Is Breaking in a New Car Necessary?
Before you start racing around in your new ride, check the manual.
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Similar to a new pair of shoes, car components such as engines, brakes, and tires aren't necessarily comfortable right out the box. That's why many manufacturers recommend that the owner "break in" a new vehicle, easing it into its performance range by following a set of guidelines intended to minimize stress and uneven wear on these vital components.
How Do You Break in a Car?
Every car is different, so the first thing you want to do is check the owner's manual. In most cases, it will tell you to avoid hard braking and acceleration during the first 1,000 miles or so. It may also suggest that you avoid driving at a constant speed for a long period of time.
Some vehicle manuals note other restrictions, too. Nissan, for example, recommends that new Pathfinder owners, in addition to observing these basic parameters for 1,200 miles, keep the engine speed below 4,000 rpm and not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles.
The instructions for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe detail a typical 1,000-mile break-in period, with suggestions such as staying a few ticks beneath the redline, avoiding engine braking, and keeping speed to less than 85 mph. The manual also says that certain safety systems use sensors that need road time to acclimate and won't take full effect until the break-in period is over.
The rules for a performance car aren't significantly different. For instance, Chevrolet recommends new Corvette owners take it easy—meaning no track time—for 1,500 miles, setting close to the same guidelines as other manufacturers. The only caveats are that Chevy recommends both limiting torque in low gears during the first 500 miles (possibly to remove the temptation to hit the redline) and keeping an eye on oil levels. The manual also gives drivers specific break-in periods for the tires and brakes.
What Happens If You Don't Follow the Manufacturer's Recommendations?
While computers, material advancements, and tighter manufacturing tolerances have helped make powertrains, brakes, and tires more capable of withstanding abuse, ignoring break-in recommendations could contribute to premature wear of parts and an underperforming or potentially malfunctioning vehicle.
In the engine department, it's important that the piston rings wear in properly, as any stress or undue heat could lead to unwanted friction against the cylinder walls and cause problems such as uneven oil distribution.
You'll want to go lightly on the brakes, too, until you "bed in" your new pads and rotors. This process involves gradually heating and cooling these components so that there's an even layer of pad material on the rotor. And tires need about 500 miles of road time before they lose the traction-compromising lubricant the factory uses in the molding process.
How Is Breaking in an Electric Vehicle Different?
There are no piston rings to worry about in an EV. Electric motors have fewer moving parts and don't require the same break-in time as exclusively gasoline-powered vehicles. It's still important to consult your owner's manual for any guidance or restrictions from the vehicle manufacturer and to pay attention to brake and tire wear, especially because EVs are often heavier and produce more torque than their combustion counterparts. Added weight can put extra stress on brake components, and an EV's instantaneous torque makes it easy to spin—and wear—the tires. The owner's manual for the Volkswagen ID.4, for example, notes that the vehicle's brake pads need somewhere between 125 and 185 miles of easy use before they're "run in."
