O If the warning light remains on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by an INFINITI dealer as soon as
possible.
O The power train may be damaged if you
continue driving with the warning light
blinking rapidly.
WARNING O Do not stop or park the vehicle over flam-
mable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite and
cause a fire.
O Never leave the engine running while the
vehicle is unattended.
O Never leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. O Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park).
Failure to do so could cause the vehicle
to move unexpectedly or roll away and
result in an accident.
O Make sure the shift lever has been
pushed as far forward as it can go and
cannot be moved without depressing the
button at the end of the lever. SD1006MA
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
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1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Automatic transmission models:
Move the selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
Manual transmission models:
Place the shift lever in the R (Reverse)
position. When parking on an uphill
grade, place the shift lever in the 1
(Low gear) position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from
rolling into the street when parked on
a sloping drive way, it is a good prac-
tice to turn the wheels as illustrated.
O HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
q 1
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
O HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
q 2
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb. O HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
q 3
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it moves.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK
position and remove the key. The power assisted steering uses a hy-
draulic pump, driven by the engine, to as-
sist steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt
breaks, you will still have control of the
vehicle. However, much greater steering
effort is needed, especially in sharp turns
or at low speeds.
WARNING If the engine is not running or is turned off
while driving, the power assist for the steer-
ing will not work. Steering will be much
harder to operate.POWER STEERING
Starting and driving
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BRAKING PRECAUTIONS The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunc-
tions, you will still have braking ability at
two wheels.
Vacuum assisted brake
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you
can stop the vehicle by depressing the
brake pedal. However, greater foot pres-
sure on the brake pedal will be required
to stop the vehicle and the stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven
through water, the brakes may get wet.
As a result, your braking distance will be
longer and the vehicle may pull to one
side during braking.
To dry brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly tapping the brake
pedal to heat-up the brakes. Do this until
the brakes return to normal. Avoid driving
the vehicle at high speeds until the
brakes function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break-in the parking brake shoes when-
ever the stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened or whenever the park-
ing brake shoes and/or drums/rotors are
replaced, in order to assure the best
braking performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual and can be performed by
your INFINITI dealer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will cause overheating
of the brakes, increases wear on the
brakes and pads, and reduces gas
mileage.
To help save the brakes and to prevent
the brakes from overheating, reduce
speed and downshift to a lower gear be-
fore going down a slope or long grade.
Overheated brakes may reduce braking
performance and could result in loss of
vehicle control.
WARNING O While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel- erating could cause the wheels to skid
and result in an accident.
O If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for the
brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) The anti-lock brake system (ABS) controls
the brakes so the wheels will not lock when
braking abruptly or when braking on slip-
pery surfaces. The system detects the rota-
tion speed at each wheel and varies the
brake fluid pressure to prevent each wheel
from locking and sliding. By preventing
wheel lockup, the system helps the driver
maintain steering control and helps to mini-
mize swerving and spinning on slippery sur-
faces.
Using the system Depress the brake pedal and hold it
down.BRAKE SYSTEM
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WARNINGDo not pump the brake pedal. Doing so may
result in increased stopping distances.
Normal operation The ABS will not operate at speeds below
3 to 6 MPH (5 to 10 km/h) to stop the ve-
hicle. (The speeds will vary according to
road conditions.) When the anti-lock
system senses that one or more wheels
are close to locking up, the actuator
(under the hood) rapidly applies and re-
leases hydraulic pressure (like pumping
the brakes very quickly). While the actua-
tor is working, you may feel a pulsation in
the brake pedal and hear a noise or vibra-
tion from the actuator under the hood.
This is normal and indicates that the ABS
is working properly. However, the ABS op-
eration may indicate that road conditions
are hazardous and extra care is required
while driving.
Self-test feature The anti-lock brake system consists of
electronic sensors, electric pumps, and
hydraulic solenoids controlled by a com- puter. The computer has a built-in diag-
nostic feature that tests the system each
time you start the engine and move the
vehicle at a low speed in forward or re-
verse. When the self-test occurs, you may
hear a clunk noise and/or feel a pulsation
in the brake pedal. This is normal and is
not an indication of any malfunction. If
the computer senses any malfunction, it
switches the ABS off and turns on the
ABS warning light in the instrument
panel. The brake system operates nor-
mally, but without anti-lock assistance.
If the light comes on during the self-test
or while driving, take the vehicle to an
INFINITI dealer for repair.
WARNING The anti-lock brake system is a sophisticated
device, but it cannot prevent accidents re-
sulting from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain vehicle con-
trol during braking on slippery surfaces, but
remember that the stopping distance on slip-
pery surfaces will be longer than on normal
surfaces even with the anti-lock brake system. Stopping distances may also be
longer on rough, gravel or snow covered
roads, or if you are using tire chains. Always
maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in
front of you. Ultimately, the responsibility
for safety of self and others rests in the
hands of the driver.
Tire type and condition of tires may also af-
fect braking effectiveness.
O When replacing tires, install the speci-
fied size of tires to the front and rear.
O When installing a spare tire, make sure it
is the proper size and type as specified
on the Tire and Loading Information
label. See ªVehicle identificationº in the
ª9. Technical and consumer informa-
tionº section for the Tire and Loading In-
formation label location.
Starting and driving
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When accelerating or driving on a slippery
surface, the tires may spin or slide. With
the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
system, sensors detect these movements
and control the braking and engine
output to help improve vehicle stability.
O When the VDC system is operating,
the ªSLIPº indicator in the instrument
panel blinks.
O When only the Traction Control System
(TCS) portion of the VDC system is op-
erating, the ªSLIPº indicator in the in-
strument panel blinks.
O If the ªSLIPº indicator blinks, the road
conditions are slippery. Be sure to ad-
just your speed and driving to these
conditions. Be sure to drive carefully.
See ªSlip indicator lightº, and ªVe-
hicle Dynamic Control (VDC) off indica-
tor lightº in the ª2. Instruments and
controlsº section.
O Indicator light
If a malfunction occurs in the system,
the ªSLIPº and ªVDC OFFº indicator
lights illuminate in the instrument
panel. As long as these indicators are
illuminated, the VDC system function
is canceled. The VDC system uses an Active Brake Lim-
ited Slip (ABLS) system to improve vehicle
traction. The ABLS system works when
one of the driving wheels is spinning on a
slippery surface. The ABLS system brakes
the spinning wheel which distributes the
driving power to the other driving wheel.
If the vehicle is operated with the VDC
system turned off, all VDC system func-
tions and TCS functions will be turned off.
The ABLS system and ABS will still op-
erate with the VDC system off. When the
ABLS system is activated, the ªSLIPº indi-
cator light will blink and you may hear a
clunk noise and/or feel a pulsation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and is not an
indication of a malfunction.
While the VDC system is operating, you
may feel a pulsation in the brake pedal and
hear a noise or feel a vibration from under
the hood. This is normal and indicates that
the VDC system is working properly.
The VDC system computer has a built in
diagnostic feature that tests the system
each time you start the engine and move
the vehicle forward or backward. When
the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and is not an indica-
tion of a malfunction. WARNING O The VDC system is designed to help im-
prove driving stability but does not pre-
vent accidents due to abrupt steering op-
eration at high speeds or due to careless
or dangerous driving. Reduce vehicle
speed and be especially careful when
driving and cornering on slippery sur-
faces and always drive carefully.
O If engine related parts such as muffler
are not standard equipment or are ex-
tremely deteriorated, the ªVDC OFFº in-
dicator or ªSLIPº indicator or both indi-
cator lights may illuminate.
O Do not modify the vehicle's suspension.
If suspension parts such as shock ab-
sorbers, struts, springs, stabilizer bars
and bushings are not INFINITI-approved
or are extremely deteriorated, the VDC
system may not operate properly. This
could adversely affect vehicle handling
performance, and the ªVDC OFFº indi-
cator or ªSLIPº indicator or both indi
cator lights may illuminate.VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL (VDC)
SYSTEM
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O If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not stan-
dard equipment or are extremely dete-
riorated, the ªVDC OFFº indicator or
ªSLIPº indicator or both indicator lights
may illuminate.
O When driving on extremely inclined sur-
faces such as higher banked corners, the
Vehicle Dynamic Control system may not
operate properly and the ªVDC OFFº indi-
cator or ªSLIPº indicator or both indi-
cator lights may illuminate. Do not drive
on these types of roads.
O When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the ªVDC OFFº indicator or ªSLIPº
indicator or both indicator lights may il-
luminate. This is not a malfunction. Re-
start the engine after driving onto a
stable surface.
O If wheels or tires other than those rec-
ommended are used, the VDC system
may not operate properly and the ªVDC
OFFº indicator or ªSLIPº indicator or
both indicator lights may illuminate. O The VDC system is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a snow cov-
ered road. The Rear Active Steer (RAS) system is an
electronically controlled four-wheel
steering system.
The angle of the rear wheels are adjusted
by the RAS system, depending on the ve-
hicle speed and steering angle. The rear
wheels are designed to turn momentarily
in the opposite direction and then change
to the same direction as the front wheels.
At low speeds, the rear wheels will not
turn and the system functions as a two-
wheel steering system.
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
RAS function will stop but the ordinary
two-wheel steering system will operate
normally. The ªRASº warning light will il-
luminate.
If the light illuminates while you are driv-
ing, contact an INFINITI dealer for repair.REAR ACTIVE STEER (RAS) SYSTEM (if so
equipped)
Starting and driving
5-29
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O Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
O Watch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise clear
road in shaded areas. If a patch of ice is
seen ahead, brake before reaching it. Try
not to brake while on the ice, and avoid
any sudden steering maneuvers.
O Do not use cruise control on slippery
roads.
O Snow can trap dangerous exhaust gases
under your vehicle. Keep snow clear of
the exhaust pipe and from around your
vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped) An engine block heater to assist extreme
cold temperature starting is available
through an INFINITI dealer. WARNING Do not use your heater with an ungrounded
electrical system or tow-pronged (cheater)
adapters. You can be injured by an electrical
shock if you use an ungrounded connection.
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Stopping the vehicle 1. Safely move the vehicle off the road
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake. Shift the manual trans-
mission into the R (Reverse) position
(automatic transmission into the P
(Park) position).
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic,
and to signal professional road assis-
tance personnel that you need assis-
tance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the ve-
hicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNINGO Make sure the parking brake is securely
applied and the manual transmission is
shifted into R (Reverse), or the automatic
transmission into P (Park). O Never change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
O Never change tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
Blocking wheels Place suitable blocks
q 1
at both the front
and back of the wheel diagonally oppo-
site the flat tire to prevent the vehicle
from moving when it is jacked up.
WARNING Be sure to block the wheel as the vehicle
may move and result in personal injury. MCE0001A
In case of emergency
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