I Purchased A 2025 Rav4 Gas Model And I Am Approaching 500 Miles. Does Toyota Use Moly Compounds In Its Break-in Oil? Who is Telling the Truth?

In a recent Reddit r/Rav4 forum, new Rav4 owner Extension-Elevator45 wants his gas model Rav4 to last as long as possible.

No stranger to the importance of motor oil maintenance, he has successfully maintained his previous Honda vehicles to last a minimum of 20 years and 250,000 miles.

Understandably, he wants to make his Toyota Rav4 last even longer than his previous vehicles and is asking all of the right questions:

I have purchased a 2025 Rav4 gas model, and it has 800km on it.

Given that the max wear happens on a new engine, when should I do the first oil change?

Is Toyota using moly compounds in a break-in oil? Should I stick with the manufacturer's recommendation of oil changes at 10k km, or should I get one done at 800km?

However, the answers he is receiving appear to contradict each other.

What He Is Being Told

Unfortunately, the debate on oil changes is as contentious as our politics. We have two parties in the discussion thread:

Party #1: Toyotas are designed by the best engineers with the best oil formulations specified for each model. We should follow their oil change recommendations at 10,000-mile intervals. If you do it more often, you risk putting your warranty at risk and wasting money on needless oil changes.

Party #2: Toyotas, like all vehicles, are designed to last only as long as the warranty period so that Toyota can sell more cars and make more money. Outside of Toyota, experts say that changing your motor oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles will make your Toyota last longer.

The confusion is that both parties are correct to some point, but either party's personal "all or nothing" political-like stances will only hurt the owner and their vehicle.

For example, we recently addressed this problem: I Have a 2024 Rav4, And the Last Time I Took It For The 10k Maintenance Oil Change, The Technician Stated That I Shouldn't Need An Oil Change Until I Hit 20k Miles. Is That Accurate Information?

The Motor Oil Truths Toyota Owners Need to Know

Firstly, let us address some truths the OP brings up in his post:

Truth #1: Toyota does not put "break-in oil" in their new cars off the assembly line:

Most modern vehicles, including those from Toyota, use regular engine oil during the assembly process. The idea of "break-in oil" used to be more common in older cars with more rigid engine tolerances, but today, engine designs are much more refined, and modern oils are formulated to handle the initial break-in period without the need for special oils.

In fact, here's what one expert had to say about this: The Need for New Engine Break-In Is Not a Myth Says This Expert, After Looking at His Daughter's 2023 Toyota Corolla.

However, new engines still require a break-in period meaning that you should avoid harsh driving conditions for the first few hundred miles to ensure that the engine parts contact surfaces wear together properly. Most automakers typically recommend following a specific driving break-in procedure in the owner's manual for the first 1,000 miles or so.

Truth #2: Toyota motor oil does have "moly" in its motor oil, but the concentration varies from one formulation to another based on the specs of the particular model it is recommended for:

Moly compounds, specifically molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), are additives commonly used in engine oil. Moly compounds work by:

1. Reducing Friction: Moly compounds can create a thin layer on metal surfaces that reduces friction between moving parts, leading to less heat and wear.
2. Protecting Parts from Wear: By reducing friction, moly compounds help protect engine components from wear, which can extend the engine's life.
3. Shoulder the Load: Molybdenum helps to maintain lubrication under high-load conditions, such as during cold starts or heavy acceleration.

As we've learned earlier, the concentration of moly in Toyota engine oil can vary depending on the type of oil (conventional, synthetic, or synthetic blend) and the specific formulation for particular vehicle models.

Truth #3: Why Do We Have to Change Oil When Using the Best Synthetic Motor Oil Possible? According to a respected Toyota expert― Automotive Engineer David Chao―the reason why we have to change our motor oil is not so much because of its formulation and how long it will last (although that is an important factor) but the fact of the matter that oil gets dirty.

A lot of people think oil change is because the oil itself has degraded and no longer acting as a lubricant and therefore we have to change it. Well actually, that is not quite true because oil is capable of keeping its lubricant capability or property for very long time. But the problem is that the oil gets dirty partly because engine does mix a little of gas and air into the oil mixture but also because does remove some contaminants within the engine. So, the engine oil itself, even though it's still functioning as a proper oil, actually gets kind of dirty because it's carrying contaminants and that's why we have to change oil―it's not because it lost its property.

The Truth About Your Car's Oil Change Needs

Based solely on engineering principles, Mr. David Chao provides three scenarios―criteria, if you will―that are the truths behind where you and your car can have the best outcome while minimizing the cost of your motor oil maintenance.

I'm going to do another video right here to try to clarify my suggestions for when to change the oil or how often to change the oil, and how to determine that, using a very simple criteria to help you figure out what's the right situation for you. So, I'm going to basically rank your situation or your car station into three categories: Rank A, Rank B, and Rank C, which correspond in different requirements, and you can then figure out what is the right kind of oil change interval.

Here is a summary of these criteria as the takeaway points Toyota owners should follow:

Ranking A: Car owners who want to keep their car in excellent shape for 10, 20, or 30 years (250,000-500,000 miles). You must change your motor oil and filter every 3,000 miles for all cars in this category ranking. If you use synthetic, you can add 1,000 miles to this limit. Timewise in case you drive less than the average car owner, every 6 months between oil changes.

Ranking B: Car owners who want to keep their car for 4 to 10 years in good shape (100,000-250,000 miles). For all cars in this category, you have to change your motor oil and filter every 5,000 miles. If you use synthetic, you can add 1,000 miles to this limit.

Ranking C: Car owners who want to keep their car for 1-4 years with the minimum maintenance in OK shape (25,000-100,000 miles or less) ―Follow your specific model's owner's manual manufacturer recommendations. This usually falls between 10,000 to 12,000 miles or once per year. Do not try to extend this by another 1,000 miles if you use synthetic since you will want to remain within the warranty conditions.

For more details about Mr. Chao's advice, the video is provided below for your convenience.

ENGINEER EXPLAINS HOW OFTEN TO CHANGE OIL & FILTER // UPDATED CRITERIA-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS!

What Do You Think About Mr. Chao's Advice? Are you in agreement that this is the most sensible and logical approach to the oil change interval debate that we can all agree on? Tell us in the comments section below.

For more about oil changes and your Toyota, here are some recommendations:

1. Toyota Aftermarket Engine Oil Filtering Option Warning
2. Dealer Overfilled Oil (2023 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid) How Much Damage Did They Do? –Upset Owner Asks If She Should Consider Suing Dealership
3. Car Oil Change Maintenance Disaster

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati who currently researches and works on restoring older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. He also reports on modern cars (including EVs) with a focus on DIY mechanics, buying and using tools, and other related topical automotive repair news. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites as well as on Facebook and his automotive blog "Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair" for useful daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

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