Did I mess up? Drove 200 miles using cruise control in my new 2025 Hyundai Elantra…

Hyundai Cars and Models Forum Hyundai Elantra / Lantra
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I got a 2025 Hyundai Elantra Limited two weeks ago. I didn’t know anything about breaking in a new car, and my dealer didn’t mention it either. I only found out when I randomly saw it in the owner’s manual.

The car had 6 miles on it when I got it. I drove about 30 miles carefully, then took a 200-mile trip. I didn’t push the engine too hard, but I did use cruise control at around 70 mph for most of the drive.

Do you think everything settled in properly before that long trip? Could I have messed something up by using cruise control? The car is at 420 miles now, and I’ve been driving it with mixed speeds and RPMs since then.

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You’ll be fine.

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I have to ask… if someone said, ‘Wow, that was a huge mistake…’ what exactly would you do with your brand-new car?

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Nadia said:
I have to ask… if someone said, ‘Wow, that was a huge mistake…’ what exactly would you do with your brand-new car?

Nothing, I’d just be kinda bummed :joy:. But seriously, I’m not super worried because of the 100k-mile warranty. I can’t undo it now, but I want this car to last since I plan to keep it for 10+ years.

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@XG350Xpert
No need to stress over it.

If you believe the break-in advice, just follow it moving forward. You’re 420 miles into a car that will last 100,000+ miles. Go enjoy your ride.

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I drove mine 1,100 miles straight from Arkansas to Florida, almost all with cruise control. No issues at all.

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Why do you even need to ‘break in’ a car before using cruise control? Never heard of that before.

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Auto said:
Why do you even need to ‘break in’ a car before using cruise control? Never heard of that before.

Hyundai’s manual has a section about breaking in the engine. It says not to use cruise control for the first 1,000 miles and to vary your speed. I’ve seen mixed opinions about it online though.

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@XG350Xpert
Oh wow, I had no idea. Just got a Hyundai myself but haven’t read through the manual yet :grimacing:.

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Auto said:
Why do you even need to ‘break in’ a car before using cruise control? Never heard of that before.

It’s better to vary RPMs instead of keeping the engine at one speed for too long. But it’s really not a big deal.

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@ElantraLOVEr3
Didn’t realize breaking in was a thing. I’ve only used cruise control for maybe 8-10 km just to test it, but I guess I’ll hold off for now :sweat_smile:. Thanks!

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Auto said:
@ElantraLOVEr3
Didn’t realize breaking in was a thing. I’ve only used cruise control for maybe 8-10 km just to test it, but I guess I’ll hold off for now :sweat_smile:. Thanks!

No worries! Most people don’t break in their engine exactly ‘by the book’ anyway. Worst case, it might take a bit longer for the piston rings to seat properly, but it’s not a big deal.

Just keep an eye on your oil level, that’s way more important. If you plan on keeping the car for a long time, change the oil and filter between 1,000-2,000 miles for the first time. Always use full synthetic oil.

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Just drive it and don’t overthink it.