New M37x owner, MPG and other questions...

[jcsenterprises]

Hey, got my 2011 M37x a couple of months ago and have been loving it so far! Since I got it used with 58K miles I wanted to check on a few things to see if they are normal or something I need to address.

1. Gas mileage. My mileage has been terrible. I knew going in to expect 17-20 MPG at best but I'm not even getting that. It seems like every time I start my car my miles to empty drops about 10 miles from when I turned it off. I don't drive that much, when I do it is mostly in standard mode in the city. Thoughts?

2. Seat Heater. The driver's side seat heater doesn't get nearly as hot as the passenger side, but it does work. I was going to try cleaning the filter, any other ideas?

3. Rattle/Clunking. At slow speeds there is a fairly loud clunking coming from what sounds like the front passenger side. It almost sounds like the hood isn't latched or the glove box is loose but I've checked both. Any thoughts on what it could be?

4. Climate Fan. Seems extra loud, especially before the car heats up. I was going to try replacing the cabin filter, is this normal?

5. Floor Mat Clips. Two are missing, is it true that I can only get them from the dealer and that they are like $20 each?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Mjkkb2]

no to the last one.

search bracket-carpet and you should find it for $5-$7.

[jcsenterprises]

Great, thanks. Do you happen to know the part number? I've found a few different ones (maybe it doesn't matter).

[Ilya]

1) You can check the basics like tire pressure, make sure air filters are clean, maybe use some sea foam (although some people say it's snake oil) in the gas, etc.

2) Clean your filters (use my HowTo in my signature). Mine weren't so good either but after cleaning them they got better.

3) Might be suspension related? Maybe a strut? Hard to say without seeing/hearing it happen.

Oh, and welcome to the forum. If you could update your profile location for a general geographic location, that would be excellent lol.

[Debonair]

2. This was the case in my old Lexus and in my M56. I suspect it may have to do with how often the driver side is used versus the passenger side. This is my best guess.

3. Check under the hood in the battery box. Maybe something is loose in there.

4. Only when running AC? If no this is a known issue.

Great, thanks. Do you happen to know the part number? I've found a few different ones (maybe it doesn't matter).

5. - I think when I hunted down the Nissan/Infiniti clips they were around $11 each online which was a big hell-no for me. I bought these genuine Toyota clips and they work great, better than the OE ones that came with the car due to the lock insert they use. And at $3 a pair with free shipping they are a deal.

Set of 2 Custom Fit Floor/Cargo Mat Clip

[BlackCat81]

1.depends on how you drive. I have a 3.5mile commute in my older 06 M35 and average 14.8mpg.

2. In addition to checking the seat filter, take some compressed air and blow the perforated holes in the seat bottom. Sometimes debris builds up in them.

3.sounds like a bad swaybar link. That's really the only suspension parts that fail with your mileage.

4. If you're going to replace the cabin filter, pull the blower motor out as well. It's 3 small screws that hold it in place. Sometimes leaves or other debris make it past the filter and can make the blower cage off balance and cause noise.

5. The floor mat clips are available from the dealer, I don't know how much they are though.

Depending on its in service date, and if it's currently under 60k miles, it may still be under warranty.

[Frog]

My '56 would get 18 city my guess. Combined for the last 20k miles off the mpg reset thing it reads 22.1. Try this reset the mpg get on the freeway and see how high u can get it to read for 5 miles or so. If I do that on flat roads it will read 30.1 or so at 72 mph . Depending I my speed if I go 65 mph it will read 32.3 or so. Drive with the instant mpg on you will be suprised at how a small change in pedal placement translates to lower mpg.

[jcsenterprises]

Thanks all for the responses, it's warming back up here in Denver so I can try out some of these suggestions. One thing on the seat heaters, when I went to pull them out to clean them, the passenger side filter was missing. Not the kind of thing you check on a test drive I guess. I'm wondering if that's why it feels hotter, nothing to hold back the air. I think I saw in another thread that they want $80 for a replacement, I'm thinking I'll just go without.

Quick question, and I haven't searched at all so maybe it's easy to find, where should I buy a replacement cabin filter, ebay? dealer? another good, inexpensive site?

[Debonair]

One thing on the seat heaters, when I went to pull them out to clean them, the passenger side filter was missing. Not the kind of thing you check on a test drive I guess. I'm wondering if that's why it feels hotter, nothing to hold back the air

I am 99% sure the seat heaters only use a heating element, not any forced air like the seat coolers do.

[Ilya]

Thanks all for the responses, it's warming back up here in Denver so I can try out some of these suggestions. One thing on the seat heaters, when I went to pull them out to clean them, the passenger side filter was missing. Not the kind of thing you check on a test drive I guess. I'm wondering if that's why it feels hotter, nothing to hold back the air. I think I saw in another thread that they want $80 for a replacement, I'm thinking I'll just go without.

Quick question, and I haven't searched at all so maybe it's easy to find, where should I buy a replacement cabin filter, ebay? dealer? another good, inexpensive site?

You can get it on EBay. That's where I did. You want the charcoal one (evidently it's healthier).

Here is the part number to search EBay for: 27277-1MEOB

Here is the link to the one I bought: http://www.ebay.com/itm/351163407135?_t ... .S1.R1.TR1

One thing on the seat heaters, when I went to pull them out to clean them, the passenger side filter was missing. Not the kind of thing you check on a test drive I guess. I'm wondering if that's why it feels hotter, nothing to hold back the air

I am 99% sure the seat heaters only use a heating element, not any forced air like the seat coolers do.

I don't think that's the case because when I turn my heated seats on for my girl before she gets in, I can hear the fan/seat. Being that you live in Cali, you probably never use it. You suck (for living in a nice warm place)