Breaking in Process for the 2010

Just drive it as you would any other car, no racing or just creeping along....

Keith

 

Why is "creeping" not good when breaking it in?

 

Below is what the owners manual says. In general, you want to avoid sudden acceleration or braking, and high speeds; and vary speed.

Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended to observe:
l For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
l For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.

 

The manual says to avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles and to avoid hard acceleration and long-term steady speed (e.g. cruise control) for the first 600 miles.

Makes sense: let the brakes and engine parts seat well before you stress them.

Not a break-in tip, but: don't misunderstand the battery or be too much of a slave to the gauges. Those were my two newbie mistakes: thinking it was good for mileage to run on battery as much as possible, and accelerating too slowly because the gauges said it was efficient. (Problem in both cases is that you are driving the car for the long run, not just the instant, and a more balanced driving style works best over a trip.)

 

just finished breaking mine in. dont dog it. dont slam on the brakes. faaaagetta about!!

 

I think it is silly that they bury the break in recommendations on page 151 of the owner's manual, without even putting it in the table of contents (it is in the index).

Since they include several quick start guides with the car, it would make sense to me that they put the break in recommendations on a separate card so the new owner can read them when he first gets the car.

 

Hmm...so do people not take long highway based trips with their new cars? What about people who are picking up their cars some distance away and driving them home?

This is a bit of a bummer. I hope it doesn't make a huge difference if you cannot wait until the 600 mile mark to take a trip (where you'll be a constant highway speed).

 

I bought a car in southern California and drove it back to the SF bay area (~400 miles) a few years ago. You need to plan on it taking around 1.5 times as long as normal, since you should vary your speed, not go really fast, and also stop for 10 minutes every hour or 2 to allow the parts to heat cycle.

 

guys just to stir the pot: as long as you do all things in moderation for the first few hundred miles you will have no problem. this is 21st century motor. its mosly broke in already. my harley forum instructions were : "ride it like you stole it" dont worry. just dont do a lot of extreme things. its fine. i repeat as we say in boston ( i was brought up there) faagetta bout it!!

 

Thanks! Since much of the trip from Lewiston ID home to SW WA is state HWY as opposed to Interstate, should not be hard to follow the buried instructions (that I might not have read at the dealer as I pick up).

 

You can cross over at Umatilla to the WA side and take hiway 14 all the way to Vancover.. It's a pretty drive and has some up and down small hills that will help vary your speed.
At is also a slower speed limit then I84

 

I copied the instructions verbatim from the owners manual, so the manual isn't more specific. Use your judgment.

I'd say in a car like a Prius 80 MPH for an extended period might be too fast during the break in period. And just vary your speed during the break in period. With 80 miles round trip, you'll be through it in no time.

 

The reason why you do not drive a new motor at high speeds for a extend period of time is the engine runs Hotter and the engine parts tolerance are tighter which means less oil between the parts when new. Proper oiling the parts is more critical when new. When you very the speed it allows the engine to oil the parts better especialy the parts on the top of the engine which are the furthest from the oil pump.

 

IMO something as basic as the break-in period should be covered with you when you pick up the vehicle. It along with warranty coverages, service procedures, and simple tips are something that your salesperson should go over with you.

DrSpielman, I think that 80mph is too fast. The older format of the Toyota owner's manual used to say drive 55mph and under during the break-in period. The new one tells you that it's not an elaborate break-in and gives you suggestions. IMO 80mph is excessive speed. Not sure if you have any other options, but you might want to drive in the slow lane or possibly try a different route for the 600 mile break-in period.

 

At least you can get the break-in over in a week. My commute to work is 20 miles roundtrip. I've been driving the car on the weekend a little more to get through the break-in period.

Keep in mind I work at the dealership. I can't recommend anything different from the manufacturer recommendations. That being said, there are other threads that talk about oil change frequency, etc... I change my oil every 6 months and generally have driven just about 5K miles. When customer's ask about washing, I recommend at the very minimum once a month. I usually wash once a week and I have paint sealant so I don't wax my cars.

On the subject of battery usage, nothing I can think of. If you leave the car on and listen to the radio and stuff, your battery charge will drop and the ICE will kick in. This will drop your MPG's. I have been sitting in my new Prius and fiddling with the radio and navigation system and subsequently watch my MPG's drop as the ICE starts working... Hope that helps. : )