No break in period?

Just picked up a brand new 2017 4 Runner last week.Reading the owner and maintenance manuals that came with the truck I cant find any reference to a "break in period".Am I missing something?According to the manual the first scheduled oil change is 10k miles.I have no intention of waiting 10k to change the oil.I was told by the dealer that all maintenance is covered for 24 mos and something miles.I assume they wont cover an oil change til 10k miles?

 

Break in period is crucial to the longevity of your vehicle. Let the engine warm up before moving the vehicle. Vary your speeds, don't jump on you brakes just like any normal Break in period for any vehicle. Change your oil at 2,500 miles. Then at 5,000 and every 5,000 from then on. Use a good synthetic and you won't have any problems. I use to let my dealer change the oil until they left some bolts off my skid plate. Do it yourself, it's not that hard and you know it will be done right.

 

Older motors required a break in period. Many of today's motors don't. If you want peace of mind, change the oil at 5,000 yourself, and then go to the dealer for your 10,000 mile oil change and continue every 10,000 miles after that. Follow the owners manual. Toyota knows their vehicles best and they make money from happy repeat customers. They are not withholding break in info to screw you over so you have to buy another vehicle sooner.

 

Not at all what I thought,nimby.Just want to be sure I didnt "miss" something.Damned manuals for this truck are so big.

 

10,000 miles between changes is just to long for me. If it was all highway driving I might consider it, however with all the start and stopping, breaking down the viscosity just doesn't sit right with me. I've had just about every BMW out there and they say the same since they cover the expense. I always paid for additional changes just for peace of mind. Now I send my oil samples to Blackstone Labs for verification I'm doing the right interval changes.

 

Any car you have, let it warm up a minute or two before you move it and it will serve you well. Even in the summer months.

 

In the old days,the rule of thumb was 3k miles for oil.I know the new oils are better,but no way I can let oil go 10k.In the old days we also changed the oil after break in of 500 to 1000 miles to remove the metal filings from the engine that were shaved during break in.I'm guessing the machining of the engine parts is better these days so there is no break in like the old days.I bought a new motorcycle last summer and the recommended break in was just like the old days,1000 miles oil and filter. and I had to clean off a lot of metal filings from the magnetic drain plug,second oil change had no filings on the plug.I'll do a oil and filter at about 1000 and then every 5000 afterwards.

 

Unless you are using your vehicle in extremes or extreme conditions, It is most likely a waste of money, to do more than the manufacturer requires.
My 16 Trail is one year old this week. I have 33,000 miles and have done the oil 3 times. 10,000 mile intervals.
It should go a least 200,000 then I will trade it for a new 2024! I will not need to trade it as most T4Rs go way more in their service life!
My dealer changes my oil for free for as long as I own the vehicle as part of the purchase. Of course they try to get you to replace every thing else like cabin filters and other scheduled stuff. I will follow the maintanance guidelines for these also.

Best of everything in your new ride!

 

Yeah,I know its probably not necessary,but old habits die hard.Even tho its not needed,theres no downside to fresh oil,except the added expense,which I dont mind.

 

my cousin is a Toyota tech and he is not recommending going to 10k for oil changes. He says there is some sludge buildup over time so I'm going 5-7,500k for mine.

 

Your cousin is correct, now for the guy who just put 33,000 miles on his Rig in a year, only if those are all highway miles would I ever chance oil changes at 10,000 miles even then I'm going to have Mobil 1 full synthetic or Amsoil.

Keep listening to your Dealer and you will be trading that Rig in way before the year 2024.

 

It's your money, I trust the engineers at Toyota.
Enjoy your ride however you like it. Awesome vehicles!

 

I'd rather trust the guys that actually work on them

 

The manual in my 16 has a section on break in. My Tundra has the same thing. Basically exactly what @Palerider said. Very your speed, no hard accelerating, no hard braking etc. I will see if I can find it and post a picture.

 

0W-20 synthetic oil in the 2016 T4R Trail. I follow the TOYOTA ENGINEERS advise. More than just "work on them" they also design and build cars that last.

Most likely other things will wear out long before the engine. I plan on upgrading to a new model at 200,000-300,000 miles. Not necessary just because I like the new car smell.

With the amount of calcium on the roads this winter definitely not the engine!

 

Here is the section on break in from my 16 manual.



And the section about proper break in before towing.

 

^^^this. Here’s your break-in procedures. I changed my first oil and filter at 2500 miles, going every 5k after that. I plan on keeping this ride until I die, so I’m looking for easy preventative maintenance to ensure longevity of my truck. I’m changing the rear diff fluid out next oil change too, getting out the oil from break-in wear.

 

Okay, Nothing about changing the oil at 2500 and 5000 intervals?
It's your money.
Surely people change oil, tires, filters, wheels, etc., more than needed or not.
It may not make the truck worth anymore or last significantly longer. 4Runners don't just fall apart. I like the NEW CAR SMELL. In 10 years or 400,000 miles it will need replacement.

Has anyone worn out an engine following the Toyota guidelines?

 

You’re probably right, following Toyota guidelines will most likely be safe enough. But most people trade off vehicles every 3-4 years, not keep them forever. The $$ I save by doing early oil changes will be cheaper in the long run over endless new car payments. Sure, new car smell is nice, but I plan on making this a million mile rig like the guy in Louisiana with the million mile tundra. It may croak or I may croak before then, but that’s the plan!

 

Toyota isn't going to recommend any early fluid change intervals because then they would have to add that to the Toyotacare package, and that would cost them money. Some argue (myself included) that the change from 5k mile intervals to 10k was to save money on the "included" oil changes. By the time this caused any issues your warranty would be expired and Toyota would be off the hook. In all reality it probably makes little to no difference. I have seen Toyotas run with no oil let alone old oil. It all comes down to how much you care about your vehicle and how long you plan to keep it. This is the advantage to buying new. It becomes your choice on how to take care of your vehicle. You know exactly what has been done and when. I don't like the 10k mile interval. I have been and will continue to change my oil every 5k miles. This is because I bought the 4Runner to keep for the long run. I do the same with my Tundra. Oil change intervals will always be a hotly debated topic. I say use common sense and do what you think is best. Maybe one of the guys who send their oil out for analysis can chime in with some real world evidence.

 

Agree wholeheartedly!

 

So you don't believe the engineers that built the vehicle, but you do believe the oil industry that touts 3-5k mile oil changes?

 

No, I don't believe anyone. I look both ways before I cross a one way street. 3-5k mile oil changes are a thing of the past. Go pick up any bottle of synthetic oil and it will tout 10-15k mile intervals, some even more. Like I said in my post above, in all reality it probably doesn't make much of a difference. 5k is just the interval I use. That's not to say if I'm busy and go a little over that mileage that it is the end of the world or I stress out about it. Just something I have always done and it gives me a little better piece of mind.

 

I changed my oil at 800 miles and it was filthy. Definitely worth it. I will also be changing my oil at 5k intervals. I plan on keeping this rig for a long ass time.

Changing the oil a few extra times might be overkill but then again I rally my Tacoma and it has over 180k miles and has not left me stranded once. I don't buy Toyota trucks to save money on oil change intervals, I but Toyota trucks because the last and are dependable. I will do my part to ensure I take great care of both of mine, especially the new 2018.

My Tacoma is a 1995 and is a weekend wheeler, on 37" tires and solid axle swapped fyi.

 

We just picked up an 18 4runner. The break in instructions don't make sense to me. Our manual reads the first 500 miles instead what is posted above . Dealer also instrined us to change the oil at 5k miles as California Los Angeles traffic is cinsidecon harsh driving.

I have another question thou, does TOYOTA add any special break in oil? Because if so then I will change the oil at 5k while under Toyota care and if not then I'm changing the oil once it reached 1k miles.