
orAnti-lock BrakingSystem (ABS)
warning light
When the ignition switch is in the ON position,
the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) warning light
illuminates and then turns off. This indicates the
ABS is operational.
If the ABS warning light illuminates while the
engine is running, or while driving, it may indicate
the ABS is not functioning properly. Have the
system checked by an INFINITI dealer.
If an ABS malfunction occurs, the anti-lock func-
tion is turned off. The brake system then operates
normally, but without anti-lock assistance. See
\bBrake system\b in the\bStarting and driving\b sec-
tion.
Automatic transmission check
warning light
When the ignition switch is turned ON, the light
comes on for about 2 seconds. If the light comes
on at any other time, it may indicate the automatic
transmission system is not functioning properly.
Have the system checked by an INFINITI dealer.
Automatic transmission parkwarning light (
model)
WARNING
● If the ATP light is ON, this indicates that
the automatic transmission P (Park) po-
sition will not function and the transfer
case is in neutral.
● When parking, always make sure that
the 4WD shift indicator light illuminates
and the parking brake is set. Failure to
engage the transfer position in 2WD,
AUTO, 4H or 4LO could result in the
vehicle moving unexpectedly, resulting
in serious personal injury or property
damage. ●
The warning light may come on when
the ignition switch is ON and the shift
selector is placed in the P position
while shifting the transfer case be-
tween 4H and 4LO. Shift the 4WD shift
switch to the 2WD, AUTO, 4H, or 4LO
position again to turn off the ATP warn-
ing light when the warning light comes
on. Before shifting the 4WD switch into
the 4LO position or out of 4LO in the 4H
position, move the shift selector into
the N position. Shift the shift selector
into the P position and make sure that
the 4WD shift indicator light is ON and
the ATP warning light is OFF.
This light indicates that the automatic transmis-
sion parking function is not engaged. If the trans-
fer control is not secured in any drive position
while the shift selector is in the P (Park) position,
the transmission will disengage and the drive
wheels will not lock.
orBrake warning light
This light functions for both the parking brake and
the foot brake systems.
Instruments and controls2-9
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—diane

5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving................5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ..................5-2
Three-way catalyst ..............................5-2
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions . . ..................................5-3
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) ..........5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ....................5-6
Off-road recovery ...............................5-6
Rapid air pressure loss ..........................5-6
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving ................5-7
Driving safety precautions .......................5-7
Ignition switch. . . ..................................5-9
INFINITI Intelligent Key System ..................5-10
Ignition switch positions ........................ 5-10
INFINITI vehicle immobilizer system ..............5-11
Before starting the engine ......................... 5-11
Starting the engine ............................... 5-12
Driving the vehicle ................................ 5-12
Engine protection mode ........................ 5-12
Automatic transmission ......................... 5-13
Parking brake . . . ................................. 5-17
Cruise control (if so equipped) .....................5-17
Precautions on cruise control ...................5-17Cruise control operations
.......................5-18
Intelligent Cruise Control system (if so equipped) ....5-19
Selecting the intelligent cruise control mode ......5-20
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode .........5-20
Precautions on vehicle-to-vehicle distance
control mode .................................. 5-20
Conventional (FIXED SPEED) cruise control
mode ........................................ 5-35
Brake Assist (WITH PREVIEW FUNCTION)
(for Intelligent Cruise Control System equipped
models) ......................................... 5-38
Brake assist .................................. 5-38
Preview function ............................... 5-38
Break-in schedule ................................ 5-40
Increasing fuel economy ........................... 5-40
Using four wheel drive (4WD) .............5-41
Transfer case shifting procedures ...............5-42
Parking/parking on hills ............................ 5-48
Power steering ................................... 5-49
Brake system .................................... 5-49
Brake precautions ............................. 5-49
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) .................5-50
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .............5-51
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie

WARNING
●Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the assistance
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should also not be left alone. They
could accidentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent operation 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.
● Properly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to help prevent it from sliding or
shifting. Do not place cargo higher than
the seatbacks. In a sudden stop or col-
lision, unsecured cargo could cause
personal injury.
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
● Do not breathe exhaust gases; they
contain colorless and odorless carbon
monoxide. Carbon monoxide is danger-
ous. It can cause unconsciousness or
death. ●
If you suspect that exhaust fumes are
entering the vehicle, drive with all win-
dows fully open, and have the vehicle
inspected immediately.
● Do not run the engine in closed spaces
such as a garage.
● Do not park the vehicle with the engine
running for any extended length of time.
● Keep the lift gate and rear vent windows
closed while driving, otherwise exhaust
gases could be drawn into the passen-
ger compartment. If you must drive with
the lift gate or rear vent windows open,
follow these precautions:
1. Open all the windows.
2. Set the
air recirculation but-
ton to off and the fan control dial to
high to circulate the air.
● If electrical wiring or other cable con-
nections must pass to a trailer through
the seal on the lift gate or the body,
follow the manufacturer’s recommen-
dation to prevent carbon monoxide en-
try into the vehicle.
● The exhaust system and body should be
inspected by a qualified mechanic
whenever: a. The vehicle is raised for service.
b. You suspect that exhaust fumes are
entering into the passenger
compartment.
c. You notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system.
d. You have had an accident involving damage to the exhaust system, un-
derbody, 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
●The exhaust gas and the exhaust sys-
tem are very hot. Keep people, animals
or flammable materials away from the
exhaust system components.
● Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite
and cause a fire.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING
AND DRIVING
5-2Starting and driving
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie

WARNING
●The Preview Function is only an aid to
assist the driver and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. Although
the brake operation is controlled by the
system, it does not automatically decel-
erate the vehicle speed. It is the driver’s
responsibility to stay alert, drive safely
and be in control of the vehicle at all
times.
● As there is a performance limit to the
Preview Function, never rely solely on
this system. This system does not cor-
rect careless, inattentive or absent-
minded driving, or overcome poor vis-
ibility in rain, fog, or other bad weather.
Reduce the vehicle speed by depress-
ing the brake pedal, in order to maintain
a safe distance between vehicles.
● The system may not detect the vehicle
in front of you in certain road or weather
conditions. The Preview Function may
not operate properly under the follow-
ing conditions. The vehicle is still drive-
able under normal conditions and the
Brake Assist will operate.
– When rain, snow or dirt adhere to the system sensor. – When strong light (for example, at
sunrise or sunset) is directly shining
on the front of the vehicle.
– Winding or hilly roads may cause the sensor to temporarily not detect a
vehicle in the same lane or may de-
tect objects or vehicles in other
lanes.
– Vehicle position in the lane may cause the sensor to temporarily not
detect a vehicle in the same lane or
may detect objects or vehicles in
other lanes.
● When the Preview Function operates,
the brake pedal may move slightly and
may make a small noise. This is not a
system malfunction.
Warning light and display
When the Preview Function is not operating
properly, the chime sounds and the orange sys-
tem warning light will illuminate in the instrument
panel.
Action to take
If the warning light comes on, park the vehicle in a
safe place. Turn the engine off, restart the engine
and resume driving.
WSD0222
Starting and driving5-39
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—diane

The power assisted steering uses a hydraulic
pump, driven by the engine, to assist 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 and at low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned off
while driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
harder to operate.The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at 2 wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
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 pressure on the brake pedal will be
required to stop the vehicle and stopping dis-
tance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will overheat the brakes, wear out the
brake pads faster, and reduce gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down a
slope or long grade. Overheated brakes may
reduce braking performance and could result in
loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
●
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.
● 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.
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 the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing 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 whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or
drum/rotors are replaced, in order to assure the
best brake performance.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-49
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56(iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie

TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) . It monitors tire pres-
sure of all tires except the spare. When the low
tire pressure warning light is lit, one or more of
your tires is significantly under-inflated. If
equipped, the system also displays pressure of
all tires (except the spare tire) on the display
screen by sending a signal from a sensor that is
installed in each wheel. If the vehicle is being
driven with low tire pressure, the TPMS will acti-
vate and warn you of it by the low tire pressure
warning light. This system will activate only when
the vehicle is driven at speeds above 16 MPH
(26 km/h) . For more details, refer to
“Warning/indicator lights and audible reminders”
in the “Instruments and controls” section, “Tire
pressure information” in the “Monitor, climate,
audio, phone and voice recognition systems”
section and “Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)” in the “Starting and driving” section.
WARNING
●If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sudden
steering maneuvers or abrupt braking,
reduce vehicle speed, pull off the road
to a safe location and stop the vehicle
as soon as possible. Driving with under-
inflated tires may permanently damage
the tires and increase the likelihood of
tire failure. Serious vehicle damage
could occur and may lead to an acci-
dent and could result in serious per-
sonal injury. Check the tire pressure for
all four tires. Adjust the tire pressure to
the recommended COLD tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading Informa-
tion label to turn the low tire pressure
warning light OFF. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with a spare tire as soon as
possible.
● When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, tire pressure will not be
indicated, the TPMS will not function
and the low tire pressure warning light
will flash for approximately 1 minute.
The light will remain on after 1 minute.
Contact your INFINITI dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting. ●
Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pressure
sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions be-
low:
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to signal professional road assistance person-
nel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
FLAT TIRE
6-2In case of emergency
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie

WARNING
●Make sure the parking brake is securely
applied and the automatic transmission
is shifted into P (Park) .
● Never change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
● Never change tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
● When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, tire pressure will not be
indicated and the low tire pressure
warning system will not function. Con-
tact your INFINITI dealer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocks1at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire
2to 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.
Getting the spare tire and tools
1. Lift the luggage board in the cargo area and remove the jack tool kit
Afrom the storage
area. See “Cargo area storage bin” in the
“Instruments and controls” section.
2. Remove the cargo area storage bin cover. See “Cargo area storage bin” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section.
WCE0044LCE0158
In case of emergency6-3
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/13/09—tbrooks

In order to maintain the appearance of your ve-
hicle, it is important to take proper care of it.
To protect the paint surfaces, please wash your
vehicle as soon as you can:● after a rainfall to prevent possible damage
from acid rain.
● after driving on coastal roads.
● when contaminants such as soot, bird drop-
pings, tree sap, metal particles or bugs get
on the paint surface.
● when dust or mud builds up on the surface.
Whenever possible, store or park your vehicle
inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in a
shady area or protect the vehicle with a body
cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint surface
when putting on or removing the body
cover.
WASHING
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty of
water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly using a mild
soap, a special vehicle soap or general purpose
dishwashing liquid mixed with clean, lukewarm
(never hot) water.
CAUTION
● Do not use car washes that use acid in
the detergent. Some car washes, espe-
cially brushless ones, use some acid for
cleaning. The acid may react with some
plastic vehicle components, causing
them to crack. This could affect their
appearance, and also could cause them
not to function properly. Always check
with your car wash to confirm that acid
is not used.
● Do not wash the vehicle with strong
household soap, strong chemical deter-
gents, gasoline or solvents.
● Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun-
light or while the vehicle body is hot, as
the surface may become water-spotted.
● Avoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing
caked-on dirt or other foreign sub-
stances so the paint surface is not
scratched or damaged.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of clean
water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable to the effects of road salt. Therefore, these areas
must be cleaned regularly. Take care that the
drain holes in the lower edge of the door are
open. Spray water under the body and in the
wheel wells to loosen the dirt and wash away
road salt.
A damp chamois can be used to dry the vehicle to
avoid water spots.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface and
helps retain new vehicle appearance. Polishing is
recommended to remove built-up wax residue
and to avoid a weathered appearance before
re-applying wax.
An INFINITI dealer can assist you in choosing the
proper product.
● Wax your vehicle only after a thorough wash-
ing. Follow the instructions supplied with the
wax.
● Do not use a wax containing any abrasives,
cutting compounds or cleaners that may
damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing
on a base coat/clear coat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
CLEANING EXTERIOR
7-2Appearance and care
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie