the vehicle came in I was a little concerned with the 5.7 but the salesman assured me that the 5.7 has better resale value than the 4.7 and that the mileage difference between the two was minimal. After the first week with my free tank of gas with my purchase I noticed the poor gas mileage. After a couple of weeks, I went back to the dealer and explained to them that there is no way I am getting anywhere close to the estimated 18 miles per gallon. Their comment was I had to break the truck in… 16000 kms later I am getting 10 miles per gallon…. I know it’s winter and gas consumption is higher but…… I went back to the dealer and they want me to bring the truck in when the weater is perfect – no rain or snow – so they can do proper tests!!!!!! I am tired of the excuses; I am not getting anywhere. I feel I need to take this matter up with Toyota directly. Any comments/suggestions. I’ve owned several Toyotas and never had any problems but now that I do have a problem they are not being very helpful
Manuel — take a look at this post:
https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2007/10/23/toyota-tundra-fuel-gauge-questions/
It should explain why 1/2 a tank on the gauge doesn’t correspond with 1/2 a tank in real numbers.
Franco — to your first point about the 4.7 v. the 5.7, there’s not much of a difference (at least in terms of fuel economy). The 5.7’s extra gear gets you nearly the same level of fuel economy. Take a look at the EPA rating and you’ll see for yourself.
As for you current experience, take a look at comments 10 and 12. The data recorder is first, the reset is 2nd. I don’t know where in the world you are, but the weather would have to be pretty awful to justify 10mpg (I’m thinking arctic circle). Tell your dealer you want this fixed NOW because it’s costing you money. Check out the following post for tips:
https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2007/04/30/toyota-customer-service-tips-for-getting-your-problem-solved/
I bought a 2007 Tundra Double cab 4×2 5.7L July of 07 I got close to 30,000 miles on it so far. I only drive hwy miles and maybe a couple mies in the city but i average 20.7 – 22.2mpg cruising at a speed of 76 mph. I did this every week for four months straight and got the same result. Love the truck, change the oil religiously. All stock engine but getting Cai and K&N filter to see if anything changes.
Eddie – awesome man. That’s good mileage.
I have a 2007 tundra 5.7 2wd double cabit has 3400miles on it. I dont drive it in town very much.The mileage has been anywhere from 15.6 to 22.3 the last time i was dealer the guy said to turn the tracksion contorl off. So i did, ive only drove it 132.4 miles that way but at 60 mph it used 5.6 gal gas 23.6 mpg I am very happy with the truck. Iam getting ready put a gebson exhuast and a afe air box on it.Hope it dont hurt the mpg. Marty McAlister
I have a 2007 tundra 5.7 2wd double cab it has 3400miles on it. I dont drive it in town very much.The mileage has been anywhere from 15.6 to 22.3 the last time i was dealer the guy said to turn the tracksion contorl off. So i did, ive only drove it 132.4 miles that way but at 60 mph it used 5.6 gal gas 23.6 mpg I am very happy with the truck. Iam getting ready put a gebson exhuast and a afe air box on it.Hope it dont hurt the mpg. Marty McAlister
[…] 10.7 mpg. WTFFFF Is Your New Tundra Getting The EPA Rated Gas Mileage? | tundraheadquarters.com lotta good reading here and it answers a lotta questions which everyone allready knows the answers […]
I have an ’07 DC 5.7L which I purchased in August of ’07. I have similar issues as the other commentors, but this one in particular: When filling up – even at empty – I am only able to fill up to 16.0 – 16.4 gallons, instead of the 26 gallons according to the manual. I called my dealership about this issue; they advised me I have a smaller tank and not the 26 gal tank. (Does that even exist?) Is this possibly an issue with the ECM or other electrical component which needs repair/replacement? Or is it possible I actually am retaining nearly 10 gallons of reserve gas when my gauge reads “empty”? Any thoughts? I also average about 13 mpg…
The dealer is full of shit. If you live in the states the tank is 26 gallons and Canada it 22-Imp.gallons.
Quinn – take a look at this post for the answer to your question.
https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2007/10/23/toyota-tundra-fuel-gauge-questions/
There’s nothing wrong with your truck…it’s just the sending unit is cheap.
I have a 4wd crew max purchased in June of 07 and has 21,000 miles. Some weeks all highway miles then others all city. On the highway I get 18-20 depending on head winds, and fuel. Thats right fuel! I own a construction company and we did an internal study and found that we get 2 mpg better with Shell fuel than BP. This covers vehicles from all the major manufacturers with varying age.
My two pennies.
The New Tundra,mileage figures from Toyota are way out.No one i’ve talked to has better than 17mpg combined,yet toyota claims higher.It was the same with my fist Tundra,,never got better than 18mpg.It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure your mileage will drop with the new truck,when it is heavier,has more HP.,and has a bigger drag aero wise.The Best i’ve heard is from the Ram ISB-6 Cummins with the Edge.22 mpg
I have a 2007 Tundra Double cab 4×4 with the 5.7 Engine. On the hwy I can achieve the 18 mpg, but there is no way in the world I can ever get the estimated 14 mpg city. It is actually more like 10 mpg city. Thats fine though beacuse I had a Ford 4×4 extra cab that got 11 mpg on the highway and did not have near the power the Tundra does.
My 07 4.7 2WD Reg Cab with undercover gets 21 mpg highway, easy, at 60 – 70 mph. Love it. 15 mpg city. 11 mpg towing 6000 lbs of boat and trailer.
I Have A 2007 Tundra double cab 5.7L w/ 4.30 rearaxle and flowmaster exhaust and only get 13.5 miles to the gallon in the city. 14.5 to15.0 on the freeway at about 80 to 85 mph the truck has 5500 miles on it now but it is Not no 15 to 18 like the dealer said it whould. if any person can help me to get that it whould be Great thanks
Dave – Your gas mileage is normal for 80-85 mph. The EPA ratings on the sticker were determined at 65 mph. There’s quite a bit of difference in drag between 65 and 85. While some claim to get 18mpg at 80mph, that’s the exception, not the rule.
I have 35,000 miles on my 07 Crewmax Limited. I use an AFE and Borla Pro XS complete duels. I’m avg 20 – 22mpg doing 60. I got on one trip at 55mph my avg was 24.7. This is on flat land florida. I use the regular street tires 18″ duellers that came with the truck. I haven’t seen 22mpg at 80mph. Not even 20mpg especially on rolling hills. To work one way is 28 miles with 25 of them interstate. The last 3 miles is 4 lane road at 55mph with two red lights within 1/4 to 1/2 mile of each other. I get better mpg if I keep my windows up and a/c on. But it’s summer so all 5 windows are down and sunroof opened.
2008 Tundra Double Cab 2wd 4.7l – Huntsville, AL
I just went over 3400 miles. My commute is 20.4 miles one way with two stops along the way. I’ll average about 50 mph, so that is pretty optimal to achieve good mileage. My mileage has gradually improved from 17.8 to 19.2. I installed a K&N drop in air filter after a couple weeks. (not the $300 cold air intake, just a replacement filter) I run premium in it, because in the past I’ve found it to be worth about 10% better mileage, for less than 10% additional cost. My best tankful was 20.3.
I’m happy with it. My 2000 Nissan Frontier V6 4×4 was only good for 20 mpg under just the right circumstances, and this is a lot more truck.
2007 Tundra SR5 Double Cab 4wd 5.7l – Chase BC Ca
I have 7000 mi on my Tundra which I imported to BC from Texas. Mileage really depends on my driving habits and I watch the “instant” mileage indicator when I am concerned. Often I see useage of less than 10 l/100 km and on average have been averaging 15.6 I/100 km. I’ll leave it to the math freaks to do the US conversion. It is OK for me. By the way, hauling a trailer up a steep hill I have also noticed useage of 80 to 90 l/100km.
My observation is that the gas guage is not right. My truck has a 100 l tank but when the empty light goes on I can only get 70 l into the tank. I feel the Toyota engineers did this on purpose so that us owners do not run below the 1/4 full mark. Relax, if you wanted good mileage you would have bought a Prius.
I live in Wyoming and have about 10,000 miles on my 2008 Tundra. I had been averaging around 19 mpg on state highways with the speed limit of 65 mph. I did drive the speed limit. I was not impressed with the BFG Rugged Terrain tires that came on the truck. My truck even had a TRD package that says it is for Off-Road (Why put tires on a truck that can not put up with what people (at least in the western states) buy the truck for? Anyhow, I put some Cooper SRT tires on it ( pretty aggressive) that were 5 mm wider and 5% taller, my mileage dropped to 13-14 mpg. I get really good traction now, but WOW I never thought it would make that much difference. Next time I will pick something in the middle.
my 07 bought at 22k miles in dec o7 is only getting about 9 mpg. Its 5.7 4×4 double and I am in alaska {not sure where truck came from]. It seems to get 11 on highway. Or 250 miles per tank. Is something wrong here??
Dano from alaska I feel for you. I live in Ottawa Canada and when winter hits my mileage goes way down. I’ve been back and fourth at the dealer and they’re no help. I have a 07 tundra 4×4 5.7L . When I got my truck the first week I new I was in trouble . On a full tank of gas I got 320 km . I went back to the dealer after a week and their answer was “I have to break it in” and this was in the summer last year. It took 30,000km for my truck to finally reach about 500km on a full tank that was this summer. We are back in winter again and I’m back at 320 to 350km on a full tank . This is all city driving . I had a 02 4.7 tundra 4×4 and I always got about 500km on a full tank summer or winter . It doesn’t matter how much I complain, this truck was built for Florida and not Canada . I have to say that I do get better gas mileage on the hwy.
My sticker states 16-20mpg. I get from 17-23mpg. It depends on how you drive and good ole flat land florida. When it’s cold it maintains just around 20-21mpg. I’m sure the winter blend gas isn’t great for the engine. I did avg in the mountains of WV 17.7mpg at 70 mph. I have 49,000 miles on mine. Bought my crewmax in July 07. Also for 4×4’s your truck is heavier so mpg will go down. It shouldn’t be that low Dano and Franco.
Dano and Franco – I’ve always said that winter fuel was to blame, but that’s not the case. Here are nice posts from the Star Tribune and Car Talk that explain why your fuel economy drops.
http://www.cartalk.com/content.....ch/01.html
http://www.startribune.com/cars/11354696.html
I just bought a 2008 tundra crew cab 4×4. love the truck, hate the mileage.14mpg.I took one trip to colorado when it was new and got around 17 but recently only 14.the truck has 3500 miles on it now.I’ve purchaced an after market modual to put on it.Should I take it to my dealer before installing the modual or what do you think?RW
I have 15,000 miles on my 07 Texas built Tundra. The mpg is just below the lowest stated on the sales sticker. The transmission shifting is not smooth when in motion and decel to acceleration. There is hesitation. I have talked with the dealer about this every time I have service. They say they check the system and all codes are in normal operating range. After reading this list of problems it is evident there is a basic problem somewhere in the transmission.
I have owned 4 new toyota vehicles, all Japan built and experienced little or no problems with them except for lack of power and a head gasket problem on the 6 cylinder model.
MY TUNDRA IS A GOOD LOOKING TRUCK AND I LIKE IT.
Rick – The mileage is lower than it should be right now because of the winter. Cold engines run rich, and it takes much longer for a cold engine to warm up in the winter time. I’d guess that you’ll be back at 17mpg in the springtime.
Ed – Your dealer should check the torque converter.
I purchased an ’07 5.7 liter CrewMax 4×4 in May ’08 from the dealer which had 6K miles on it. Not sure how it was driven the first 6k, but I’m not hard on vehicles, though I do like to clip down the road. I like to quad, camp and I tow trailers. I have a cargo trailer that holds my quad, both weighing only about 1,200 lbs total, towing this combo I average between 9.5 and 12.2 mpg. I also have a toyhauler, which is 5,000 lbs dry, and can hold up to another 6,000 lbs, for a total weight of 11,000 lbs. I believe the tow rating on the 5.7 is for 10,500 lbs. I have never had mine loaded beyond 8,000 lbs, however, my mileage dropped to between 5.3 mpg to 8.2 mpg. No I haven’t tried ot have the EMC reflashed as suggested or the software updated, and I do have BFG all terrain tires on this truck, but doesn’t the mileage seem a bit low? My average in town not towing is between 11.3 mpg and 12.6 mpg, hwy my best has been 18.7, but average 15.7 mpg. I check my mileage every tank manually. Love this truck, but hate the mileage… I previously had an ’02 tundra 4.7 4×4 which didn’t do any better… So I guess I knew what I was in for…
Have you found any fix for your truck yet
A state trooper pulled me over in TX in the Tundra and started asking me about the mileage. I told him I’m easily pulling 17 MPG on the freeway and I was hauling a motorcycle and additional cargo at an average speed of 75. He wanted to trade his 05 but was concerned about gas mileage. I really have no complaints with the ratings on mine and the gauges are calculating accurately. Driving hard and sitting in traffic I still get no less than 13.7 MPG on a tank. I would say your average of 15.7 is accurate for a combo of highway and city because that’s about what I typically get doing the same.
Alan hate to tell you that you have 2 strikes against you if you’re trying to get mpg’s. First you have a 4×4. Added weight and drag of the 4×4 will reduce your mpgs and second All Terrain Tires. Those aren’t for highway mileage. I’ll give you my mpg’s runs anywhere from 19-23mpg. I have 18″ rims and use Bridgestone Duellers street tires. I have a Crewmax Limited 4×2. If I do 60 mph I can get 21-22mpg. 55 mph I can get from 20-23mpg. I have reached 24.7mpg on a 300 mile trip doing 55mph in a 70mph zone. I have over 50,000 miles on mine and most of it is Interstate driving. Also living in flatland Florida helps.
I’m running the same factory tires as Mickey and I give them credit. They have held up well and I’m not buying tires just for the looks nor plan to go off-road much where it is warranted to get All-Terrains. If it means spending more for a tire that costs more due to fuel consumption – I’d pass unless I really had a purpose.
I have a 08 tundra double cab 4 x4 with 17000 miles on it.The last four weeks starting in mid Feb it was getting 10mpg. I took it to a toyota dealer to see what was wrong (they found nothing).When I pull a 16ft flatbed trailer it gets 8mpg.Has anybody had this problem and how do i fix it. Tire are original.
Joe – Winter driving is part of it. Engines take longer to heat up in the winter, and until they reach operating temp they burn more fuel (the ECM intentionally runs rich to compensate for cold fuel). If your drivers are short (say 30 mins or less), and the engine never gets warmed up (it can take 15-30 mins to reach full temp, depending on how cold it is outside), you’ll get bad mileage. Did the truck get good mileage before? If so, it’s either the winter or something wrong with the ECM. My money is on the cold, but you can always ask the dealership to flash your ECM. Sometimes that helps.
For Tundra Owners in Canada/Alaska:
I saw a big drop in fuel economy on my 2008 DC 5.7 during the winter months in Northern Canada(18mpg-15mpg), But got back 2mpg when i changed to 0-20 synthetic oil. Also got another 1mpg with my TRD intake.
Blair – Thanks for the info.
How to save mileage at 95 mph? i normaly use cruise at that speed.
I recently purchased a 2009 tundra 5.7 liter. The truck is nice. The salesman said it should get better mileage than the sticker. So far I am not impressed. I only have 250 miles on it. My old truck was a 2000 silverado 5.3 and I could get 18 no matter how I drove it. If it doesn’t get better I will be upset. I had my silverado from day 1 with 20 miles it got the same mileage. I have been working on trucks and cars for18 years now so I am well versed in how an internal combustion engine works. I know they say it has more power but if I don’t “hot rod ” it should do better.
Thomas only 250 miles on it. Give it a chance to break in. A little early to try for mpg’s. You will get better mpg’s shortly. I get from 20 – 23mpg on my 07 Crewmax with a 5.7 engine.
Thomas – I agree with Mickey. Give it 1000 miles or so to “break-in” – you’ll see better mileage and better performance once everything is seated.
I have an 08 tundra limited with the 5.7, got 19k miles and get terrible mileage expecally when towing a trailer which I do allot and I only get 8MPG? whats up? is there any computer chip that can be purchased to improve fuel economy? what brand and can i install it myself. I also have a towing package, should I turn off the towing package when on the hightway for long periods?
Merlin – If you’re getting 8mpg while towing that’s one thing (it’s low, but it’s certainly possible for a big enough load at a high enough speed). However, if you’re getting 8 mpg empty that’s a problem. Are you computing the mileage yourself or using the trip computer? That’s where I would start. Then I would look at my tires (are you using oversized tires, are they under-pressure, etc.), air resistance (do you have a topper, a lift kit, etc.), and then finally I would ask my dealer to take a look.
You guys have to take in consideration elevation when trying to figure out your gas milege, the higher you are from sea level the worse the fuel milege your tundra will get, I run mobil 1 synthetic oil and k&n air filter i have a 4.7 litre 08 and get 550kms to 600kms on highway as long as im not pushing wind or in the mountains and remeber if you have a 4.7 your truck has 4 catalytic converters on it and a 5.7 has 5 catties plus a stock muffler, when your truck is off warranty look for a complete exaust system (no catties) cold air intake and a power mod that will let your truck run properly with the performance parts on it I use to own deisels and thats what i had to do my 07 6 litre powerstroke and it got 25 mpg.
I have a 08 tundra dbl cab 5.7 4×4 tow package 4.30 gear . When the truck was new “BROKE IN BUT WITH FACTORY OIL” I could get 17.5 to 19 mpg on trips running 72 mph. After my first oil change best mpg was 15-17 on trips,it has slowly worked its way down to 14-15 on trips. I installed a trd cold air box and syn. oil no change! I see on the oil cap it reads for best econemy use 0-15 or 0-20 could this posibly be the issue? I find it hard to believe but maybee. All of my oil has been 5-20 or 10-30 if I cannot regain my mpg this truck is down the road! also I am on my third radio. Like the truck but need help THANKS
Hi everyone I’m intreagued about how the 5.7 tundras are trying to make good mileage but they don’t. I’ve had mine for 2 years now and the worst for city but I will give it credit for hwy driving . I have had a Toyota for !5 years and I stood by them for ever . But they made a mistake with their gas mileage for city on the 5.7 . If I had lots of money I would go and fight them but I don’t. So for that I’m going to a Chev! It’s too bad ‘cuz I’ve been a loyal costumer for so long…. I’ve changed my radio 2 times already……
Chris you have a 4×4… That added weight and drag won’t get you great mpg’s. Getting 17+ on trips at 72mph is great. Try doing 55mph while on the road and see how it increases. If you want mpg’s you have to do lower RPM’s period. Your weight of your truck is probably over 7,000lbs. Also if you are using all terrains tires with that 4×4 is a killer too. You need street tires to get max mpg’s.
Anonymous EPA states what your truck can get. They gave me a rating of 16 city 20 hwy on my 07 Crewmax Limited 4×2. I get over 20mpg’s on the hwy. This is done by doing 55mph with the 5.7 and 6 speed tranny. I avg between 19-23mpg depending on my driving. It also depends if you have a 4×4, all terrain tires, flat land Florida is where I’m at, and even the weather. So first of all you won’t win against the mpg’s and Toyota. EPA states it not Toyota so that’s a moot point. You state 5 years? That would put you in a 2005 Tundra. Those didn’t come with a 5.7 or a 6 speed tranny. Those were the 4.7 with a 5 speed tranny. That tranny and rear gear makes a big difference. Now you state you’re going to chevy from being a loyal customer… I’m raising the B/S flag on that statement. If that’s your main reason to run off then you shouldn’t own a truck. Oh by the way the stock radio you got is Delco. Made by Chevy. So you can put your stock in that, plus the govt. owned business.
MICKEY; Thanks for the comment, my 4×4 might have gone 7000lbs with all my gear plus my atv and small trailer. I took three trips with this combo in the first 5000 miles with it locked in at 72 mph never saw under 17 mpg with a high of 19 ! thats including mountains in CO. and Iowa – Nebraska corn fuel , but thats a topic for another blog. And yes stock Michelin tires. You bet I was very pleased with this, my point is once I changed my oil I lost mpg’s 2 to 3. Now I ‘m lucky to get 15 with perfect conditions and a tail wind. I never check milage in the city so my figures are strickly long hyw. runs. What P.O.s me is why was my truck capable of this milage for a short period of time and now its not? I have also tried 87-93 octain fuel with and without 10% ethanol , not much change. I will try the 0-20 oil that toyota recomends . I have a 600 mile trip in november so I will try again. I’m not quite ready to give up!
Chris from what I found out higher octane won’t change it. Synthetic oil is suppose to be better which is what I use. I do my maintenance at the dealer so I don’t know the weight but I do know it’s Castrol. I’m thinking maybe reset the computer by diconnecting the battery for 10 minutes so as to trick the maf sensor to think it’s new again just to see if it gets back your mpg’s. I’m sure Jason will chime in with a suggestion.
Chris – The recommended oil is definitely going to improve gas mileage, but I can’t imagine it will make that big of a difference. 0-20 is less viscous than 5-20, but not so much so that it would reduce efficiency by 10%. Could be a combination of things – a clogged air filter, low tire pressure, and more viscous oil might combine to drop your economy. Did you add any accessories that would increase drag? That might explain it as well.
Jason; I installed a TRD cold air box after my mpg’s dropped hoping to regain them. No accessories have been added , tire pres. has been checked now and then. I will make sure pressures are all up, filter is cleaned and oil is changed for my trip next month. The only drawback is Wisconsin temp in november could cost me some milage . Would the idea of diconecting the battery for 10 minutes reset anything? thanks for the help
Chris – The battery reset can’t hurt, but the cold weather might explain the drop. Did you see the post about that last week?
Well boys , I have been reading blogs so much my eyes have crossed. However I ran across somthing interesting, seems a guy had the same simtums I had with milage and very slight loss of power . His truck has 28000 miles, mine has 23000. He claimes he changed his fuel filter and the truck picked up 4 mpgs. I wonder? It sounds possible! Now I have a theory on tires . Can tires break in and get softer, as in more rolling resistance? Air pressures in my tires from factory 35 psi I checked them yesterday 35 front 32 rear . I put maxair in at 44psi I can feel a big improvment as the truck rolls. Like it used to.
I use 40psi to be exact. The more you put in the more I feel the road. The truck will ride harder. I’m due for the same thing in changing the fuel filter. Maybe mine will increase and I can try for 25mpg’s.
Chris – A clogged fuel filter could definitely hurt mileage. Older tires have higher rolling resistance because they have less tread…more of the tire is in contact with the road. Did the boost in PSI help the tire?
Yes , mpg increased with boost in psi. I also disconected the
battery for oprx. 1 hour. I drive country roads 30 miles to work, top
speed 65, 8 stop signs 2 slow zones at 45 and 6 miles through a town
with 5 stop lights. Not city driving but a fair share of stop and go
18.3 mpg on 2 fillups. Much better! Tomorrow 0-20 oil and filter
change and 600 mile trip this weekend . I think it will do quite well.
thanks again. Oh I did not change my fuel filter yet.
Chris I’m not sure if we have a changeable fuel filter. Like the Ford and Chevy I had, all 3 were on the driver’s side underneath the driver’s seat to the rear seat area. I haven’t seen where Toyota hides their’s. I do alot of highway driving. 28 miles to work. 1mile of 4 lane 65/55mph to interstate then 19 miles of interstate for at least 15miles of the 19miles at 70/55mph then the last 4 miles at 55/55mph. Then it’s on a 4 lane at 55/55mph for the last 8miles and on the last mile it becomes 40/40mph and 2 red lights. The second mph is what I do to get the max mph. I’m avg from 20-22mpg.
I own a 2008 Tundra with the 5.7 V8 with about 17,000 miles on it. It only gets between 15.5 and 16 MPG on the highway. I have the orginal tires on it. We also bought a 2010 tundra crew max 4.7 V8 it has about 5,000 miles on it. It is mainly a city driven truck but the gas mileage is between 14 and 15. We traded in a Highlander on the 2010 because the stated gas mileage for city was 18. Since we had to run premimum gas in it we thought that fuel cost would be a wash because the highland was only getting about 19 to 20 MPG. any suggestions to increase the fuel milage. Also you should bought a bigger fuel tank on these trucks. when towing you only get about 200 miles per tanks.
Duane I don’t know if this will help yours but it did mine. I utilize a AFE Stage II Cold Air Intake (CAI) that increase by 1.5mpg’s. I do use it in tandem with Borla Pro XS complete duels. With both I get about 2mpg’s increase. I also do at times 55mph on the interstate which I get over 23mpg. Keeping your RPM’s down, no lift, street tires vice all terrain tires, and don’t have a 4×4. I have over 75,000 miles on mine and did alot of experimenting when I did my road trips at different speeds and different octane gas. It’s hard to keep 20mpg in the city.
Well guys we all have the same problem here and we are all looking for a great fix,As for me i bought an 07 dc 2×2 with 19,000 on it, olny got 16 at best, so from some advice from other truck owners ,They suggest exhaust and upgrade to an cold air intake. So now im driving with a flowmaster and a air raid intake system and good grief now im getting 12 and 13 mpg. So im not sure what to do, Truck sound great, and i like the truck over all, But cant brag about gas at all. Stereo been replace 2 time now all under warrenty. Has any one done any upgrades and experienced this problem as well. Any comments helps thx.
Hoss – Ouch! The upgrades took you in the wrong direction…how long have you had them? Sometimes the engine computer needs time to adjust.
You also might consider reseting the engine computer – it could be that the engine has adapted to a new mode that isn’t particularly fuel efficient.
The other thought I have is that a 5.7 Tundra with an exhaust and an intake is fun to drive fast…that kills gas mileage. Any chance you’ve been putting your fit in it a little more than before? 🙂
Ditto Jason on the resetting the computer. Hoss as for the stereo it’s a Delco made by GM. Now go figure. Right now I’m getting 20.4mpg with this winter mixed gas. I ‘m doing the same as I do in the summer and was getting 22.5mpg. A lost of over 40 miles per tank.
Hey thanks for the reply guys ,and i have to admit the first day or two after the air raid intake install, the sound out of the intake when you put your foot into it sounds awesome i think im Nascar for awhile LOL.Anyway i do realize i need to give the truck time to adjust, as well as my 36,000 warrenty is very close and on this next service im going to have toyota check and let me know were i stand on it as well as by then i will have more time on the truck to see if the computer adjust for the up grades. Other than that my truck is all stock and for you guys with trailers. I have a 25 foot travel trailer and the tundra pulls real nice at 14 mpg never over 65 mph with the cruize control on and the 5.7 dose a nice job. Also real quick i did have the gas pedal stick a couple time right after i got the truck, Wow thats a trip when your not perpared. anyway it was a carpet issue for me ,took out the old and replace it with a rubber mat and never has done again.
Hoss – I knew it! Speed demon… 🙂
I bought a ’07 Tundra TRD Limted crew w/ the 4.7L. I’ve had it about 6 months and on the highway im averaging 22.8 MPG and 17 in the city and pretty happy with with the milage. It has just under 29K. Been pretty happy with the truck so far. Only complaint is the bed hopping. Any suggestions about that? Any other guys on here with my year and engine any comments.
Thanks.
HEY JASON
YOU CAN BE HAPPY WITH YOUR 4.7 AND THE MILAGE, I HAVE THE 5.7 AND GET 14.5 CITY OR HIGHWAY, WEATHER I PULL MY TRAVEL TRAILER OR NOT ITS NEVER CHANGES. AS FAR AS THE BED HOPPING IV SEEN VIDEO ON THIS PROBLEM BUT NEVER HAD IT HAPPEN ON MINE SO FAR. I DO HAVE THE LONG BED AND DO NOT KNOW IF THAT MAKES A DIFFRENTS OR NOT. JUST REAL QUICK TOO I WAS TOLD IF I WOULD DO AFTER MARKET EXAHUST AND COLD AIR INTAKE THAT I WOULD SEE A DIFFRENTS IN MILAGE ,IF I KEPT MY FOOT OUT OF IT, WELL IT SOUNDS AWESOME AND RUNS AWESOME, BUT NO CHANGE IN MILAGE . TOYOTA DID A FULL CHECK UP THE LAST TIME IN AND SAID THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK. SO I LIVE WITH A AWESOME TRUCK WITH HORRABLE GAS MILAGE. WISH I HAD A FIX FOR YOUR BED BOUNCE,THATS GOT TO SUCK ON A ROAD AT HIGH SPEEDS.22.8 YOU SUCK JASON( LOL) just kidding bro thats great thanks for posting your comment.
Hoss – 14.5 isn’t the best, but it’s not that far outside of normal. Other things you can do: 1) Calculate the actual mileage yourself instead of relying on the computer. 2) Reset your engine computer (just unhook the battery for an hour) and clear the computer’s stored engine and shift point (maps). 3) Read this post: https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2007/07/20/tundra-fuel-economy-7-ways-to-improve-your-tundras-mpg/
Jason
Thanks for the tip i have heard of reseting the computer like that before. It’s cool to read and hear other people with an interest with the same truck with diffrent things going with there truck. I get that most all tundra owners over all are happy with there truck, I live in Gilbert, Az and my wife and i drove to San Diago about 5 hours off driving and wow i can say its very comfortable ride and that in its self for me anyway makes up for the not so good mileage. Jason are you running michelin tires on your tundra? I am and going to be looking to get a set of tires soon,whats your choice of tire for your truck? Thanks again for your replys back.
Hoss – I’m not actually a Tundra owner. In fact, I’m not even a car owner right now! I’m in New York for work and have no need for a car. As far as brands of tires are concerned, I’m not convinced that it really matters. Instead, I would look at your typical use (sounds like a lot of highway) and buy the appropriate tire. The OEM tires are usually great in terms of fuel economy, noise, and long-term wear, but they’re usually weak off-road (unless you’ve got a TRD package). So, unless you find off-road traction lacking, buying the same brand, size, and model of tire your new truck came with is often a good choice.
Jason i think the michlin tire is my best buy, Im happy with the ones on there now, was just wondering what you had. New York wow never been there. Im a desert rat in Airzona, But the tundra truck does good here, thax for your commits HAPPY EASTER WEEK END.
Hoss – Thanks! NYC is a great place to visit – if for no other reason that to make you appreciate Arizona that much more! 🙂
I have a 2010 Tundra 5.7L. Bought new July 2009, we have horrible mileage since we bought it, I have had it at the dealership in October, February, April & most recently July 13,2010. They have reset computer twice, tires have been rotated, 2 oil changes (1 of which was synthetic) & still poor fuel mileage. I manually calculate mileage as I have a base truck. I have never gotten over 11mpg no trailer, when I add our 24 ft car hauler & a hotrod (under 1800 lbs) gas mileage dropped & fluctuates 5-7mpg. The dealership gave us some suggestions & we will follow it to see if it will help. His suggestion is to run 3 tanks of gas through it with 93 octane. I filled up on July 13 with the 93 octane & I’m writing down everywhere I’ve been & if it’s with or without a trailer. Any suggestions other than what the dealership has given us? They have put in a case # w/Toyota. Hopefully something will come about. The truck barely has 10270 on mileage 1 year later.
Dealership also told us to only use CHEVRON Or SHELL gas. No other brand. Luckily we have both here in Austin,Texas.
Hello there i finally reset the computer by talking the pos side of battier for one full hour. with my air raid intake, flowmaster, it went up from 12 mpg to 16mpg. But this took about 5000 miles, to see a change. Weather i am pulling my boat,or empty same milage, So 16 is what i get,So i drive with my foot into it and be happy with the milage,at least its 16 mpg instead of 12 so maybe try to reset your computer for at least one hour and give it some time to re program to your driving pattern. Nothing for sure but cant hurt to try. Nice chatting with you.
Snoopy – No idea. I would suggest doing exactly what you’re already doing – log every trip, every gallon of gas, dates, distances, etc. – that’s the best way to prove there’s a problem.
Hoss – That’s a good idea too.
To P Malone, I drive a Tundra Double Cab 4×4 5/7 V/8. When i cross the line to get gas i compare the US gallon to 4 litres which is close enough for me. With are $ at par i can save on average $25 – $30 on a tank of gas. As mileage goes i can’t get past the 12MPG. When asked how many MPG i get i just say when it is at a 1/4 of a tank i fill up. It is a V/8 with lots of horse power which costs money to feed those ponies so i fill up when i have to and don’t worry about it. These guys that are claiming 17-20 MPG must not have any hills as i live in B.C. So every where you turn there is a hill. If people are worried about gas mileage go for the smaller V/8. I even put a cold air intake on it which gave it a little more snap but the MPG didn’t change.
i am still getting 16 mpg i check it every tank full and it never changes weather i am on highway or in town pulling my boat always the same. flowmaster and airaid intake. sounds awesome and has awesome power, so dont know were these guys get the 18 to 20, but i am okay with it becauce i love the truck.Have a great holiday.
I check my mpg manually – not by what the computer says – however so far they have matched up! NOT HAPPY!
I am averaging 15 on my mpg on my 2007 Tundra Crewmax SR5 5.7L 4×2 – recently purchased with about 37000 miles on it – I have put about 600 miles on it – 300 of those miles were all freeway driving it home. I normally drive about 90% between 50-65 as my work is a straight country road with about 1/2 mile in town.
My 2002 Tundra 4×2 SR5 access cab – I averaged 16mpg always like clockwork –
Is there anything I can do to help improve my gas mileage?
I am actually watching accelleration and driving which I never did with my old one.
I also have that weird shaking in the wheel I have started to notice if anyone has ideas on that too..
Ashley – Try resetting the engine computer. All you do is disconnect the batttery for half an hour…or ask your dealer to do it during your next oil change. The newer trucks have the ability to “learn” about your driving habits and adapt over time. If the previous owner was a lead foot, the engine would adapt to a less efficient driving style.
By resetting the engine computer, you would reset any previously learned patterns.
Tires could be a problem too – if the truck has a really aggressive set of tires, you’ll get 15mpg no matter what you do. Your old truck might have had a highway tire, which typically gets 1-2 mpg better than a serious off-road tire (which many people put on their trucks).
As for the shaking wheel, is it during braking? If so, it could be that your brake rotors need re-surfaced. If it’s all the time, you might want to check wheel balance and/or tire tread.
Actually my old truck had the thick ply (6 or 8 dont remember which was first set and which was second) off road tires with killer tread – these are more mild street tires, new, the dealer put on since the original tires were bald.
I will try resetting the engine on my next weekend and see if that helps.
The wheel shaking I notice most when going down a nicely paved country road here – it more of a slight vibration I guess – normally I am doing 45-65 when I notice it on a smooth road. I will pay more attention to see if it does it other times. I know it does NOT do it more when braking…
Ashley – Unless your truck has a lift kit, I’d guess the shaking is a wheel balance. Good luck on getting that fixed + getting better mileage.
No lift kit – the vibration seems to have gone away on its own – maybe a new tire thing that worked its way out? IDK – no biggy to me! If its gone its gone
Will do the battery thing this coming week and see what happens..
hay joe stahl i just bought a used 2010 tundra.drove it from the dealer to home 60 mile away and for the hell of it i filled it up well guess what it took 6 gal. i took it back to the dealer and they wanted to pay out my pocket. at 200 mile and 29.000 dollars this is bull shit i will find this problem out get back with me so i know u got this message
Hey guys,just bought a 2007 crewmax w/ the 5.7. Ive had it about a week and I’m getting like 12-14 mpg. Not very happy seeing that this does not meet the EPA. Is this avg fuel econ for these trucks? The truck is running 255/75R18 right now and no other work has been done. I’m a truck guy and didnt expect great gas mileage but thought it would get better than my old truck. 2001 chevy 1500HD w/ 6.0L. Thoughts? What could I change? Any comments greatly appreciated.
Its also a 4×2 so no excuses there.
I am still having the same issues. Getting like 14 mpg – my 2002 tundra got 16!!!!
Freeway straight (only 1 stop for gas) I got 21 mpg – 5 hour drive. That has been it! Everything else was about 18 freeway. NOT HAPPY!!!!
Bought it in Feb – this was my “dream truck” since they came out and I almost want to trade it in for a chevy!
You know Guys after 4 years with my tundra 07, hours of reading post, the bottom line is love the truck or let it go. The tundra with the 5.7 is a gas guzzler and there is not anything you can do, awesome truck bad gas mileage.
I glad to see there is someone else that knows more horse power equals more gas. If you don’t like the mileage sell it and buy something smaller.
I know but its aggravating that everything I read prior to purchase was about how it got better gas mileage than the generation I —
Ashley i know it really does hit the wallet come time to fill up. For me i have had good luck with ford and chevy both and i feel that Toyota really did there home work on this truck i pull a travel trailer and a boat from time to time and even when i dont pull anything behind it, i just love the truck.I did the cold air intake and the flow master and all it did was make it run better and sound louder, but gas mileage never changed.For me 15 in town and hwy wow only 17 so i feel your aggravating.I cant afford to get out of mine right now still owe on it and would take a hit on a trade so i just have to deal with it.i know my input does not make you feel better or fix the problem, i was just giving my take on this good luck with your new ride.
Bought my 2010 tundra in aug and have a 3″ lift and 35 tires on my truck. I know just by doing that the gas milage is not going to be the greatest yet 12 to 13 mpg is bad. with the rising gas I’m looking at getting just regular street tires or all terrain. hope that works.
Goody33 – Tread type is the real gas mileage killer whenever a truck is lifted. Most lift kits include a really aggressive set of tires, and that can reduce gas mileage by 10%. Toss in the increased aerodynamic drag, and you’ve got a 15-20% drop in overall gas mileage.
Still, your truck is cooler than most, and that has a value. 🙂
I have read just about every post in this thread, and would be as giddy as a school girl to get 17+ with my 2007 Tundra CrewMax 4×4 5.7L. I’ve got a 6″ lift, cold air intake, Flow Master dual exhaust and 33″x12.50″ General Grabber’s (http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Tires-.....4568180000) on it. I get right around 13 mpg +/- depending how frisky I’m feeling with the gas pedal (I calculate all MPG manually). The truck is pushing over 400 horse and is a real nice ride, but I’d love to pull some more MPG out of it if possible. I’ve been looking into performance chips. They claim ball park of +50 horse and +2-7 MPG. Anyone have any thoughts/experience with performance chips in the new Tundras???
I haven’t tried the 1 hour disconnect for a reset, but will this week. I know with my aftermarket stuff it’s not going to be crazy-good mileage, but I’d like to try to get at least 15 – 17 out of it, especially on the highway which is the majority of my mileage.
Rich – Could be the tires – those have some pretty serious tread. I’d start with the battery disconnect and then consider swapping out the tires for something with a less aggressive tread.
However, with that 6″ lift, it’s going to be hard to do better than 15mpg (at least based on my conversations with others).
Right. This is my understanding. It certainly isn’t lacking any power, so I can’t complain about taking a little hit on the gas mileage. I had a 2000 Tundra 4.7 before this, which got the job done but didn’t offer any too much in the horse power dept. and only got 16 mpg on a good day, so I can’t complain too much. The truck came with those tires on it, as well as the lift. I have had it for less than a month so I’m still in the tweaking process.
Thanks for the input! Any idea if performance chips help with mileage? Or do they normally just boost HP if anything?
Rich – The only chip worth buying for Toyota owners is Unichip – there’s a company that advertises a $40 “performance chip,” but they’re a bunch of shiesters (at least as near as I can tell).
Trouble is, the UniChip tuner is $600…but it will help with gas mileage if you can keep your foot out of it. LOL.
I run two national promotions companies and my 2010 tundra crewmax platinum is at highly attended events each weekend with a company trailer weighing 3700 pounds. I had a 2007 crewmax 5.7 that pulled the same trailer and got 22 MPG. The 2010 is getting 7.6 MPH. My dealer in Paducah KY has checked it every time the check engine light comes on which is monthly or so and has changed the gas cap but can’t find anything else that could be setting off the light or causing my gas mileage problem. When I left the dealer today the light was back on in 5 miles. I love my Tundra trucks but sorry to say I am looking for a good price on a F-250, can’t afford 50 cents per mile for gas!!!!
In my first post I listed 2007 tundra mileage as 22 when I meant to post 12 mpg.
Dealer now says that a charcoal filter canister is the problem on my 2010 Tundra. The problem started at 7000 miles with check engine light coming on and now at 40,000 they tried to cover it under my purchased 100,000 mile warranty. The insurance company that writes the warranty refuses to cover the part (1200.00)saying it is now cost effective. They want my dealer to order a after market part that will take weeks to get and still have not said they will pay for it. I loved my Tundra but color me gone from Toyota forever!!!!!!
I own a 2011 tundra dcab 5.7 with 10k miles on it. My gas mileage is about 11.75 mpg combined highway 80% city 20%. that’s too low! I explained to dealer and they did a “health check”. They determined there was nothing wrong. I baby the throttle and should not be that low especially since the rating is 13 city 17 highway! How could I get less than 13 especially with the fact that most of my trip to work is highway?
Louis – Not sure, but I’d try resetting the engine computer – just unhook the battery for an hour or so and you’ll start from scratch.
I’d also say that a long road trip might help the engine “learn” the right settings – some solid highway time could teach the engine to run a little leaner.
I have an ’08 5.7 dbl cab 4×4 long bed with 34,000 on it. I purchased the truck in Illinoise and have moved to Utah in ’09. In the winter of ’11 I had the 4×4 fixed under a service advisory. Since that time the 4×4 bangs when ingaged. I took it back to the dealer and they said there was noting wrong with the repair, the problem was the tires on the front were a different dia. then the tires on the back. I have purchased new tires with the same banging result. The other issue is gas mileage, since the repair my mileage has dropped, using 1/2 tank for 130 hwg miles at 65 mph. I did instal a K&N air filter in ’08, other then that and new tires everything is original.
Any ideas?
Thanks for reading!
Terrence – Once you put a mismatched set of tires on a 4×4, you risk permanent damage. If your transfer case is still banging, it may be because it’s damaged.
As for gas mileage, it could be that the mismatched tires you used inflated your mileage reading…hard to say.
The tires were not mismatched, they were the original tires that came on the truck with 31,000 miles on them. The dealership told me they were different sizes and wanted me to buy new tires from them; nothing wrong with the transfer case they worked on. The transmission also shifts hard into first and second gear, they also told me nothing is wrong with it. I’ll bet anything if I take it back now that it is out of warranty they will find it needs to be fixed! The ride is the only thing I like about my Tundra so far!
Terrence – I guess I don’t understand – if the tires were different sized they were probably mismatched, but I it is technically possible that they could be different sizes but the same diameter. In any case, you might try working with a different dealership…not liking a lot of what I’m hearing about the dealership you’re working with now.
I have a new Crew Max, 4.6 V8 with a little over 500 miles. It is a Texas Edition, so comes with different wheels along with a sporty running board. The tank size is 26.4 Gallons. My fuel light came on at 260 miles. So, lets say that gives me another 20 miles to empty. That puts my MPG at 10.6 MPG. The sticker listed 15/20 MPG. The few MPG difference would give me about 90-100 more miles per tank. I had an 09 Titan that that listed 13/18 MPG and I was getting much better MPG on that truck than the new Tundra. I bought the 4.6 engine to save gas, and it seems as if I am not at all. I am still breaking in the engine, accelerating very slowly, etc. Should I go to the dealer with this issue? Possibly need to update the ECM?
Chad – That first tank or two of gas is never very efficient. My suggestion is to contact the dealership and note that you’re getting low mileage, but I wouldn’t actually bring it in until you’ve run another tank or two through.
@Chad – I’m in the same boat with my ’07 (5.7, crewmax, 6″ lift, dual exhaust, cold air intake – so mine has a few alterations). However, I have found that with the 26 gallon tank, my light comes on extremely consistently with 6 gallons left in the tank. I would bet that yours is doing the same thing. Some people hate that about the new Tundras, but as long as I know I have 6 gallons left, I can plan accordingly by keeping an eye on my trip counter.
I would recommend filling up as soon as the light comes on (or as soon thereafter as possible) and seeing how many gallons it takes. If you come in around 20, then you know you have 6 left (I’m assuming the ’12s still have the 26 gallon tank).
As far as the mileage, I don’t know many people (myself included) who have gotten the EPA estimated mileage on any of the new tundra’s. My ’07 comes in under 13 (I know the lift/off-road tires take a gouge out of that, but I’ve heard of others getting the same without any mods). Gas mileage is certainly not a selling point for the new Tundras.
I think its hard to really evaluate why some folks are having such a wide variance in mileage compared to others. Factors like local road conditions, elevation, individual driving styles, etc… are hard to factor in on a internet forum. I know that I cannot complain with the mileage I’m getting. The EPA sticker on my ’12 DCRW said 13-17 city/highway and I am averaging 14.5 right now in the city and 17-17.5 on the interstate. But then again I try to drive pretty conservatively considering where gas prices are now.
Ok found a fix to my mpg problem. Trading it in for an f-250 lol
Love the tundra but not going to pay the gas for it. 1300 mile trip cost me $1300 pulling a 5000 pound trailer. Coming back from same trip with no trailer I averaged 16.1mpg mostly downhill. Tired of the it could be this it might be this try this do that change this look at that. Had fun with the truck and now it must go.
I own a 2010 double cab 4×4 TRD 5/7 V8. In the city the computer on the dash says 11.8 litres for every 100k. I live in British Columbia were we have some very steep hills etc. so the best on the highway is around 17-18MPG. What i can’t figure out is when you buy a big V8 with said 381hp why is everyone suprised about crappy mileage. You wanted a big V/8 so all i do is when the gas gauge reads 1/8 – 1/4 of a tank i fill it up. There are engines that deactivate 4 cylinders on the highway but that is one more thing to go wrong.
Just bought my 2012 Tundra with 23 miles on the ODO..2 tanks later I haven’t even rolled 500 miles! any suggestions?
Ralph,
Let up on the gas pedal?! Probably need to slow down a little and see what happens over a longer period of time.
-Tim
I am just buying 07 tundra it is lifted and has aftermarket exhaust and aftermarket supercharger should I just put a piece of tape over the est MPG and never look
YEP! LOL!
-Tim
I have a 2012 CrewMax that I bought brand new. I was averaging 13.9 MPG and after my 10,000 mile service it dropped to 13.5. Gas milage really sucks….literally. I’ve taking long trips on highway and have NEVER seen 18 MPG. It was more like 15.5.
I bought a new 2013 tundra Crewmax and I did a little comparison with the MPG readout and actual hand calcs. Over a trip of +/- 350 mostly freeway miles my readout read 17.7 mpg. After seeing how much fuel was consumed from one fill up the the next, I calculated 18.8. I never thought that the readout was pessimistic. I don’t know if anyone else has seen this but I was pretty surprised.
The driving conditions were ~72 mph, wet roads, and pacific northwest mountain interstate roads. I currently have 3200 miles
I bought a 2014 Platinum Tundra Crewmax 4×4 a few months ago. When I keep the rpm’s under 2000 in the city, it gets 10mpg. On the highway going 75 it gets 12-13mpg. The truck has 1500 miles on it.
Is there anything I can do to improve this?
Jeremy,
Is it stock? Something is going on. I have driven the same truck and I get 16 combined.
Tim
I am the one who sent the email about my 2007 tundra and gas mileage. it has 40k miles,, I am the only driver,,i have good year silent armor tires after 25k miles added, today I show 11.5 mpg driving local. I only got 21 mpg once during the time I have had this truck. normally I am at about 12 -13 mpg. how can I improve and get what was originally on the sticker. I change the oil every 5k. new air filters
I bought a 2013 Toyota Tundra in New Brunswick, Canada and have travelled 20,000 miles since January (40,000 miles since July when purchased) and I am averaging 16.86 mpg since i started using a fuel tracking app on my iphone. No doubt the average is skewed slightly since I started in the coldest month but as time moves on I am hoping the average will get up to atleast 18 mpg.
I purchased a used Tundra at a Dealership 2013 with 30,800 miles I’ve put 32,500 miles on it and my gas mileage is about 10 mpg. I can’t drive it any slower I use cruise control when ever I can, my wife & I drove it from SanJacinto to San Diego and back and the trucked burned a tank of fuel. My 04 Dodge with a 5.7 Hemi won’t even burn a 1/2 tank. I can’t say I’m very happy with this truck. My Dodge treated me very well no issues 235,000 still running strong might have just made a bad investment I need to get out of quick. Can’t afford to drive this truck at 10 MPG I don’t know who can ?
I have a 2011 tundra I don’t follow the mpg stuff, but recently my truck seems to be legging on power if I let off the gas it almost feels like it sucks the power down. On top if that it only has 47,000 Kms on it and has been crap on fuel! From the first day we got it(used) I was only getting 487kms to a tank I phoned and a dealership told me can be normal with the cold temperatures! Well now it’s almost 30degrees out and I’m still getting the same amount? I do not drive fast as I have 2small kids, we noticed that my battery is leaking acid on my posts, we cleaned the posts, and right away I had more jam and plus my fuel went from 487kms a tank to 710kms to a tank !!! It’s back to the same fuel economy with my battery leaking! Could a battery really cause the bad fuel?? Also has anyone else noticed if you drive when it’s bad weather(snow) in 4wd does it grind at 80km/h? Also does it clunk everytime you go from 2wd to 4wd and vise versa?
I test drove a few 2007 and 2008 Tundras with 4.6 and 5.6 L engines. One 5.7L 2008 Tundra got 24 miles per gallon (imperial gallons) while the one I bought got 25 to 25 MPG during highway driving with moderate hills. This is even better than my 1994 Ford Ranger.
With a camper my Tundra gets 18-21 MPG and with no weight usually about 21+ mpg when driving at less than 90 km per hour. I watch the mpg indicator and try and keep the rpms down when accelerating and going up hills.
I calculated my MPG manually last month, well every month as a matter of fact. The month of August again I received 15.672 mpg not happy with the millagecat all. When dodge and Chevy can surpass this greatly I feel lied to by the sales men and wish I had investigated the milage myself. Live and learn won’t be buying another tundra again