Honda had been known in recent years to ship their new cars with a “break-in” oil that was high in molybdenum. Apparently they no longer specify a set number of miles for that factory oil.
see below
Page 136 of your owner’s manual, which covers the break-in period, says “Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time.” The scheduled maintenance time is covered at length elsewhere in your owner’s manual.
The Honda Fit’s break-in period is 600 miles. A “special break-in oil” is not mentioned in the owner’s manual.
For quick searches of information in your owner’s manual, you can go to https://te…logon.asp, which offers pdf versions on the free side of the website.
To borrow a turn of phrase: This is not your father-in-law’s Oldsmobile.
The owners manuals are not always correct; at least as far as what is best for the car itself.
Some examples are: (paraphrased)
Never having to change the transmission fluid or waiting until over a 100k miles to do so.
Never changing a fuel filter “unless it needs it”.
Inspection of valve lash on mechanical lifter engines at well over the 100k miles mark. (one of Honda’s very erroneous recommendations)
Change an air filter at 30k miles, or even further. (That depends on the environment; sometimes here in OK a new filter can be filthy in 3 weeks.)
Allowing spark plugs to remain in place for a 100k miles or until oblivion.
As to oil changes I have a theory about that. Most car makers use to recommend a 1000 mile oil change (including Honda) but have pretty much quit this practice.
My opinion is that they quit this as a cost cutting move since the 1000 mile oil changes used to be paid for by the car maker (sometimes with the customer paying for the oil/filter). By doing away with the 1000 mile oil change the car makers have cut a few bucks off their bottom line and do not have to worry about a customer being upset about having to foot the oil change bill on a near new car.
There’s some other areas on this issue but I’m sure you get the point.
SAAB was one of the first car makers to use the O2 Lambda system and their original recommendation was to replace the O2 sensors at 15k mile intervals.
Customers squawk so SAAB increased the interval to 30k miles.
Customers still squawk so SAAB increased the interval to 60k miles.
Still complaints, so it became replace at 60k miles IF necessary.
What changed mechanically during all of this? Nothing, except money and perception.
FWIW, Honda OEM filters are manufactured by Honeywell, the same company that makes Fram.
Gotta agree with ok4450 on this one . . . anybody ever run-in a new engine to “break-in” the new cam, not for 1000 miles, that’s for sure. I’d change the oil at 1000 miles to get rid of anything that the filter didn’t catch . . . many new engine parts meshing with one another, gotta have small pieces of metal floating around at first. And the cost? An oil change costs me about $15. And you’ll keep the peace with the in-laws (and spouse). This is a win-win. Special break-in oil? I’ve heard of it, but I would imagine that any benefit would occur in the first 1000 miles anyway. Rocketman
Guys, thanks for all the great advice! I called the Honda dealer and they said come in around 3,000 miles. I had no idea that the quick oil change places like Pennzoil could be bad for my new car so thank you for that advice as well. I appreciate all your comments, looks like my father-in-law was WRONG!!!
FWIW I know Honda doesn’t make their oil filters. It’s common for one company to make different versions of a product at different levels of quality. When I buy OEM filters and other parts it reduces my uncertainty of their quality and compatibility. I’ve never had a problem in the 20+ years of using OEM oil filters since I had that defective Fram filter.
Please explain to me why many car manufacturers (like Ford, with my 2004 Taurus, for the first 1000 miles) recommend a break-in period with gentle driving, varying speeds, etc. Surely it will extend the longevity of a car, right? It must reduce the amount of warranty claims, right? What makes some of you say that a car is broken in within the first 20 miles?
Decades of practical mechanical experience for one and the fact that a number of car makers, engine builders, and motorcycle manufacturers all dyno run their cars/engine/motorcycles at wide open throttle before they’re ever sold.
One time at a service school (can’t remember which car maker: maybe VW???) the service instructor even stated that the engine will achieve break-in within that 20 mile time frame. Of course, they also recommend gentle driving.
The recommendation about taking it easy is just one of their ways of encouraging people not to abuse their vehicle. If a car owner is flat hammering the engine into the ground this is going to damage other things besides the engine; the transmission, drive axles, tires, brakes, etc.
Personally, I think a car should be driven “normally” for the first 500 miles or so anyway, although I do realize a certain number of car owners will go out and immediately start pounding on them.
The NASCAR guys don’t gently break their engines in before putting them on the dyno in a WOT test either.
I think what they’re trying to prevent is someone going out and REALLY flogging a new car to the point that it overheats. If one seriously overheats a fairly new engine (say 200 miles on it) then it’s possible that the engine could suffer piston ring/cylinder wall damage or it’s faintly possible the engine could suffer a momentary piston/cylinder wall seizure.