I'm going to pick up a new Fit in a couple of days. Does anyone have any advice for me in the "breaking in" period. I've owned Honda Civics and been very happy with them. I don't know much about cars, but would like to be able to install my Garmin GPS inside the Fit's space for the Honda GPS. I think this is possible but would welcome any advice on that or any other issues.

 

my dealer told me dont drive from NYC to Boston on the highway for the first 500 miles. Basically don't keep the car at the same revs. for hours and hours, honda does a break in on the motor prior to installation. I wouldn't floor it right away either, but don't be afraid to give it some revs.

 

"breaking in" time is just due to your engine, transmittion to smooth-en. Since the car comes out from manufacture, the gears needs sometime to clear the scrap metal that's attached to the edges of the gears etc etc... So just don't drive crazily always go high rpm. around 5000 mile your first time do oil change, if you know someone and allows you to go in and see then oil change process. you might or might not (depend sometimes) see the scrap metals coming out from the engine oil. and it will have nothing to do with GPS. (may be speakers cause that needs time to break in as well).

During your first major service which is 24,000 when u change your transmittion oil you will see scrap metal for sure (since transmittion is not at hot as engine) so your transmittion oil will be clear like new not like the engine oil since it got burn up so it is always black when it comes out.

 

My first 500 miles were this and that. Then for my second 500 miles, I drove 100 miles non-stop, then some stop and go, and then 130 miles non-stop again. I learned how to coast a lot and take it easy a lot. Getting between 41 and ... yes! (once) .... 49 mpg according to read out.

 

were you on freeway only? How is that possible you can get 49mpg? AT or stick?

I got an AT I can only get 31mpg. I drive local a little more than freeway about (60L/40H)%

 

yes freeway only while in the upper 40s, for sure.
and it was only 49 for about 2 minutes.

AT
I coast when I can.
I watch the gauge like a little game - it's fun. Coast when you can - so long as you do not annoy the people behind you.

 

All the above advice has been spot on. The idea in break-in is to put the engine through lots of heating/cooling cycles, and to vary the load on the engine in order to seat the rings, while avoiding extremes of low or high RPMs. A thousand mile trip along the Trans-Canada highway with cruise control engaged would not be a good technique.

The only thing that generates any controversy is when to do the first oil change. Most of us who have been working with cars for a long time are accustomed to a quick initial oil change, followed by oil changes every 3000-5000 miles. This worked for my father's Buick in the 50's, but is not necessary with new engines, and in fact, a Honda tech on this forum specifically recommends against changing the oil before the meter gets to 15% oil life, which will probably be between 6,000 and 12,000 miles, depending on your driving conditions. This is very difficult advice to accept, but do it if you want your engine to break in properly. If you haven't hit 15% / 12,000 miles after 12 months, ask your dealer for a recommendation.

 

Please... PLEASE... READ THE MANUAL

 

I drove mine easy for about a hundred miles and opened it up for about a mile and it was broken in.

 

just drive normally keeping the revs below 4K and no sudden abrupt braking.

that's about all you need to be aware of. these are normal folk cars, they are no different from any other car out there.

 

Follow the book, keeping revs down, vary speed, avoid full throttle

once past that drive it like you sole it!

 

Many thanks for all the advice, I've had my new Fit for about 5 days and the engine purrs like a kitten. So far so good!

 

Where is this Fit purring?

 

The Limestone City (Kingston, Ont.)

 

I grew up just North of Cardinal. On May 17 we are heading there and then back to Ottawa for a few days. You may hear me go by. Oh wait we are taking the Caravan. Darn

Oh we spent a couple nights in Kingston a few years ago at hotel where the garage just recently collapsed.

bill

 

My 09 Fit Sport MT shows as high as 49 mpg all the time, but in reality is only the high 30's mpg. I calculate every fill-up. The gauge, as stated throughout this forum, is a worthless piece of garbage.

But, back on topic. My cars (08 and 09) never started to show any real performance or great economy until around 10k miles, so, don't try to rush the break-in. Take it easy at the beginning and let the break-in oil do it's thing.

 

Stick with what the manual tells you... it tells you that for a reason. No fast starts or stops... definitely no flooring it.
You don't have to completely baby it... just none of the above/below for the first 600 miles.

Page #198 in your manual. Read it:

Break-in Period

Help assure your vehicle's future
reliability and performance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the first 600 miles (1,000 km).

During this period:

● Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
● Avoid hard braking for the first 200
miles (300 km).
● Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.

You should also follow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced.

After that, it's your choice... baby it or drive the p!$$ out of it.

 

All sage advice.

Say, did anyone ever find out if the "drive it hard" camp has had any premature engine failures?

 

I have done it to every engine I have rebuilt or came new in a car or motor cycle for over 30 years with no negative effects.... It is the best way to seat the rings. At 30000 miles with 11000 supercharged I have no blow by problems, oil consumption between oil changes or any other problems..... How do you think that racing engines are broken in?...... I take it easy for awhile driving at different RPM lightly accelerating and gradually changing load and speed and decelerating on hills to put some wear and pressure on the back of the connecting rod bearings and main bearings so there will be no uneven surfaces that could cause hot spots and galling. I then gradually increase the throttle opening until it will go no further and after 30 or 40 seconds start slowly lifting the throttle until I am driving easily with a light load on the engine to allow the temperature to slowly return to a lower operating temperature before shutting it down.

 

My car had 29kms on it when I first picked it up (although a lot of that was from my test drive, haha). I lived 500kms from the dealership, and there wasn't any issues. I didn't take it over 80kmph for the first 200kms, and then went up to 100kmph and then 120kmph for the last 100km home. I got 46mpg on that first tank!

I would slowly accelerate and brake, and took it easy on the rpm. By the time I got it home it was basically broken in!