Tundra Fuel Economy: 7 Ways To Improve your Tundra MPG
Jason Lancaster | Jul 20, 2007 | Comments 76
Yes — we know you bought a truck. You didn’t buy it to save gas. You bought it to do stuff. We get it.
But what if there was a way to do stuff with your truck and save gas? Interested? We thought so. Here are some tips.
1) Drive like your grandmother.
Your truck burns fuel at almost twice the normal rate during hard acceleration. If you’re racing from every stop light, you’re going to burn through fuel faster than green grass thru a goose. The ideal acceleration rate for maximum fuel economy is generally agreed upon to be about 2mph per second. At that rate, it would take you 30 seconds to reach 60mph. While we don’t really believe anyone can accelerate that slowly without getting shot at (or at least flipped off), if you don’t like your gas mileage try counting to 10 or 15 seconds as you accelerate. If you’re getting to your speed any faster than 10 seconds, you’re burning more fuel than you need to.
2) Avoid high speeds.
Believe it or not, aerodynamic drag, or wind resistance, isn’t significant until you’re traveling at 40-45mph. Then, as your speed increases, aerodynamic drag starts to build up rapidly. By the time you hit 100mph, your engine is working almost entirely just to overcome aerodynamic drag. In other words, less drag at low speeds means better fuel economy — that’s why your truck gets the best fuel economy at about 55mph. If you have to go faster, realize it’s hurting your efficiency.
3) Check your tires.
Other than wind resistance, the only other major friction you must fight is your Tundra’s tires. While the best fuel economy can be had using a highway tire with a car-like tread, you can actually get good results with a more aggressive off-road truck tire as long as the tire pressure is correct. Your owner’s manual will tell you what it should be for your specific vehicle, but it’s safe to say that 32-35 psi is a good safe pressure for just about any vehicle on the road. If it drops below 30psi, you’ll see your fuel economy take a hit. Also, don’t inflate your tires to the suggested pressure printed on the sidewall — that number is usually WAY too high.
4) Don’t drop your tailgate.
Here’s another believe it or not — dropping or removing your trucks tailgate *hurts* your fuel economy. The Canadian government sponsored a study — you can read it for yourself or just believe us when we tell you to leave your tailgate in the “locked, upright position”.
5) Stay up on normal maintenance.
Not that you shouldn’t be doing this anyways, but having a clean air cleaner, oil that’s been changed within the last 5,000 miles, and making sure your check engine light is off are all great ways to save fuel. Nuff said.
6) Look for excess weight you can remove.
Are you still hauling around tires or sandbags from last winter? What about all the “stuff” that’s in the back seat or pickup bed? None of it may seem significant, but a few items can quickly add up. Eliminating an extra 100 pounds of “junk” in your car can improve your fuel economy 1-2%. Not a lot, but every bit counts. Finally, consider telling your spouse to loose weight to help with fuel economy.
7) Make fewer trips that are longer in length.
Your engine doesn’t reach peak efficiency until it’s had enough time to warm up — typically about 15 minutes. If you can take all your short errands and string them together to form one super-errand, your engine will operate more efficiently during the majority of your trip.
Search terms people used to find this page:
- https://tundraheadquarters com/tundra-fuel-economy-7-ways-to-improve-your-tundras-mpg/
- 4 7 l i force tune dual exhaust
- hypermiling tundra pickup
Filed Under: Maintenance Tips
“burn through fuel faster than green grass thru a goose” Come on! You can do better than that.
Brett – that’s the clean version! LOL
ACTUALLY I have found after testing this out 3 seperate times that premium gas gives me 2 mpg better at 70 to 75 mph. I average 20.9 mpg at 70 to 75 mph from Central Louisiana to East Central Texas on I-10. I got that EXACT reading all three times. I tested the same trip 3 times on regular and averaged 18.4 for the 3 trips. Same speed, Same direction of travel (west), Using only Shell brand fuel, and I alternated the tests between premium and Regular. I drive a 07 Tundra DC 5.7L stock. If you run through all the math at a 20 cent a gallon bonus cost per gallon it cost me 4 bucks extra but I can go about 50 miles farther on the same 20 gallons netting me a better than $6 savings so I make $2 per tank. (Yes, I know it has a biggger tank but at the 20 g mark I get nervous so I fill up.) now if it is a .25 or .30 per gallon extra cost it washes out the savings but it is a economic savings most of my time to put premium in. I owned a 01 RAV 4 before I purchased this truck and it would average about 1 MPG better. My only guess for this is that the VVTI can adjust itself for better use of the Premium.
I have a 2008 Toyota tundra cmax limited edition 5.7 6 speed automatic. I get on average 14 mpg. And that’s running it easy. How can I improve the mpg?
Start with some basics, like tire air pressure, changing spark plugs and altering your driving habits. Keep track and see if that makes a difference.
-Tim
Jeremy — good tip. I think you’re right about the VVTI.
A mechanic recommended that I change the electronic control module after researching the best one. Any chance of that helping?
I heard that a fiber glass tuneau cover will help on the mileage . Any comments. I love my 07 Tundra 4wd but am always looking on how to improve my mileage
Fiber glass tonneau cover doesn’t do much for fuel economy and costs alot more than what you would spend on the extra gas. I don’t see a difference with it on or off in fuel economy, just for looks and covered storage.
I did not notice any improvement with the tonneau cover; but then I drive <55mph most of the time due to where I live and where the job is. It is also quite possibly the additional weight weight of the tonneau is having a negative affect. I use the tonneau for security only.
Recently purchased an AFE Air Intake and have notice about a 1 mpg increase in mileage (driving like a grandmother as I have been for the last couple months). The additional noise is minimal (had tried a Volante, but the intake was too loud for my taste). The AFE Throttle Body Spacer works well to add performance (throttle response and accelaration) but does nothing for MPG and adds a loud sucking sound along with a whistle at a certain throttle opening.
The biggest improvement I have seen came with removing the 300 lbs of sand bags from the winter…thought I miss the smooth ride.
bought a 08 tundra.4.7 ltr.wondering if a kn&n will help my mpg.if not what will.
Soapdog – A K&N air filter will boost MPGs, and a K&N air intake kit is available. You might look at an AFE kit instead, however. The performance gains are quite similar but the AFE is a MUCH better design and easier to install. We’ve also heard of problems with the hose clamps supplied by K&N – they don’t always tighten up and your air filter can fall off. Read more about the two kits (both reviews are for the 5.7 but the kits for the 4.7 are very similar):
https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2008/04/22/product-review-afes-tundra-57l-v8-air-intake/
https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2008/08/08/kn-63-series-air-intake-kit-review/
AFE stage II is a lifetime filter and you don’t need oil. Clean with mild detergent.
I have an 08 Tundra 5.7L I have had it for 3 years and just hit 65000 miles. I used this truck as a service truck and it continuously is towing about 6000lbs. My fuel economy is killing me! I am getting around 8MGP towing 6000 lbs and arounfd 15MPG not towing. Any suggestions? I have heard to get a bullydog, cold air intake, ect… but I am not looking for performance but rather fuel savings. I love my Tundra but am considering getting out of it. HElp!
tony – It’s not uncommon for gas trucks to get 8-10 mpg if they’re used as constant tow vehicles, but it seems like it should be better.
While you can invest in some after-market parts to try and improve mileage, air intakes and exhaust systems and performance chips aren’t going to gain you more than 1-2 mpg, and that’s assuming that you don’t drive faster (which is what most people do when they buy those parts).
In all honesty, buying a big diesel pickup might be the best option. While the amount your towing doesn’t require a diesel, diesel engines generally don’t see a significant decrease in fuel economy while towing. If you get an older diesel truck you might be able to get as much as 16mpg while pulling your 6k lbs load.
My next move would be to visit some Ford, GM, and Dodge forums and see if there are some regular towing diesel owners who will share their mileage figures. I’d guess that worst case is 12mpg. Depending on how many miles you drive a day, the money you save on fuel might be enough to cover the extra expense of a diesel.
2009 double cab 5.7. In the winter time around town driving I get 11 to 12 mpg in the summer the best I,ve ever seen is 14 mpg, when I put my camper on and tow my boat it drops to 8- 9 mpg and have seen 6 mpg. I check mpg every time I fill up. People who say they get 16 to 18 mpg I dont believe it. I also drive a ford diesel which is better on towing but 2 sets of head gaskets 2 turbos ,rocker arms coming apart and a complete new belt system on the engine makes one wonder whats best.
So I have looked into my issue of poor fuel performance. At the end of the day I have decided to stay with Toyota and have just leased a new 2011 Tundra dbl cab 5.7l. My reasoning is that I may spend more on fuel but the truck is never in the shop. A friend of mine has a Dodge ram 2500 and it is constantly in the shop ans well as a ford 350. Now I understand they are deisel but when we added up the lost work hours he has compared to mine, it was no contest to stay with Toyota. In the worst case senario, I left my truck at Toyata for the day to get regular maintenance done on it and they gave me a loaner tundra that I could use to tow my cargo for work. Way more service tahn the 3 other big guys. So in a nut shell, Toyota is the way to go for me. thanks for all the help.
I was getting 17-19mpg(750kms/tank highway) up until a few months ago, now I am getting 13-14mpg. No idea whats up. I even put a TRD CAI in and it hasnt changed a thing. Anyone have any ideas on the mpg loss?
Joe,
I have the same model and year. I too noticed the same gas mileage difference. Part of my drop is the new aggressive tire i put on the vehicle (Nitto Terra Grappler – same size). Today, I am going to do a few things to see if it makes a difference: change the air filter, replace plugs and clean the O2 sensor. I’ll give an update.
Joe – The list of possible factors is long, but here are some I can think of right now…
– new tires with more aggressive tread and/or low tire pressure
– clogged fuel filter
– more viscous oil
– severely clogged injector
– winter weather
– contaminated gasoline
– failing O2 sensor, MAF sensor, etc.
– engine ‘learn’ mode has re-tuned your vehicle (reset)
– heavy new accessories
To be honest, some of my reasons are pretty far-fetched when it comes to explaining the change. I would suggest you try and make a list of everything else that’s changed during the same time period.
A new driver with a lead foot could also explain it.
Thanks Jason, but I haven’t really changed anything and I only have 40,000kms on the truck. Its only been like this since a trip to the Baja and back towing a small travel trailer( 15,000kms) I am getting the same mileage now not towing anything as I was towing that concrete block of a trailer. Do you think its the ECU then?
Joe, Pull the POsitive lead off the battery for a few minutes and reapply it . This will reset the memory on the ECU and allow you to retrain it. I had to do it twice so far when my mileage went down.
Just a thought it may be the gas. Ethanol could be a cause. You will not go as far if using straight ethanol. I know my truck dropped its MPG since it came out. Hope you find it. Please post for others to see.
Joe – I’d guess that’s a yes. Long road trips can definitely reprogram an engine computer.
Jeremy – Thanks for pitching in – I think you’re absolutely correct.
Matt – Also a good theory – if Joe’s local station switched fuel mix that could have changed things too.
Thanks to everyone for all the input. I left the lead off of the post of my battery for the night and I’ll see how that works. If no change, I’ll try some fuel injection cleaner and see how that goes. I am pretty sure the station I usually fuel up at doesn’t run any ethanol, but I’ll double check. I’ll keep you posted on results. Thanks again everyone!
Joe – Any news?
I haven’t driven the truck enough yet to be able to give you any hard numbers, but it does look like I am getting a little better fuel mileage. I have a couple of longer trips coming up and will let you know some numbers when I get back.
Joe – Cool – hope the news is good.
Well…. It hasn’t changed at all. I have no idea whats up. I am going to bring her into Toyota this coming week and have them take a look at it.
I have the same problem as Joe was getting 17 mpg now 13mpg
there is a low growl like the truck is under load all the time but if i put it in neutral it is reel quiet i think its in the trany. It never had this sound before when it was getting 17 mpg.
I am hard of hearing but i can hear this but the dealer cant.
Joe – Bummer.
daebie – Mysterious sounds are often hard for someone who doesn’t drive the truck every day to detect. Not sure why the fuel economy has fallen…I gave Joe a list back on April 14th that might be worth a look.
This problem started at 34000 miles i have taken it in 4 times, they replaced the left front axle and bearings this stopped some of the noise but not the growl with no millage increase. i put on new tires at dealers request still no improvement yesterday it was getting a whopping 12.2 mpg.This is a 2008
I have a MPG issue also. 2008 5.7L DblCab Limited. On the highway I get 20mpg regularly at 60MPH. Always did good in this range. When I pull my 8800lb 5th wheel it drops to 7-8MPGs. Last year I was getting 9-10 with the 5th wheel. I’ve checked airfilter. It’s fine. Tires are good and inflated for trailer towing. Truck has 19,000 miles. My empty MPGs are still good but towing MPGs has dropped noticeably.
I’ll try the positive battery disconnect mentioned above and see if a reset helps. Would appreciate any words of winsdom as long as you don’t tell me get a new truck. Those are divorce words right now. 🙂
Dave and David – It’s one of life’s mysteries. Aside from the obvious sources of potential drag or decreased performance – of which there are many – the most likely cause of decreased fuel economy is a new driving pattern. If you lend your truck out, let your spouse or your teenage driver borrow it, etc., you may see a fuel economy drop.
Yep. I’ve considered all possibilities like that. No one b ut me drives it except after disconnecting the 5th wheel, the wife will drive a little around the tourist attractions to give me a break. But I can drive it for 3 tank fulls in one day (600 miles of so) and get the same measly 6-8 miles per gallon. Same thing for past 3 years and mileage has gotten steadily worse.
I disconnected the battery for a few days and will leave next weekend for a run from North LA up to TN and maybe on to Niagra with the truck and 5th wheel. Hope to see some improvement. Power is great! MIleage not so much.
David – Hope it helps…if you ever figure it out there are a lot of people who would love to hear it! 🙂
OK guys. (Jason) I just got home form 2300 mile trek from Northwest Louisiana to Smoky Mountains and back. Went up through MS and AL. came back through AR. As I had read earlier about ways to increase fuel economy, I disconnected the positive terminal from my ’08 Tundra, DblCab, 5.7L Limited. A few days later I reconnected and started the trip. I had been getting 6-9 miles per gallon towing my 8600 pound Wildcat 5th wheel but this was the first long trip. Had made several shorter trips since 2009 with the same set up. (150 – 600 miles) I arrived at Pigeon Forge with my onboard computer showing 9.2 miles per gallon. That was driving interstate at 65 mph with some flat country through LA and MS then lots of hilly, curvy roads as I nears Pigeon Forge in Southeast TN. We unhooked the 5th wheel, drove about 200 miles ove the next severl days, mostly in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. Lots of bumper to bumper traffic. Hooked back up to come home 9 days later. While in the mountainous areas, I got up to 10.5 mpg. It always does better in hilly country. I’ll give my thoughts on that later. After arriving home I showed 9.5 mpg for the entire trip. I was happy with that. From 6 mpg to 9 mpg is a 50% increase. I’ll take that anyday. Whatever happens when you diconnect the battery works. Something about the computer resetting?
While towing in flat country, I can watch my “current MPG” meter in the dash and see that it stays in the 8-10 mpg range. BUT, while in the mountains and bigger hills, it drops to about 3-5 mpg while pulling up steep hills and jumps off the scale above 60 mpg while cruising down the other side of the hills (mountains.) Obviously, the 60+ mpg downhill far overrides the 3-5 mpg uphill pulls, and results in better overall economy. Am I correct on this? I’ve heard about thinner air and leaner running engines at high altitudes but this is not really high altitudes I talking about. Only 1000-5000 feet above sea level. Whatever the cause, I liked the 9.5 MPG for this trip. Thanks to all who posted advice on this forum. I think I’ll diconnect the battery before every long trip from now on.
David – No idea why mileage would be better in the hills, but if I had to guess I’d say that the “return” on the climb is really, really efficient.
Also, I wouldn’t suggest forcing your engine to re-learn every time you leave for a big trip. Resetting the engine computer may not always be necessary.
HEY GUYS.
I AM A RETIRED MASTER TEC. IT IS FOR SHURE A LOVE HATE SITUATION WITH THESE TUNDRAS.. BUT CONSIDER THAT WE BUY THESE THINGS WITH 4.10 REAR ENDS AND WHEN IN TRAILER MOE WE ARE ACTUALY WITH UN LOCKED CONVERTERS 4.30 RATIO. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET MILAGE WITH THESE POWERFUL ENGINES WITHOUT HIGER GEARS. I AM CONSIDERING PUTING A OVERDRIVE BEHIND THE TRANIE ON THE 2010 TRD OFF ROAD 2 WHEEL DRIVE. I AM CONVENCED THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET MILAGE. MAYBE OPEN THE EXHAUST WITH A EAL DUAL SYSTEM, A UP GRAE CHIP AND THAT IS ALL YOU CAN DO IF ONE IS TO USE THE TRUCK TO ITS CAPACITY. MINE IS AFTER 1000 MILES SHOWING 16.5 AROUND JONESBORO ARKANSAS AND TRIPS TO MY FARM IN MISSOURI PULLING MY SMALL KUBOTA TRACTOR ARE NOT.
SINCERL MICHAEL MARTI
To the previous guy, please try avoiding typing with CAPS ON, it’s not polite and really hard to read.
To everyone else complaining about the gas mileage, I just want to clarify if you hand-calculate the mileage or use the computer figures? Computer figures are nowhere near the real life numbers so I don’t even look at my MPG. Try to hand-calculate and see if it’s same as the computer.
VK – Very good point – the computer is almost always off a little, and sometimes it can be off quite a bit.
I try to use marine gas any chance I get strictly for the lack of ethanol. I’ve seen an average of 2-4the more mpg’s because ethanol does not create as much energy per gallon as gas…. just a thought
Yep. When you can get it, ethanol gas is better. You just have determine if the higher price per gallon is worth the 2-4 mpg increase.
I’m all in on trying to figure out how to get better mpg outa these beasts. lol I just got mine a couple months ago. It’s a 2007 crewcab with the SR5 package 5.7L Iforce motor and 2wd with 48k miles on it when i got it. I was getting 13-14 mpg regardless how much a baby it when i first got it. then i bought a $65 KnN air filter to replace my stock one and even added a cheap bottle of fuel injector cleaner (thinking maybe clogged injector) and it got me up to 17mpg if i can baby it and use cruise control on long straight aways and on the interstate. my maintaince required light came on tonight so i’ll have to see what the local dealership comes up with for me on that monday and my mpg dropped some again from 17mpg and not bc of how i drive it. 🙁
I might not be so aggrivated but a guy in my car club has a 2010 crewcab 4×4 with 20inch aftermarket wheels and tires with the 5.7L iforce motor *factory air filter still in it* and getting 20-21 mpg going the same routes as i do..and pulling a open car hauler trailer with a truck on it he was getting close or just a tiny bit better than mine pulling nothing..
So i really would like to get the ball going on what we can do. lol I don’t know if on mine the SR5 package is making that much a difference or not..but i run 89 octane from bp that has 10% ethanol it in my truck and i’m not sure what my friend runs in his… i need to try 93 octane again since i put the new air filter in it. my truck does have brand new pirrella scorpion tires with the blue dots on them where i bought the truck put on it 4 me (i’m sure it cost me money somewhere) that i keep the tire pressure checked on. I really don’t know what else to do bc i keep a empty truck with the tailgate closed and locked and baby it as much as i can. 🙂 I do have to say that the switchable gear shift lever on it does make u think ur in a hot rod briefly. lol 🙂 Alot more so if you decide to get on it much. 🙁
Running higher octane fuel isn’t necessary and if anything, it will rob the power off. Higher the octane number – slower the fuel will burn. HO fuel is a must in high compression engines as low ocane can burn a tad too fast and can cause the engine damage if it detonates before the piston reaches TDC.
On the same note, ethanol is a cheap way for the oil company to make higher octane fuel as it burns slow as well and beside that, as it was already mentioned, ethanol doesn’t produce as many BTU as gasoline, the result – less power.
There is definetely benefits using ethanol and regular high octane fuels in high compression and in forced induction engines (supercharger, turbo), because the benefits of the higher power output of those engines will greatly outweight the use of “less superior” fuels. Tundra isn’t a high compression engine, it will not see any benefits using “slow” burning fuel, so the best fuel is lower octane, but not less than recommented by Toyota.
The only time you may see benefits of using hither octane fuel in Tundra, is when computer will discover knock and will retard the timing to prevent the engine from damage. Retarded engine will make a lot less power so you will have to push it harder to do the same job and therefore burn a lot more fuel.
An aftermarket computer is a good investment to get more power/better MPG. Too bad there aren’t many available for Toyotas. AFAIK there are 2: UNI chip (expensive, mixed reviews), and Jet (new product, only few months old – not many reviews).
VK – Great comment. My only note would be that the JET tuners are a complete and total joke. I’ve tried contacting them numerous times for some performance data and/or a sample and they’re invisible. After talking to Unichip about their product, I’m of the opinion that JET sells the engine management equivalent of snake oil.
But that’s just one man’s opinion, LOL. 🙂
When towing 6K trailer, is it best to leave the trans in D or is it best to manually shift through the gears?
Nitrofish – Leave it ‘D’ my friend. The modern automatic transmission is computer controlled, and the computer has sensors to determine the best shift pattern based on fuel use, engine and transmission temperature, etc. It’s almost impossible for a human to out-shift a computer… 😉
the 4.7 got a 5 speed trans i connect toyota and tony divino toyota here in utah. i told them i going down to texas i be towing 2000lb and ask them if i can drive in D or S mode they both said S mode. the truck is can tow up to 7800lb. if i do drive in D and trans start to shift from 5 to 4 and 4 to 5 then i should go in S. what i read about the 6 speed the computer with work the trans in D. will that work in the 5 speed to?
A 2000 lbs trailer is nothing to worry about, you won’t even notice it behind unless it’s an enclosed type of trailer and not a V-nose.
Leave it in D and punch a Tow/Haul button in if it shifts too often. It will adjust the shift points a bit.
Guys, please don’t forget that some of the 07 models (and maybe 08s) had a 5speed tranny instead of a 6 speed. That would definitely affect your mileage.
tommyb – The only 2nd-generation Tundras with 5 speeds were (and are) V6s. The first gen, however, had 5 speeds, so that’s a good point for anyone with a 2000-2006 Tundra OR a V6. 🙂
This is not true. I drive an 07 TRD 4.7L with a 5 speed auto.
All gas is NOT created equal. Some brands of gas are better than others, for example, the gas at our local Sheetz station doesn’t last as long as what I get from the BP up the street, and it’s a very noticeable difference too. Also, if you can find it, gas without ethanol gives better MPG too. It’s true.
Wes – Good point – every company uses a slightly different blend of fuel, and it’s not unheard of for engines to perform better after switching brands. Good call – thanks for commenting!
im wondering what the hemi 5.7 gets? i just moved from the city to the country and im really noticing how bad milage my 08 tundra 5.7 4×4 gets. I had a DUI a couple of years ago and the guy who put my interlock device in my truck messed up the cruise. Is there any chance that Toyota could tell me if the guy messed more up than just the cruise? my mileage has always been 13.1. thanks!
ben hill
2010 owners manual says for best performance use 92 octane or BETTER.also fuel mileage will be greatly affected by 100k trans fluid. changed mine at 45k BLACK as my spare tire. dont believe that 100k bs.picked up 1.5 mpg better. black burned fluid allows more SLIP in your converter and your trans. not enough that you notice it but its happenin’Also REQUIRES Toyota WS Trans fluid .Its lighter and thinner than anything you have EVER used in anything before. that being said -mine went from 16.5 to @ 15- after change back to 16.5. P.S. if higher octane doesnot create more hp- then why does nascar use 110 octane ?
john – Interesting point about changing fluid to improve fuel economy.
As for Nascar using 110 octane, it has to do with compression ratio. Higher compression ratios are thermodynamically more efficient, but they also need higher octane to reduce detonation. The net result for consumers is that lower octane is more cost-effective.
As for running 92 octane, have you tested running at 85 or 87? The knock sensor will prevent any possibility of damage, and you may find that you get similar fuel economy at a lower cost.
I drive a 2010 5.7 VVT limited, I am the only one who drives this unit. I currently have 74500 miles on this Tundra, Sometime ago, I was watching the Science Channel about automobile aerodynamics of an automobile and wind resistance. In this documentary they pointed out that an automobile will start struggling to break through the air above 62 mph. I drive mainly highway miles to work and use my cruise control just about every day set at 62 mph. The read out from the on board computer fluctuates between 19.7 to 21.1 mpg. I am here to ask those with mileage problems to try this for a week and see if mileage mpg increase. Please keep in mind regular oil changes and proper PSI will help. Any thoughts on this?
Hi Guys,
I have lately tried to achieve best possible economy with my 2007 4×4 tundra extra cab sr5 trd package and… Shockingly when hypermiling on the highway I see consistently 24 mpg !!! Combined city and highway 50/50 driving results in about 19 mpg – still pretty good. This is however extreme driving such as accelerating 30 seconds or so to 0-60 and switching into neutral any time it goes downhill or approaching stop lights and so on. I look like a grandmother and even slower off the line; however it is amasing on the highway as long as you keep your foot light.
I said the same thing. Drive slower, don’t try to beat the guy beside you to the next red light, and you’ll see a increase in mpgs. Big difference in MPGs from 60MPH and 75MPH on the interstates.
I have a 2011 rock warrior. I put the K&N filter in and the Lucas oil and fuel treatment. Picked up some MPG’s. Used the Lucas in my Mack truck it help the MPG’s. The Mack has a MILLION two hundred thousand on it. Still looking for better mileage. Thanks for the help.
I recently purchased an 08 Sequoia SR5 5.7 with 67K. I had been driving an 05 F150 Super Crew FX4 that I owned since new and put 100K miles on. Typically averaged 16-19 at interstate speeds (80mph in S.D.), even got 19 pulling a trailer to the Black Hills in 94 degree weather, so I was very interested in the mpg on the new purchase.
I bought the Sequoia about 260 miles from home. After leaving the dealership I topped off the tank with a 10% ethanol mix (hard to get away from ethanol in the corn belt) and hit interstate for the drive home. Again 80 mph with cruise set and a 30 mph head wind, which seems to be typical in S.D. As soon as I got home I checked the computer and it read 14.2 mpg, I did a calc check before I left the station and the actual was 15 mpg, not bad considering the conditions.
I checked the tires when I got home (Nitto Terra Grapplers) and they were set at 33 which is the manf. recommended psi. I’ve since bumped the psi to 38 due to some history I’ve had with these tires and the need to run them a little high to get the best wear. I installed a K&N filter last night to see if we can bump up the mpg a little. I’ll keep you posted with results from some up coming trips and daily driving.
I like the tip regarding the tranny fluid, I think I’ll look into that after I go through a few tanks of fuel and have some base mpg numbers.
I was happy to find the site and the comments. I’ll keep you posted with any new results!
By the way, the 5.7 is an awesome engine.
Sean – Congrats on the new Sequoia!
Update on Sequoia MPG.
With the OEM sized Nitto tires at 38 psi and K&N filter installed, I took another interstate 75-80 mph trip. With a slight wind to my back I got 18.7 mpg on regular gas with 10% ethanol. On the trip home into a slight head wind the mpg dropped slightly to 18 mpg.
While I don’t think the K&N replacement filters really impact your mileage that much, I do notice a slight HP or response increase. As mentioned in previous posts, I think monitoring the tire pressure on this size of vehicle is your best bet for getting the best MPG.
The fact that I’m getting roughly the same mileage as I was getting with my F-150 is pretty satisfying, especially when you consider the increased weight and horse power of the Sequoia. I have a 10 hour trip coming up in about 6 weeks. I’ll post my findings after that trip but I’m thinking the 18.7 mpg will be near the max MPG for this truck/SUV.
Sean,
That is great information. Keep it coming.
-Tim
My 08’Tundra double cab limited needed new tires and I have noticed that my speedometer was always a bit fast. That said I stepped up from a BFG 265 65 R18 to a 285 65 18 Michelin. It is a tall stiff E load rated tire, but it is tough, higher pressure (I keep mine at 60), and my 8000 pound trailer loves it. If you can handle a little bumpier of a ride unloaded you will like this tire for your truck.
I thought that i was the only one who knew the secret of a taller, stiffer tire with a higher PSI. The LTX/AT2 is a meaty tire to get you to a hunting camp or goose blind, but I also have about 125,000 miles on mine… HAPPY TRAILS
I have a 2008 Limited Crew Max 5.7 I know I get bad MPGs because I have a 17″ lift on 37″s tires and a 22X14 rim with and AFE stage 2 intake. i drove from Portland Or. to San Diego Ca. and averaged 10.3-11 MPGs at speeds from 65-75 MPH. i did the same trip with a 6″ lift on 35″s tire with a stock intake at the same speeds and my was average 11-11.3, I tow a 19′ ski boat and it only drops to 9-9.5. so adding an after market intake has helped me with my MPGs, but as a truck owner we know we are not buying them for the great MPGs, it is nice to get get better MPGs for them. for what i have put into my truck and price of the truck i could have owned a Prius. I love my Tundra and i will keep eating the gas up in it until they tell me that gas car are no longer allowed which by that time i may no longer be around. on and ending note thanks for the tips…
I have a 2012 Tundra. Getting 13 MPG. Has anyone tried putting a K&N air filter and intake system in?
Thanks??
Greg,
We reviewed the K&N air filter a while back, https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2008/07/16/k-and-n-air-filter-review-save-1100-on-gas/. Hope that helps.
-Tim
I did Volant and aa AEM Yes, I saw about 1 better after the intake for each truck. 13? I ha dither 5.7 and would get 17 to 20 depending on the wind.
Please take note that Canada and US use different Gallons (Canada uses Imperial) so there would be difference if some of the posters here are Canadians and some Americans. Although I don’t know if Canadian trucks are programmed different then US, I know many folks here are hand calculating and converting from litres and kilometers to MPG (imperial). 1 UK gallon is 1.2 US gallons so it will give you more MPG.
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Any reviews on changing the rear end ratio and or the Transmission ratio?
Greg,
I haven’t heard of anybody doing that. We have heard that Toyota is planning on offering a new transmission and different rear end gear ratios in future pickups.
https://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/new-tundra-transmission-differential-ratios/
-Tim