2011 INFINITI EX maintenance

Be sure to read “ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) DRIV-
ING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS (for AWD models)”
later in this section.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
If the right side or left side wheels unintention-
ally leave the road surface, maintain control of
the vehicle by following the procedure below.
Please note that this procedure is only a gen-
eral guide. The vehicle must be driven as ap-
propriate based on the conditions of the ve-
hicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheelwith both hands and try to hold a straight
course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the ac- celerator pedal to gradually slow the ve-
hicle.
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the vehicle to follow the road while the ve-
hicle speed is reduced. Do not attempt to
drive the vehicle back onto the road sur-
face until vehicle speed is reduced.
6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn the steering wheel until both tires return
to the road surface. When all tires are on
the road surface, steer the vehicle to stay
in the appropriate driving lane.
If you decide that it is not safe to return the
vehicle to the road surface based on vehicle,
road or traffic conditions, gradually slow the
vehicle to a stop in a safe place off the road.
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can
occur if the tire is punctured or is damaged due
to hitting a curb or pothole. Rapid air pressure
loss can also be caused by driving on under-
inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the handling
and stability of the vehicle, especially at high-
way speeds.
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by main-
taining the correct air pressure and visually
inspect the tires for wear and damage. See
“WHEELS AND TIRES” in the “8. Maintenance
and do-it-yourself” section of this manual.
If a tire rapidly loses air pressure or “blows-out”
while driving maintain control of the vehicle by
following the procedure below. Please note that
this procedure is only a general guide. The
vehicle must be driven as appropriate based on
the conditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the chance
of losing control of the vehicle if there is a
sudden loss of tire air pressure. Losing control
of the vehicle may cause a collision and result
in personal injury.
●The vehicle generally moves or pulls in the
direction of the flat tire.
● Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
● Do not rapidly release the accelerator pedal.
● Do not rapidly turn the steering wheel.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel
with both hands and try to hold a straight
course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the ac- celerator pedal to gradually slow the ve-
hicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe loca- tion off the road and away from traffic if
possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradually stop the vehicle.
5-6Starting and driving

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
“INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY REPLACEMENT” in
the “8. Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion.)
CAUTION
●Never place anything except the Intelligent
Key in the Intelligent Key port. Doing so may
cause damage to the equipment.
● 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.
● Remove the Intelligent Key from the Intelli-
gent Key port after the ignition switch is
pushed to the OFF position. ●
Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
● 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.
● Check that all windows and lights are clean.
● Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
● Lock all doors.
● Position seat and adjust head restraints.
● Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
● Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
● Check the operation of warning lights when
the ignition switch is pushed to the ON
position. (See “WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS
AND AUDIBLE REMINDERS” in the “2. Instru-
ments and controls” section.)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to the P (Park) or
N (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.
● 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.
● 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 to start cranking the engine. After 5
or 6 seconds, stop cranking by pushing
the ignition switch to OFF. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by depressing the brake
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-11

When the interior temperature is reduced, the
system will resume operating automatically and
the LDP ON indicator will stop blinking.
LANE CAMERA UNIT MAINTENANCE
The lane camera unit1for the LDW/LDP
system is located inside the map light cover. To
keep the proper operation of the LDW/LDP
systems and prevent a system malfunction, be
sure to observe the following:
● Always keep the windshield clean.
● Do not attach a sticker (including transpar-
ent material) or install an accessory near the
camera unit.
● Do not place reflective materials, such as
white paper or a mirror, on the instrument
panel. The reflection of sunlight may ad-
versely affect the camera unit’s capability of
detecting the lane markers. ●
Do not strike or damage the areas around
the camera unit. Do not touch the camera
lens or remove the screw located on the
camera unit. If the camera unit is damaged
due to an accident, contact an INFINITI re-
tailer.
SSD0453
5-24Starting and driving

If the driver activates the turn signal, then the
BSW indicator light flashes and a chime will
sound twice.
NOTE:
If the driver activates the turn signal before a
vehicle enters the detection zone, the BSW indi-
cator light will flash but no chime will sound
when another vehicle is detected.
BSW temporarily not available
●When radar blockage is detected, the BSW
system will be turned off automatically, a
beep will sound and the BSW system warn- ing light (orange) will blink. The BSW system
is not available until the condition no longer
exists.
The radar sensors may be blocked by temporary
ambient conditions such as splashing water,
mist or fog. The blocked condition may also be
caused by objects such as ice, frost or dirt
obstructing the radar sensors.
Action to take:
When the above condition no longer exists, the
BSW system will resume automatically.
If the warning light (orange) continues to blink,
have the BSW system checked by an INFINITI
retailer.
BSW MALFUNCTION
When the BSW system malfunctions, they will
be turned off automatically, a beep will sound
and the BSW system warning light (orange) will
illuminate.
Action to take:
Stop the vehicle in a safe location, turn the
engine off and restart the engine.
If the warning light (orange) continues to illu-
minate, have the BSW system checked by an
INFINITI retailer.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The two radar sensor unitsAfor the BSW
system are located near the rear bumper. Al-
ways keep the area near the radar sensors
clean. Do not attach stickers (including trans-
parent material), install accessories or apply
additional paint near the radar sensors. Do not
strike or damage the area around the radar
sensors. Consult an INFINITI retailer if the area
around the radar sensors is damaged due to a
collision.
SSD1038SSD1155
Starting and driving5-31

Condition C :
When the ICC system is not operating properly,
the chime sounds and the system warning light
(orange) will come on.
Action to take :
If the warning light comes on, park the vehicle
in a safe place. Turn the engine off, restart the
engine, resume driving and set the ICC system
again.
If it is not possible to set the system or the
indicator stays on, it may indicate that the sys-
tem is malfunctioning. Although the vehicle is
still driveable under normal conditions, have the
vehicle checked at an INFINITI retailer.Sensor maintenance
The sensor for the ICC systemAis located
below the front bumper.
To keep the ICC system operating properly, be
sure to observe the following:
● Always keep the sensor clean. Wipe with a
soft cloth carefully so as not to damage the
sensor.
● Do not strike or damage the areas around
the sensor. Do not touch or remove the
screw located on the sensor. Doing so could
cause failure or malfunction. If the sensor is
damaged due to an accident, contact an
INFINITI retailer. ●
Do not attach a sticker (including transpar-
ent material) or install an accessory near the
sensor. This could cause failure or malfunc-
tion.
CONVENTIONAL (FIXED SPEED) CRUISE
CONTROL MODE
This mode allows driving at a speed between 25
to 90 MPH (40 to 144 km/h) without keeping
your foot on the accelerator pedal.
WARNING
● In the conventional (fixed speed) cruise con-
trol mode, a warning chime does not sound
to warn you if you are too close to the vehicle
ahead, as neither the presence of the vehicle
ahead nor the vehicle-to-vehicle distance is
detected.
● Pay special attention to the distance be-
tween your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of
you or a collision could occur.
● Always confirm the setting in the Intelligent
Cruise Control system display.
● Do not use the conventional (fixed speed)
cruise control mode when driving under the
following conditions:
– when it is not possible to keep the vehicle at a set speedSSD0621SSD0701
5-50Starting and driving

Sensor maintenance
How to handle the sensor :
The sensor for the DCA system is common with
Intelligent Cruise Control and is located below
the front bumper.
To handle the sensor, see “INTELLIGENT CRUISE
CONTROL (ICC) SYSTEM (FULL SPEED RANGE)”
earlier in this section.The Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system
will warn the driver by a warning light and
chime when your vehicle is getting close to the
vehicle ahead in the traveling lane.
The FCW system will function when your vehicle
is driven at speeds of approximately 10 MPH
(15 km/h) and above.
SSD0701
Vehicle ahead detection light
SSD0749
FORWARD COLLISION WARNING (FCW)
SYSTEM (if so equipped)
5-66Starting and driving

FCW system operation
The FCW system will function at speeds of
approximately 10 MPH (15 km/h) and above,
when the system turns on.
The FCW system has an automatic setting mode
and a manual setting mode to turn the system
on. The setting mode can be changed. In the
automatic setting mode, the FCW system is
automatically turned on when the ignition
switch is pushed to the ON position. When the
FCW system is on, the warning systems ON
indicator light
1on the warning systems
switch illuminates. To cancel the FCW system,
push the warning systems switch. The warning systems ON indicator light will turn off. To turn
on the system, push the warning systems
switch again.
When the warning systems switch is pushed,
the LDW BSW system will also turn on or off
simultaneously. See “LANE DEPARTURE WARN-
ING (LDW) SYSTEM” earlier in this section and
“BLIND SPOT WARNING (BSW) SYSTEM” earlier
in this section.
In the manual setting mode, you need to push
the warning systems switch to turn on the
system after the ignition switch is pushed to the
ON position.
The setting mode can be changed using the
warning systems switch. To change the setting
mode, push and hold the warning systems
switch for more than 4 seconds when the
warning systems ON indicator is off. When the
mode is changed, a chime sounds and the lane
departure warning light (orange) flashes.
For the sensor maintenance, see “INTELLIGENT
CRUISE CONTROL (ICC) SYSTEM (FULL SPEED
RANGE)” earlier in this section.
The Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA) system warns
the driver by a warning light and chime when
there is a risk of a collision with the vehicle
ahead in the traveling lane and the driver must
take avoidance action immediately. The system
helps reduce the rear-end collision speed by
applying the brakes when the system judges
that the collision cannot be prevented.
The IBA system will function when your vehicle
is driven at speeds of approximately 10 MPH (15
km/h) and above, and when your vehicle is
driven at speeds approximately 10 MPH (15
km/h) faster than the vehicle ahead.
Warning systems switch
SSD1156
INTELLIGENT BRAKE ASSIST (IBA) SYSTEM
(if so equipped)
Starting and driving5-69

The IBA system will remain in the last ON or OFF
state it was left in until it is manually changed
by pressing the IBA OFF switch.
Illumination of the IBA OFF indicator light with-
out the warning chime sound is an indication
that the IBA system is temporarily unavailable.
It will occur under the following conditions:
– When driving into a strong light (for example,sunlight)
The IBA OFF indicator light will turn off when the
system returns to its normal operating condi-
tions.
For the sensor maintenance, see “INTELLIGENT
CRUISE CONTROL (ICC) SYSTEM (FULL SPEED
RANGE)” earlier in this section.CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km), follow
these recommendations to obtain maximum
engine performance and ensure the future reli-
ability and economy of your new vehicle.
Failure to follow these recommendations may
result in shortened engine life and reduced en-
gine performance.
● Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow. Do not run the
engine over 4,000 rpm.
● Do not accelerate at full throttle in any gear.
● Avoid quick starts.
● Avoid hard braking as much as possible. ●
Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Maintain
cruising speeds with a constant accelerator
position.
● Drive at moderate speeds on the highway.
● Avoid unnecessary stopping and braking.
Keep a safe distance behind other vehicles.
● Select a gear range suitable to road condi-
tions.
● Avoid unnecessary prolonged engine idling.
● Keep your engine tuned up.
● Follow the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule.
● Keep the tires inflated at the correct pres-
sure. Improper tire pressure will increase
wear and waste fuel.
● Make sure the front wheels are properly
aligned. Improper alignment will cause pre-
mature tire wear and lower fuel economy.
● Climate control operation lowers fuel
economy. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
● When cruising at highway speeds, it is more
economical to use the air conditioner and
leave the windows closed to reduce drag.
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
Starting and driving5-73