●Determine the overall height of the vehicle
and trailer so the required clearance is
known.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding of the
vehicle’s behavior, you should practice turning,
stopping and backing up in an area which is free
from traffic. Steering stability and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than under
normal driving conditions.
● Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
● Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inadvert-
ently becoming unlatched.
● Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
● Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
● Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
● When backing up, hold the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand. Move your
hand in the direction in which you want the
trailer to go. Make small corrections and
back up slowly. If possible, have someone
guide you when you are backing up. Always block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is not
recommended; however, if you must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shift selector to the P
(Park) position before blocking the
wheels and applying the parking brake,
transmission damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill side of the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly release the brake pedal until the blocks ab-
sorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park) .
6. Make sure the
indicator light (if so
equipped) indicates the transfer case is in
4H, 4L, or 2H and that the ATP light is off. If
the
indicator light is flashing, or the
ATP light is ON, make sure the transmission
is in P (Park) (AT) and turn the 4WD switch
to 2WD or 4H. See \bAutomatic transmission
park warning light\b in the\bInstruments and
controls\b section and \bUsing four wheel
drive\b in the\bStarting and driving\b section.7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away: 1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks. ● While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may de-
crease overall stability. Therefore, to main-
tain adequate control, reduce your speed
and shift to a lower gear. Avoid long or
repeated use of the brakes when descend-
ing a hill, as this reduces their effectiveness
and could cause overheating. Shifting to a
lower gear instead provides “engine brak-
ing” and reduces the need to brake as fre-
quently.
● If the engine coolant temperature rises to a
high temperature, refer to “If your vehicle
overheats” in the “In case of emergency”
section of this owner’s manual.
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●Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal
circumstances.
● Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first
500 miles (805 km) .
● For the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do
tow, do not drive over 50 MPH (80 km/h) .
● Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
Maintenance Schedule in the “INFINITI Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide”.
● When making a turn, your trailer wheels will
be closer to the inside of the turn than your
vehicle wheels. To compensate for this,
make a larger than normal turning radius
during the turn.
● Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly caus-
ing vehicle sway. When being passed by
larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect ve-
hicle handling.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway: 1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to allow the vehicle to coast and steer as
straight ahead as the road conditions allow.
This combination will help stabilize the ve-
hicle – Do not correct trailer sway by steering or
applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the brakes and pull to the side of the road in a
safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is bal- anced as described earlier in this section.
● Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer must
also pass the other vehicle before you can
safely change lanes.
● Use the Tow Mode or downshift the trans-
mission to a lower gear for engine braking
when driving down steep or long hills. This
will help slow the vehicle without applying
the brakes.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long
or too frequently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency.
● Increase your following distance to allow for
greater stopping distances while towing a
trailer. Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
● INFINITI recommends that the cruise control
not be used while towing a trailer. ●
Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
● Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness con-
nections, and trailer wheel lug nuts after 50
miles (80 km) of travel and at every break.
● When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
● Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
Tow mode
Using tow mode is recommended when pulling a
heavy trailer or hauling a heavy load. Press the
TOW MODE switch to activate tow mode. The
indicator light on the TOW MODE switch illumi-
nates when tow mode is selected. Press the
TOW MODE switch again to turn tow mode off.
Tow mode is automatically cancelled when the
ignition switch is turned OFF.
Technical and consumer information9-27
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Tow mode includes the following features:● Grade logic — Adjusts transmission shifts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up a
grade.
● Downhill Speed Control (DSC) — automati-
cally downshifts when driving down a grade
with a trailer or heavy load to help control
vehicle speed.
Driving the vehicle in the tow mode with no
trailer/load or light trailer/light load will not cause
any damage. However, fuel economy may be
reduced and the transmission/engine driving
characteristics may feel unusual.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, see the
“Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
earlier in this manual.
FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.
CAUTION
● Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
● Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
● DO NOT tow any automatic transmis-
sion vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground (flat towing) . Doing so WILL
DAMAGE internal transmission parts
due to lack of transmission lubrication.
● For emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by INFINITI”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
Automatic Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with an automatic
transmission, an appropriate vehicle dolly MUST
be placed under the towed vehicle’s drive
wheels. Always follow the dolly manufacturer’s
recommendations when using their product.
WARNING
Do not use this vehicle for snowplowing.
Installing a snowplow may affect vehicle
handling. This may cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle and could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal injury.
SNOW PLOW
9-28Technical and consumer information
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Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
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Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready condi-
tion” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of
the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition” when it
is driven through certain driving patterns. Usually,
the ready condition can be obtained by ordinary
usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired or
the battery is disconnected, the vehicle may be
reset to a “not ready” condition. Before taking the
I/M test, check the vehicle’s
inspection/maintenance test readiness condi-
tion. Turn the ignition switch ON without starting
the engine. If the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL) comes on steady for 20 seconds and then
blinks for 10 seconds , the I/M test condition is
“not ready”. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is “ready”. If the
MIL indicates the vehicle is in a “not ready” con-
dition, drive the vehicle through the following
pattern to set the vehicle to the ready condition. If
you cannot or do not want to perform the driving
pattern, an INFINITI dealer can conduct it for you.WARNING
Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic con-
ditions and obey all traffic laws.1. Start the engine when the engine coolant temperature gauge needle points to C. Al-
low the engine to idle until the gauge needle
points between the C and H (normal oper-
ating temperature) .
2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88 km/h) , then quickly release the accelerator
pedal completely and keep it released for at
least 10 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a moment, then drive the vehicle at a speed of
53 - 60 MPH (86 - 96 km/h) for at least 9
minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 MPH (55 km/h) and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 through 5 at least 10 times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88 km/h) and maintain the speed for at least 3 min-
utes. 8. Stop the vehicle. Place the transmission se-
lector lever in the P (Park) or N (Neutral)
position.
9. Turn the engine off.
10. Repeat steps1-8atleast one more time.
If steps 1 through 7 are interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is accept-
able between steps. Do not stop the engine until
step 7 is completed.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST
Technical and consumer information9-31
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This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Re-
corder (EDR) . The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa-
tions, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in understand-
ing how a vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR
is designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short period of
time, typically 30 seconds or less. The EDR in this
vehicle is designed to record such data as:● How various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
● Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
● How far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
● How fast the vehicle was traveling.
● Sounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better understand-
ing of the circumstances in which crashes and
injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded by
your vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR under
normal driving conditions and no personal data
(e.g. name, gender, age and crash location) are
recorded. However, other parties, such as law
enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equip-
ment is required and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manu-
facturer and INFINITI dealer, other parties, such
as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have ac-
cess to the vehicle or the EDR. EDR data will only
be accessed with the consent of the vehicle
owner or lessee or as otherwise required or per-
mitted by law.
A genuine INFINITI Service Manual is the best
source of service and repair information for your
vehicle. Filled with wiring diagrams, illustrations
and step-by-step diagnostic and adjustment pro-
cedures, this manual is the same one used by the
factory-trained technicians working at INFINITI
dealerships. Also available are genuine INFINITI
Owner’s Manuals, and genuine INFINITI Service
and Owner’s Manuals for older INFINITI models.
For USA
For current pricing and availability of genuine
INFINITI Service Manuals
for the 2000 model
year and later contact:
1-800-450-9491
www.nissan-techinfo.com/infiniti
For current pricing and availability of genuine
INFINITI Service Manuals for the 1999 model
year and prior, see an INFINITI dealer, or contact:
1-800-247-5321
For current pricing and availability of genuine
INFINITI Owner’s Manuals for this model year
and prior, see an INFINITI dealer, or contact:
1-800-247-5321
EVENT DATA RECORDERS (EDR) OWNER’S MANUAL/SERVICE
MANUAL ORDER INFORMATION
9-32Technical and consumer information
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Car phone or CB radio.............4-69
Cargo light ...................2-54
Cargo net ....................2-45
Cargo (See vehicle loading information) . . .9-12
CD care and cleaning .............4-50
CD player (See audio system) .........4-37
Child restraint with top tether strap ......1-36
Child restraints .......1-30, 1-30, 1-31, 1-33
Precautions on child
restraints ........1-31, 1-39, 1-44, 1-49
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-36
Child safety rear door lock ............3-6
Chimes, audible reminders ...........2-15
Cleaning exterior and interior ..........7-2
Clock ...................2-34, 4-35
(models with navigation system) ......4-13
Clock set ....................4-13
C.M.V.S.S. certification label ..........9-10
Cold weather driving ..............5-54
Compact disc (CD) player ...........4-37
CompactFlash (CF) player ...........4-39
Console box ...............2-36, 2-42
Control panel buttons ..............4-2
Brightness/contrast button .........4-18
Enter button ..................4-2
Setting button ................4-11
Startup screen ................4-5
Controls Audio controls (steering wheel) ......4-51
Heater and air conditioner controls . . . .4-22
Rear audio controls .............4-53
Rear seat air conditioner ..........4-24
Coolant Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changing engine coolant ..........8-8 Checking engine coolant level
........8-7
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Corrosion protection ...............7-5
Cruise control ..................5-17
Cup
holders ...................2-40
Curtain side-impact and rollover air bag . . .1-64
D
Daytime running light system
(Canada only) ..................2-28
Defroster switch Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch ....................2-24
Digital video disc DVD .............4-54
Dimensions and weights .............9-8
Dimmer switch for instrument panel ......2-28
Display controls (see control panel buttons) . .4-2
Distance to empty ................4-7
Door locks ....................3-4
Drive belt ....................8-15
Drive positioner, Automatic ...........3-29
Driving Cold weather driving ............5-54
Driving with automatic transmission . . . .5-13
Precautions when starting and driving . . .5-2
E
Economy - fuel .................5-40
Emission control information label .......9-10
Emission control system warranty .......9-30
Engine Before starting the engine .........5-11 Block heater
.................5-56
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changing engine coolant ..........8-8
Changing engine oil .............8-9
Changing engine oil filter ..........8-10
Checking engine coolant level ........8-7
Checking engine oil level ..........8-8
Engine compartment check locations . . . .8-6
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-5
Engine cooling system ............8-7
Engine oil ...................8-8
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . .9-5
Engine oil viscosity ..............9-5
Engine serial number ............9-10
Engine specifications .............9-7
Starting the engine ............ .5-12
Engine
oil pressure gauge ............2-6
Engine oil pressure low/engine coolant
temperature high warning light .........2-10
Enter button ....................4-2
Event data recorders ..............9-32
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) ........5-2
Eyeglass case ..................2-37
F
Flashers
(See hazard warning flasher switch) ......2-29
Flat tire ......................6-2
Floor mat positioning aid .............7-5
Fluid Brake fluid ..................8-12
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
10-2
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Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
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