June 17, 2021

The 6 Most Important Maintenance Services Your INFINITI Needs

You love your INFINITI and want to make sure it lives a long life. The best way to do this is by taking proactive measures and performing routine preventative maintenance. Preventive at-home maintenance of your INFINITI will help keep it running smoothly and help you avoid costly mechanical breakdowns. Learn why preventive maintenance is necessary, what some of the most important maintenance services are, and when to perform basic car maintenance.

1. Changing Your Oil

Perhaps the most important maintenance for your INFINITI involves changing the oil. Without the right amount of clean motor oil, your car may not run properly. Here are three reasons why regular oil changes are so important:

• Oil lubricates the engine's parts. This helps prevent the parts from wearing out too soon.
• Oil cools the engine. The friction of the engine generates heat. Motor oil absorbs the heat, keeping the engine from becoming too hot.
• Oil cleans the engine. Clean oil can scrub dust and dirt from the engine, helping the engine run more smoothly.

Checking Your Oil Level

Typically, INFINITI recommends changing the oil every 5,000 miles. However, that number may change based on the type of INFINITI you drive and the number of miles you drive. How do you go about checking the oil in your INFINITI? Here are the steps you should take:

1. Park your INFINITI on an even surface to obtain an accurate reading of the oil level.
2. Make sure the engine is cool. Check the oil at least five to 10 minutes after the engine has been running for a while. If your engine is cold, start your INFINITI and run the engine for about 30 seconds to ensure the oil is flowing through the engine.
3. Pop open the hood.
4. Find the oil dipstick.
5. Remove the dipstick.
6. Wipe off the dipstick with a clean rag.
7. Put the dipstick in until it stops, and then pull it out.
8. Check the oil level. It should be close to the maximum fill line. If the oil level is close to the minimum fill line, it may be time to change the oil.

Topping Off the Motor Oil

When you top off your motor oil, you are adding new oil to the existing oil in the engine. While this may seem like a harmless practice, it isn't typically the best solution if you notice your engine oil level is low.

As your INFINITI ages, the engine may start to consume some of the motor oil, causing a low oil level. However, motor oil typically should not decrease significantly between routine oil changes. If you find that your engine oil is low, you may be way past due on your next routine oil change. If you changed your oil recently and notice that the oil level is low, you most likely have an oil leak. In this case, topping off your INFINITI's oil can help you get to your nearest authorized INFINITI service center to find the cause of the oil leak.

Here's how to top off the motor oil in your INFINITI:

1. Read the owner's manual to make sure you've got the right type of oil.
2. Park your car on an even surface.
3. Be sure the engine is cool.
4. Remove the oil cap.
5. Using a funnel, slowly add new oil in small amounts.
6. Avoid overfilling the motor oil by continually checking the oil level with the dipstick each time you add a little oil.
7. After the appropriate level of oil has been achieved, take out the funnel and put on the oil cap.

Normally, the oil in your INFINITI doesn't need to be topped off. Before topping off the oil, figure out whether it's time for a routine oil change and check to see whether there are any oil leaks.

Changing the Motor Oil

You've determined it's time for an oil change. Now what? Fortunately, you may be able to change the oil on your own. Here's how to do a DIY oil change:

1. Figure out the type and amount of oil required.
2. Gather the right materials and tools. You'll need oil and an oil filter, wrenches, an oil drain pan, a funnel, and protective gloves.
3. Park your INFINITI on an even surface. Keep in mind that you may need to use a jack and jack stand.
4. Look for the oil filter and drain plug.
5. Drain the oil.
6. Replace and tighten the drain plug.
7. Switch out the oil filter.
8. Pour in the new oil.
9. Examine the oil level to make sure there's enough oil.

2. Check Your Battery

Performing preventive maintenance on your INFINITI's battery can help you get the most life out of it. A weak battery can lead to mechanical problems or can keep your car from starting at all.

Maintaining the Battery

Conducting regular battery maintenance can help prolong the life of the battery and help keep your INFINITI running. Here are some tips for maintaining your battery:

• Test the battery. Using a multimeter or voltmeter, you can test the charge of your battery. Remove the battery's positive terminal cover and clean off corrosion with a wire brush. Set your voltmeter to the lowest setting (above 15 volts) and connect the negative lead to the negative battery terminal and the red lead to the positive terminal. A fully charged battery should measure 12.6 volts or more. A lower reading typically means the battery should be charged or replaced.
• Check and clean the battery case. To remove dirt and oil residue from the battery, wipe it clean with paper towels moistened in a mild detergent solution. After the case is clean and dry, look for cracks and bulging that could signal serious problems with the battery.
• Examine and clean the terminals. Check the battery posts, terminals, and hardware for corrosion as well as loose or cracked connections. If you see corrosion, wash it off with a 50-50 mixture of water and baking soda using a small brush with stiff bristles. After that, rinse off the battery with clean water.
• Remove the battery. If the battery is heavily corroded, you may need to take your vehicle into your nearest INFINITI service center to have a professional diagnose the cause of the corrosion and clean the terminals.

Replacing the Battery

Have your battery tested each year, especially once it turns three years old. After four or five years, it will likely need to be replaced.

If you've determined your battery is too weak or is dead, it's best to replace it. Keep in mind that disconnecting the battery could cause sunroofs not to open/close correctly, windows not to roll up and down correctly, and other systems to need a reset. If your battery needs to be replaced, it's best to head to your nearest INFINITI service center to have your battery replaced.

3. Replace the Engine Air Filter

The air filter protects your INFINITI's engine from dirt, dust, and other contaminants. But when your engine air filter becomes too dirty, it can't perform that job as well. Typically, your INFINITI's engine air filter needs to be replaced every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. Here's how to replace it when it's time:

• Check the owner's manual to see how often the filter should be replaced.
• If it's time to replace the filter or it's just become too dirty, open the hood of your INFINITI and look for the filter (it is typically inside a large black box).
• See how the filter fits into the casing.
• Take out the old filter.
• Insert the new filter in the same position as the old filter.
• Close the casing clips to secure the filter.

4. Replace the Cabin Air Filter

The cabin air filter captures contaminants that enter your INFINITI through the HVAC system. These contaminants may include dirt, dust, leaves, mold, and insects. While the cabin filter clears the air inside your car, it also can reduce driver distractions caused by contaminants, such as sneezing, headaches, and blurry vision.

The cabin filter usually should be replaced every 15,000 to 30,000 miles. Here's how to replace your INFINITI's cabin filter:

• Buy a new cabin filter designed for your INFINITI.
• Find the compartment that holds the cabin filter. It's often located in the dashboard, near the glovebox.
• Remove the compartment panel.
• Take out the old filter.
• Insert the new filter.
• Replace the compartment panel.

5. Replace Your Spark Plugs

Your INFINITI's spark plugs are small but mighty. They deliver the spark that ignites your car's air-and-fuel mixture, helping your engine generate power.

Spark plugs may last tens of thousands of miles. (Check your INFINITI owner's manual for details.) Once they wear out, your spark plugs should be replaced. Replacing the spark plugs in your INFINITI is a difficult process, and can lead to serious damage if done incorrectly. If it's time to replace your spark plugs, it's best to have an INFINITI service professional install your new spark plugs for you.

5. Replace Your Spark Plugs

When your INFINITI's windshield wiper blades are working well, it's easy to forget about them. But when they're not working, it's difficult to ignore them. Keeping your wiper blades in good condition helps ensure your windshield remains free of debris, rain, snow, and other things that can obstruct your view of the road.

At some point, the wiper blades will need to be replaced (typically every six to 12 months), depending on how old they are and how hard they've worked. If your wipers are cracked or brittle, they won't be able to keep your windshield clear. Additionally, worn-out blades can cause the metal of the wiper frame to scratch the windshield.

Typically, your INFINITI needs new wiper blades every 12 months. If it's time for your INFINITI to get new wiper blades, here's how to install them:

• Make sure the new wiper blades are the right ones for the model and year of your INFINITI.
• Once you have the new blades, pull the wiper assembly away from the windshield.
• Find the release tab or unlatching mechanism and press or pull it to release one of the old blades.
• After the old blade is taken out, latch the new blade onto the wiper assembly by doing the opposite of what you did when removing the old blade.
• Repeat these steps to install the second new blade.

Whether it's time to change your oil or replace an air filter, shop genuine INFINITI parts for everything you need to help keep your car on the road longer.