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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WARNINGThe RAS system, although a sophisticated
device, cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving tech-
niques. Ultimately the responsibility for
safety of self and others rests in the hands of
the driver. Therefore only through attentive
and careful driving methods can the RAS
system be fully appreciated and safety as-
sured. FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
de-icer or glycerin to it through the key
hole. If the lock becomes frozen, heat the
key before inserting it into the key hole.
ANTI-FREEZE In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32ÉF (0ÉC),
check antifreeze to assure proper winter
protection. For additional information, see
ªEngine cooling systemº in the ª8. Mainte-
nance and do-it-yourselfº section.
BATTERY If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the
battery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly.
For additional information, see ªBatteryº
in the ª8. Maintenance and do-it-yourselfº
section.
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER If the vehicle is to be left outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system by
opening the drain plug located under the
radiator. Refill before operating the ve-
hicle. See ªEngine cooling systemº in the ª8. Maintenance and do-it-yourselfº sec-
tion for changing engine coolant.
TIRE EQUIPMENT 1. SUMMER tires are of a tread design to
provide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance
of these tires will be substantially re-
duced in snowy and icy conditions. If
you operate your vehicle on snowy or
icy roads, INFINITI recommends the
use of MUD & SNOW or ALL SEASON
tires on all four wheels. Please consult
an INFINITI dealer for the tire type,
size, speed rating and availability in-
formation.
2. For additional traction on icy roads,
studded tires may be used. However,
some provinces and states prohibit
their use. Check local, state and pro-
vincial laws before installing studded
tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of
studded snow tires, on wet or dry sur-
faces, may be poorer than that of non-
studded snow tires.
3. Tire chains may be used if desired.
Make sure they are of proper size for
the tires on your vehicle and are in-COLD WEATHER DRIVING
5-30 Starting and driving
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stalled according to the chain manu-
facturer's suggestions. However, some
provinces and states prohibit their
use. Check local state and provincial
laws before installing tire chains. Use
only SAE Class S chains. Class ªSº
chains are used on vehicles with re-
stricted tire to vehicle clearance. Ve-
hicles that can use Class ªSº chains
are designed to meet the SAE stan-
dard minimum clearances between the
tire and the closest vehicle suspen-
sion or body component required to
accommodate the use of a winter trac-
tion device (tire chains or cables). The
minimum clearances are determined
using the factory equipped tire size.
Other types may damage your vehicle.
Use chain tensioners when recom-
mended by the tire chain manufac-
turer to ensure a tight fit. Loose end
links of the tire chain must be secured
or removed to prevent the possibility
of damage to the fenders or under-
body. If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle when using tire chains. In
addition, drive at a reduced speed.
Otherwise, your vehicle may be dam-
aged and/or vehicle handling and per-
formance may be adversely affected. O Never install the tire chains on TEMPO-
RARY USE ONLY spare tires.
O Do not use the tire chains on dry roads.
O The tire chains must be installed only
on the rear wheels and not on the front
wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved
roads which are clear of snow. Driving
with chains in such conditions can
cause damage to the various mecha-
nisms of the vehicle due to some over-
stress.
4. For all-wheel drive (AWD):
If you install snow tires, they must
also be the same size, brand, con-
struction and tread pattern on all four
wheels.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
O a scraper and stiff-bristled brush to re-
move ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
O a sturdy, flat board to be placed under
the jack to give it firm support. O a shovel to dig the vehicle out of
snow-drifts.
O extra window washer fluid to refill the
reservoir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING O Wet ice (32ÉF, 0ÉC and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or ªgripº under
these conditions. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until the road is salted or sanded.
O Whatever the condition, drive with cau-
tion. Accelerate and slow down with
care. If accelerating or downshifting too
fast, the drive wheels will lose even
more traction.
O Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
Starting and driving
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REMOVING SPOTS Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust,
insects, and tree sap as quickly as pos-
sible from the surface of the paint to
avoid lasting damage or staining. Special
cleaning products are available at an
INFINITI dealer or any automotive acces-
sory store.
UNDERBODY In areas where road salt is used in winter,
the underbody must be cleaned regularly.
This will prevent dirt and salt from
building up and causing underbody and
suspension corrosion. Before the winter
period and again in the spring, the under-
seal must be checked and, if necessary,
re-treated.
GLASS Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and
dust film from the glass surfaces. It is
normal for glass to become coated with a
film after the vehicle is parked in the hot
sun. Glass cleaner and a soft cloth will
easily remove this film. CAUTION When cleaning the inside of the windows, do
not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the electrical
conductors, radio antenna elements or rear
window defroster elements.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS Wash regularly, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used.
Salt could discolor the wheel if not re-
moved.
CHROME PARTS Clean all chrome parts regularly with a
non-abrasive chrome polish to maintain
the finish.
TIRE DRESSING INFINITI does not recommend the use of
tire dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a
coating to the tires to help reduce discol-
oration of the rubber. If a tire dressing is
applied to the tires, it may react with the
coating and form a compound. This com- pound may come off the tire while driving
and stain the vehicle paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take
the following precautions:
O Use a water-based tire dressing. The
coating on the tire dissolves more
easily with an oil-based tire dressing.
O Apply a light coat of tire dressing to
help prevent it from entering the tire
tread/grooves (where it would be diffi-
cult to remove).
O Wipe off excess tire dressing using a
dry towel. Make sure the tire dressing
is completely removed from the tire
tread/grooves.
O Allow the tire dressing to dry as rec-
ommended by tire dressing manufac-
turer.
Appearance and care
7-3
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mends the use of SNOW or ALL SEASON
tires on all four wheels.
Snow tires If snow tires are needed, it is necessary
to select tires equivalent in size and load
rating to the original equipment tires. If
you do not, it can adversely affect the
safety and handling of your vehicle.
Generally, snow tires will have lower
speed ratings than factory equipped tires
and may not match the potential
maximum vehicle speed. Never exceed
the maximum speed rating of the tire.
If you operate your vehicle in snowy or icy
conditions, INFINITI recommends the use
of snow or all season tires on all four
wheels.
For additional traction on icy roads, stud-
ded tires may be used. However, some
provinces and states prohibit their use.
Check local, state and provincial laws be-
fore installing studded tires. Skid and
traction capabilities of studded snow
tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow
tires. All-wheel drive (AWD) models
CAUTION O Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may
damage the transmission, transfer case
and differential gears.
O ONLY use spare tires specified for the
AWD model.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recom-
mended that all four tires be replaced
with tires of the same size, brand, con-
struction and tread pattern. The tire pres-
sure and wheel alignment should also be
checked and corrected as necessary. Con-
tact an INFINITI dealer.
Tire chains must be installed only on the
rear wheels and not on the front wheels.
Do not drive with tire chains on paved
roads which are clear of snow. Driving with chains in such conditions can cause
damage to the various mechanisms of the
vehicle due to some overstress.
TIRE CHAINS Use of tire chains may be prohibited ac-
cording to location. Check the local laws
before installing tire chains. When install-
ing tire chains, make sure they are the
proper size for the tires on your vehicle
and are installed according to the chain
manufacturer's suggestions. Use only SAE
class ªSº chains. Class ªSº chains are
used on vehicles with restricted tire to ve-
hicle clearance. Vehicles that can use
Class ªSº chains are designed to meet
the minimum clearances between the tire
and the closest vehicle suspension or
body component required to accommo-
date the use of a winter traction device
(tire chains or cables). The minimum
clearances are determined using the fac-
tory equipped tires. Other types may
damage your vehicle. Use chain ten-
sioners when recommended by the tire
chain manufacturer to ensure a tight fit.
Loose end links of the tire chain must be
secured or removed to prevent the possi-
bility of whipping action damage to the
fenders or underbody. If possible, avoid
fully loading your vehicle when using tire
chains. In addition, drive at a reduced
8-44 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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X
O Do not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
O Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss
of pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
O INFINITI recommends that the road
wheels be waxed to protect against
road salt in areas where it is used
during winter.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE ONLY
spare tire (T-type)) Observe the following precautions if the
T-type spare tire must be used, otherwise
your vehicle could be damaged or in-
volved in an accident.
CAUTIONO The T-type spare tire should be used only
for an emergency. It should be replaced by
a standard tire at the first opportunity.
O Drive carefully while the T-type spare tire
is installed.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt braking
while driving. O Periodically check the T-type spare tire
inflation pressure, and always keep it at
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 bar).
O With the T-type spare tire installed, do
not drive your vehicle at speeds faster
than 50 MPH (80 km/h).
O When driving on roads covered with
snow or ice, the T-type spare tire should
be used on the front wheel and the origi-
nal tire used on the rear wheels (drive
wheels). Use tire chains only on the rear
two original tires (Sedan).
O
Tire tread of the T-type spare tire will wear
at a faster rate than the original tire. Re-
place the T-type spare tire as soon as the
tread wear indicators appear.
O Do not use the T-type spare tire on other
vehicles.
O Do not use more than one T-type spare
tire at the same time.
O Do not tow a trailer while the T-type
spare tire is installed. CAUTION O Do not use tire chains on a T-type spare
tire. Tire chains will not fit properly on
the T-type spare tire and may cause
damage to the vehicle.
O Because the T-type spare tire is smaller
than the original tire, ground clearance
is reduced. To avoid damage to the ve-
hicle do not drive over obstacles. Also do
not drive the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash since it may get caught.
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