I am in doubt about DPF. My drive is mostly 30km a day in Bangalore traffic. What's the suggested frequency to go on consistent speed on a long drive?

Autocar India

•3h

Get it checked soon, because visible smoke under the bonnet is not normal, even if it went away. In bumper-to-bumper traffic, riding the clutch can overheat it, which gives a strong acrid burning smell and can even cause brief white smoke from the gearbox housing area. The smell often lingers, so your half-clutch use fits the story. But have the workshop inspect the car and the clutch for overheating, also rule out a fluid drip onto a hot part, a bit of plastic stuck on the exhaust, or any wiring insulation getting cooked. Quickly check coolant and engine oil levels at home; if you see smoke again or any warning light, park up and call Tata RSA instead of driving.

Tata Punch

Autocar India

•20h

It isn’t periodical - your Kia Carens triggers DPF regeneration when the ECU senses the filter is filling with soot. It uses sensors and driving data to estimate soot load, then does passive regen on its own during steady highway runs, and active regen when needed by raising exhaust temperature to burn the soot.If your use is mostly short, stop‑start city trips, the car can’t keep exhaust temps up, so active regens will happen more often, and sometimes you’ll see a DPF message asking you to keep driving. When that pops up, a 15‑20 minute run at about 60 km/h with gentle revs usually completes it. If you ignore or keep shutting the car mid‑cycle, the warning can escalate, and you may need the parked/manual regen from the cluster menu, or a workshop reset.You’ll notice slightly higher fuel use, a hot smell, and a fast fan while regen runs. That’s normal. It is not tied to a fixed mileage or time; it’s entirely based on soot loading and your driving pattern.

Kia Carens

Autocar India

•3h

DRLs themselves usually do not become creamy or yellow. What you are typically seeing is the outer plastic lens ageing due to UV exposure, heat, pollution, car wash chemicals and oxidation. Over time, the clear polycarbonate lens develops a hazy or yellowish appearance, which makes the bright white DRL behind it appear creamy. The effect is more noticeable in countries like India because of the harsh sun and heat.Whether the DRL doubles up as a turn indicator generally has little to do with the lens turning creamy. However, systems where the DRL frequently dims or switches off for the turn signal do generate more thermal cycling, which can contribute marginally to ageing over many years. The biggest culprit remains UV exposure and lens quality rather than the DRL function itself.As for red DRLs at the rear, regulations in most countries do not permit them because they could be confused with brake lights. The idea behind a DRL is to make a vehicle more conspicuous without creating ambiguity. If a red rear light were permanently illuminated during the day, drivers behind might have a harder time recognising when the brakes are actually applied.