How Do I Break in My New Subaru Forester?

Buying a brand new Subaru Forester is an exciting experience. You want to take care of your Forester to extend its life as much as possible. Proper care begins with breaking the motor in properly. The first 1,000 miles on a new engine are important for breaking in the new components and lubricating the engine. Improper care of your new engine can result in damage to the engine block and a reduced life span for your Forester's engine.

Instructions

1. Maintain an engine RPM, or rotations per minute, rating below 4,000. You should shift your manual transmission before reaching 4,000 RPMs to prevent taxing the motor with high RPMs. Moderate your acceleration on an automatic transmission to allow sufficient time for the transmission to shift.

2. Vary the vehicle and engine speed regularly. Operating at a constant speed either in miles per hour or RPM for an extended period prevents the engine from thoroughly breaking in at varying levels.

3. Accelerate gradually and avoid sudden starts. This can place unnecessary torque on the engine while the components are still raw, risking failures.

4. Brake gently and easily, avoiding excessive strain on the brakes. This also applies any time you change the brake pads or other brake components for the first 1,000 miles.

Tips & Warnings

• Procedures for breaking in your Subaru Forester also apply after a complete engine overhaul or replacement with a new engine.

References

• Subaru: Forester Owner's Manual (PDF)