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At DARCARS INFINITI of Greenwich, you can rely on us to help you with all your car maintenance requirements. Our certified INFINITI technicians know everything there is to know about your vehicle and can help to keep it running smoothly. The following tips will help you to maintain your car between services and keep it in tip-top shape. Take Your Car for the Prescribed Services The most important tip is routine maintenance. Our qualified technicians will prevent problems that can cause breakdowns that will quickly result in costly repairs if not detected immediately. Check your owner's manual for information on your model's factory prescribed maintenance schedule. more Check the Fluid Levels Regularly For your car to perform well, you need to watch the coolant, engine oil, brake, and transmission fluid levels. We recommend that you check the different fluids every month. Also, look under your car for possible fluid leaks and get your vehicle to a technician when you spot a puddle. Coolant Coolant or antifreeze keeps the engine cool in summer and prevents it from freezing in icy temperatures. Check your coolant on the side of the coolant reservoir. If the coolant is lower than the "full" mark, wait for your car's engine to cool down and top it off. If you notice that the coolant is thick and not runny or has a brownish color, it is best to let one of our technicians replace the coolant. Thick coolant could indicate a gasket leak that can damage the engine. Oil Check if the oil has changed color or if debris is present, and look under your vehicle for oily stains. If you notice any of these problems, book an appointment at our service center in Greenwich, CT. We recommend that you let us change the oil three times a year or every 3,000 to 7,500 miles. Oil changes may differ by model so check your owner's manual for the recommended oil change intervals. Transmission Fluid Replace transmission fluid every 50,000 to 100,000 miles. Contact us immediately if you experience difficulty shifting gears, hearing grinding or whining sounds, or detecting a burning smell from the engine. These are all signs that your vehicle needs a transmission check as soon as possible. Check and Rotate the Tires Often It takes just a minute or two to check all four tires for bubbles, cracks, and thread wear. Also, keep your tires inflated to the correct pressure levels to reduce wear. Let us perform a tire rotation every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. Be Kind to Your Car Maintenance starts the minute you pull out of your driveway. Drive at reasonable speeds, avoid potholes and bumps, and don't brake hard or swerve unnecessarily. A regular wash and wax will protect the paint and keep the dirt away from your engine. Express Service for Basic Maintenance The days of waiting for hours to have essential maintenance done on your car are over. If you need to have an oil and filter change and a tire rotation, we can do that and give your vehicle a good wash in 60 minutes. By following the tips, you will have peace of mind, extend your vehicle's life, and use less fuel. DARCARS INFINITI of Greenwich is here to help you stay on top of your basic maintenance requirements by being your go-to auto service center. Our service center is looking forward to serving you.

Transmission or Check Engine Light Illuminates This is probably the most obvious sign that you need to have your transmission checked out. If your car has a transmission light, that will tell you that you have a transmission issue right away. If you only have a check engine light, you'll need to take your car in to be diagnosed. However, you don't want to gamble that the check engine light isn't signaling a severe issue. Get it in right away to rule out a transmission problem. more Late Shifting A properly functional transmission will allow you to shift smoothly into gear at the right RPMs. If your car isn't allowing you to shift to gear until a much higher RPM than normal, or it isn't shifting at all, this is an indication of a transmission issue. Often, delayed shifting can be traced to a worn-out clutch, but you still want to have your vehicle inspected by a professional immediately so the shifting problem doesn't become worse. Burning Smell When you're driving a car, a burning smell is almost never good. In the case of a transmission problem, it can be a downright disaster. If your transmission is low on transmission fluid, it will overheat and burn, causing the smell in your car. In turn, this leads to your engine running at too high of a temperature, which can cause your engine's parts to wear out much earlier than they should. Burning smells should always be checked out immediately. Vibrations It is not normal for your car to vibrate or shake when it shifts. This should happen seamlessly without you feeling it or even noticing it in most cases. In a manual situation, you should be able to shift between gears smoothly. Vibrations can simply mean that your clutch needs to be replaced or adjusted, but it could also be a symptom of a bigger problem with your transmission. Either way, you should have your car inspected soon. Gears Are Slipping Gears should only change with input from the driver. If you have a manual transmission, you tell it when to shift gears. If you have an automatic transmission, you still give input by putting the car in drive, neutral, or reverse. When a transmission acts on its own, it's referred to as gear slipping and can be a very dangerous situation, since you will not be able to predict when this is going to happen. Fluid Leak Leaking fluids is another bad sign because fluids should remain inside the vehicle at all times. If you notice a red or brownish colored fluid under your vehicle when it's parked, you probably have a transmission fluid leak. While you can add fluid to temporarily fix the issue, you will want to get your car into a service center to have your transmission re-sealed to repair it permanently. Transmissions are a critical component of any vehicle, so if you recognize any of the above signs, it's time to get your car into a service center for a transmission inspection. Contact DARCARS INFINITI of Greenwich today to schedule an appointment.   Photo by INFINITI