LexusLS4602008Overview/lexus/ls460/2008/base/

2008 Lexus LS460

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 LS460.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S8)

The 2008 Lexus LS460 is a passenger car propelled by an eight-speed automatic transmission with an EPA fuel economy of 16 city, 24 highway, and 19 combined mpg, relying on a substantial nine-quart capacity of 5W-20 or 0W-20 API oil for engine lubrication. However, this model year occupies a notably problematic position in the vehicle's reliability history, racking up 133 total owner complaints centered primarily on the service brakes and accompanied by three separate recalls. This disproportionate volume of issues means the 2008 model carries considerably more risk than the stabilized later years of the lineup, which saw complaint numbers drop to a low of just two by 2017.

Model year201720162015201420132012201120102008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque103 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/24/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9672335028. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24 · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnHEADOEM · verified
Tire size235-50R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter178010V020
Fuel filter7702450021
Spark plug9091901249
Battery2880038110 alt 2880038100
Front wiper blades8522250080 alt 8521242120
Serpentine belt9091602637
Thermostat1632670020 alt 160310S010
Cabin air filter8713950050 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 24 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume103 cu ft
Cargo volume13 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 9 qt of 5W-20 / 0W-20 API engine oil, 75W-85 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 103 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.4
Differential Gear Oil75W-85 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.5 Pints
Engine Oil5W-20 · API · 0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity9 qt
Transfer Case Fluid75W-85 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity1.5 Pints

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts221 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts35 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts103 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub214 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacitySingle Unit, 1.21-1.43; dual unit, 1.54-1.76. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.11 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance3-100 Motor ohms
Engine Compression142-203 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure10.1 psi @ Idle, 31.9 @ 2500 rpm psi

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle63 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0016 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.787 in / 1.181 in / 0.866 in / 1.339 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.787 in / 1.181 in / 0.866 in / 1.339 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.709 in / 1.063 in / 0.787 in / 1.221 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 LS460 sits at the very start of the generation, and the federal record for later model years (20112017) shows a clear downward trend in complaints—from 13 in 2011 to just 2 in 2017—alongside a cluster of three recalls between 2013 and 2015. For the 2008 model specifically, the data reveals 38 brake-related complaints (Service Brakes plus Hydraulic), 6 crash complaints, and 2 fire complaints, indicating a pronounced early-generation issue that the data does not attribute to a specific root cause. While later years saw fewer total complaints and no recalls after 2015, the 2008 model falls before this improvement and carries a higher reported risk of brake problems. Given that the 2008 year has the highest brake complaint count in the available record and multiple safety-related incidents, it is not a recommended buy compared to later, lower-complaint model years.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
198
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
133
Owner complaints
6 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 133 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes38
Unknown Or Other16
Structure8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Electrical System4
Engine4
Vehicle Speed Control4
Engine & Engine Cooling4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 198 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific LS460. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 LS460 take?

9 qt of 5W-20 API 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 LS460 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the LS460 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.