
Brake system.................................... 5-49
Braking precautions ........................... 5-49
Parking brake break-in ......................... 5-50
Brake assist ..................................... 5-50
Brake assist .................................. 5-50
Preview function (for Intelligent Cruise
Control (ICC) system equipped models) ..........5-50
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) .................5-53
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .............5-54
Rear active steer system (if so equipped) ...........5-55Cold weather driving
............................. 5-56
Freeing a frozen door lock .....................5-56
Anti-freeze .................................... 5-56
Battery ....................................... 5-56
Draining of coolant water ......................5-56
Tire equipment ................................ 5-56
Special winter equipment ......................5-56
Driving on snow or ice ......................... 5-56
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ............5-57
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WARNING
cDo not leave children or adults who would
normally require the support of others alone
in your vehicle. Pets should not be left alone
either. They could accidentally injure them-
selves or others through inadvertent opera-
tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot, sunny days,
temperatures in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to cause severe
or possibly fatal injuries to people or
animals.
c Closely supervise children when they are
around cars to prevent them from playing
and becoming locked in the trunk where they
could be seriously injured. Keep the car
locked, with the rear seatback and trunk lid
securely latched when not in use, and pre-
vent children's access to car keys.
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
cDo not breathe exhaust gases; they contain
colorless and odorless carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide is dangerous. It can cause
unconsciousness or death. c
If you suspect that exhaust fumes are enter-
ing the vehicle, drive with all windows fully
open, and have the vehicle inspected
immediately.
c Do not run the engine in closed spaces such
as a garage.
c Do not park the vehicle with the engine run-
ning for any extended length of time.
c Keep the trunk lid closed while driving, oth-
erwise exhaust gases could be drawn into
the passenger compartment. If you must
drive with the trunk lid open, follow these
precautions:
1. Open all the windows.
2. Set the
air recirculation to off and
the fan control to high to circulate the air.
c The exhaust system and body should be in-
spected by a qualified mechanic whenever:
± The vehicle is raised for service.
± You suspect that exhaust fumes are en- tering into the passenger compartment.
± You notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system. ± You have had an accident involving dam-
age to the exhaust system, underbody, or
rear of the vehicle.
THREE-WAY CATALYST
The three-way catalyst is an emission control
device installed in the exhaust system. Exhaust
gases in the three-way catalyst are burned at
high temperatures to help reduce pollutants.
WARNING
cThe exhaust gas and the exhaust system are
very hot. Keep people, animals or flammable
materials away from the exhaust system
components.
c 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.
CAUTION
cDo not use leaded gasoline. Deposits from
leaded gasoline will seriously reduce the
three-way catalyst's ability to help reduce
exhaust pollutants.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING AND
DRIVING
5-2Starting and driving
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WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition switch
while driving the vehicle except in an emer-
gency. (The engine will stop when the ignition
switch is pushed 3 consecutive times or the
ignition switch is pushed and held for more
than 2 seconds.) If the engine stops while the
vehicle is being driven, this could lead to a
crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the selector lever to the
P (Park) position.
OPERATING RANGE FOR ENGINE
START FUNCTION
The operating range for starting the engine
inside the vehicle
s1is shown in the illustra-
tion.
c The trunk area is not included in the operat-
ing range of the engine start function.
c If the Intelligent Key is on the instrument
panel, rear parcel shelf, inside the glove box
or door pocket, it may not be possible to
start the engine.
c If the Intelligent Key is near the door or door
glass outside the vehicle, it may be possible
to start the engine. When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition switch
position will change as follows:
c
Push the center once to change to ACC.
c Push the center two times to change to ON.
c Push the center three times to return to
LOCK.
The ignition switch is equipped with an anti-
theft steering lock device.
The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch position cannot be switched to LOCK
until the selector lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
SSD0659SSD0684
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-8Starting and driving
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When the ignition switch cannot be pushed
toward the LOCK position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the selector lever into the P (Park)position.
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch position will change to the ON
position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the LOCK position.
The selector lever can be moved from the P (Park)
position if the ignition switch is in the ON posi-
tion and the brake pedal is depressed.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a right or left turn
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, push the ignition
switch to the LOCK position. To unlock the steer-
ing wheel, push the push-button ignition switch
again while lightly turning the steering wheel
right and left.
If the battery of the vehicle is discharged, the
push-button ignition switch cannot be turned
from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for operation are
displayed on the dot matrix liquid crystal dis-
play in the tachometer. (See ªDOT MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYº in the ª2. Instru-
ments and controlsº section.)
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position)
The ignition switch can only be locked in this
position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when it is
pushed to the ACC position while carrying the
Intelligent Key or with the Intelligent Key in-
serted in the port.
ACC (Accessories)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio, when the engine is not
running.
ON (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the ignition system and
electrical accessories.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the push-button
ignition switch in ACC or ON positions when the
engine is not running for an extended period.
This can discharge the battery.
INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY DISCHARGE
If the battery of the Intelligent Key is almost
discharged, the guide light
sBof the Intelligent
Key port
sAblinks and the indicator appears on
the dot matrix liquid crystal display. (See ªDOT
MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYº in the ª2.
Instruments and controlsº section.)
In this case, inserting the Intelligent Key into
the port
s1allows you to start the engine. Make
sure that the key ring side faces backward as
illustrated. Insert the Intelligent Key in the port
until it is latched and secured.
SSD0512
Starting and driving5-9
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To remove the Intelligent Key from the port,
push the ignition switch to the LOCK position
and push in the Intelligent Key
s2. Then the
Intelligent Key will be ejected from the port. Pull
the Intelligent Key out.
NOTE:
The Intelligent Key port does not charge the In-
telligent Key battery. If you see the low battery
indicator in the dot matrix liquid crystal display,
replace the battery as soon as possible. (See
ªBATTERY REPLACEMENTº in the ª8. Mainte-
nance and do-it-yourselfº section.)
CAUTION
c Never place anything except the Intelligent
Key in the Intelligent Key port. Doing so may
cause damage to the equipment.
c Make sure the Intelligent Key is in the cor-
rect direction when inserting it to the Intelli-
gent Key port. The engine may not start if it is
in the incorrect direction.
c Remove the Intelligent Key from the Intelli-
gent Key port after the ignition switch is
pushed to the LOCK position.
c Do not pull out the Intelligent Key from the
Intelligent Key port until the Intelligent Key
is ejected to the removal position. c
Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
c Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid and window washer fluid as
frequently as possible, or at least whenever
you refuel.
c Check that all windows and lights are clean.
c Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
c Lock all doors.
c Position seat and adjust head restraints.
c Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
c Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
c Check the operation of warning lights when
the ignition switch is pushed to the ON
position. (See ªWARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS
AND AUDIBLE REMINDERSº in the ª2. Instru-
ments and controlsº section.)
SSD0513
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-10Starting and driving
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1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to the P (Park) orN (Neutral) position. (P is recommended.)
The starter is designed not to operate unless
the selector lever is in either of the above
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-tion. Depress the brake pedal and push
the ignition switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depressing
the brake pedal with the ignition switch in
any position.
c If the engine is very hard to start in
extremely cold weather or when restart-
ing, depress the accelerator pedal a little
(approximately 1/3 to the floor) and while
holding, crank the engine. Release the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
c If the engine is very hard to start because
it is flooded, depress the accelerator
pedal all the way to the floor and hold it.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion for 5 to 6 seconds to start cranking
the engine. After cranking the engine,
release the accelerator pedal. Crank the
engine with your foot off the accelerator
pedal by depressing the brake pedal and pushing the push-button ignition switch
to start the engine. If the engine starts,
but fails to run, repeat the above proce-
dure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than 15
seconds at a time. If the engine does not start,
push the ignition switch to LOCK and wait 10
seconds before cranking again, otherwise the
starter could be damaged.
4.
Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the en-
gine while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather. In cold weather, keep the
engine running for a minimum of2-3
minutes before shutting it off. Starting and
stopping the engine over a short period of
time may make the vehicle more difficult to
start.
5. To stop the engine, shift the selector lever
to the P (Park) position, and push the
ignition switch to the LOCK position.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
The automatic transmission in your vehicle is
electronically controlled to produce maximum
power and smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for
this transmission are shown on the following
page. Follow these procedures for maximum
vehicle performance and driving enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal before moving the selec-
tor lever out of the P (Park) position.
This AT is designed so that the foot brake pedal
must be depressed before shifting from P (Park)
to any driving position while the ignition switch
is in the ON position.
The selector lever cannot be moved out of the P
(Park) position and into any of the other posi-
tions if the ignition switch is pushed to the LOCK
or ACC position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed, push the selector lever button and move
the selector lever to a driving position.
STARTING THE ENGINE DRIVING THE VEHICLE
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5-speed model :
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1!
ÃM2!
ÃM3!
ÃM4!
ÃM5
M5 (5th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving
at highway speeds.
M4 (4th):
Use this position when driving up long slopes,
or for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
M3 (3rd) andM2 (2nd):
Use these positions for hill climbing or engine
braking on downhill grades.
M1 (1st):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow, or
for maximum engine braking on steep downhill
grades. 7-speed model :
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1
!
ÃM2!
ÃM3!
ÃM4!
ÃM5!
ÃM6!
ÃM7
M7 (7th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving
at highway speeds.
M6 (6th) andM5 (5th):
Use these positions when driving up long
slopes, or for engine braking when driving
down long slopes.
M4 (4th),M3 (3rd) andM2 (2nd):
Use these positions for hill climbing or engine
braking on downhill grades.
M1 (1st):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow, or
for maximum engine braking on steep downhill
grades.
Precaution :
c Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 5th
gear (5-speed model) or 7th gear (7-speed
model). This reduces fuel economy. c
Moving the selector lever rapidly to the same
side twice will shift the ranges in succes-
sion.
c In the manual shift mode, the transmission
may not shift to the selected gear. This helps
maintain driving performance and reduces
the chance of vehicle damage or loss of con-
trol.
c In the manual shift mode, the transmission
automatically shifts down to 1st gear before
the vehicle comes to a stop. When accelerat-
ing again, it is necessary to shift up to the
desired range.
Accelerator downshift Ð In D (Drive)
position Ð
For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into the lower gear, depend-
ing on the vehicle speed.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, note that
the transmission will be locked in any of the
forward gears according to the condition.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme conditions,
such as excessive wheel spinning and subse-
quent hard braking, the fail-safe system may be
activated. This will occur even if all electrical
5-14Starting and driving
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circuits are functioning properly. In this case,
push the switch to the LOCK position and wait
for 3 seconds. Then push the ignition switch
back to the ON position. The vehicle should re-
turn to its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condition,
have an INFINITI retailer check the transmission
and repair if necessary.
Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed and the selector lever button pushed.
To move the selector lever, release the shift
lock. The selector lever can be moved to the N
(Neutral) position. However, the steering wheel
will be locked unless the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position. This allows the
vehicle to be moved if the battery is discharged.To release the shift lock, perform the following
procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the LOCK po-
sition.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover
sA
using a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release
sBas
illustrated.
5. Push the selector lever button
sCand
move the selector lever to N (Neutral)
position
sDwhile holding down the shift
lock release.
Push the ignition switch to the ON position to
unlock the steering wheel. The vehicle may be
moved to the desired location.
Replace the removed shift lock release cover
after the operation is finished.
If the battery is discharged completely, the
steering wheel cannot be unlocked. Do not
move the vehicle with the steering wheel
locked.
If the selector lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have an INFINITI retailer check the AT
system as soon as possible.
SSD0450
Starting and driving5-15
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