WARNING
Be sure the engine and the ignition switch are
off and that the parking brake is engaged
securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to remove the
spark plugs. An incorrect socket can damage
the spark plugs.
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
If replacement is required, see an INFINITI re-
tailer for servicing.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace the iridium-tipped
spark plugs as frequently as the conventional
type spark plugs since they will last much
longer. Follow the maintenance schedule in
“INFINITI Service and Maintenance Guide”, but
do not reuse them by cleaning or regapping.
Always replace spark plugs with recommended
or equivalent ones.Remove the retainers
1as illustrated and pull
out the filter element
2.
The filter element should not be cleaned and
reused. Replace it according to the mainte-
nance intervals. See “INFINITI Service and Main-
tenance Guide” for maintenance intervals.
SDI2020
SDI2033
SPARK PLUGS AIR CLEANER
8-16Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Contact an INFINITI retailer if checking or re-
placement is required.If the brakes do not operate properly, have the
brakes checked by an INFINITI retailer.
SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting
brakes.
The disc-type brakes self-adjust every time the
brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
See an INFINITI retailer for a brake system
check if the brake pedal height does not return
to normal.
BRAKE PAD WEAR WARNING
The disc brake pads have audible wear warn-
ings. When a brake pad requires replacement, it
will make a high pitched scraping sound when
the vehicle is in motion. This scraping sound
will first occur only when the brake pedal is
depressed. After more wear of the brake pad,
the sound will always be heard even if the brake
pedal is not depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear warn-
ing sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions, occa-
sional brake squeak, squeal or other noise may
be heard. Occasional brake noise during light to
moderate stops is normal and does not affect
the function or performance of the brake sys-
tem.
Proper brake inspection intervals should be fol-
lowed.
For additional information, see the main-
tenance log section of your “INFINITI Service
and Maintenance Guide” for maintenance inter-
vals.
REAR WINDOW WIPER BLADES BRAKES
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-19
●The original tires have built-in tread
wear indicators. When wear indicators
are visible, the tire(s) should be
replaced.
●Tires degrade with age and use. Have
tires, including the spare, over 6 years
old checked by a qualified technician,
because some tire damage may not be
obvious. Replace the tires as necessary
to prevent tire failure and possible per-
sonal injury.
●Improper service of the spare tire may
result in serious personal injury. If it is
necessary to repair the spare tire, con-
tact an INFINITI retailer.
●For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety In-
formation” (US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet.
Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size, tread
design, speed rating and load carrying capacity
as originally equipped. (See “SPECIFICATIONS”
in the “9. Technical and consumer information”
section for recommended types and sizes of
tires and wheels.)
WARNING
● The use of tires other than those recom-
mended or the mixed use of tires of different
brands, construction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), or tread patterns can adversely affect
the ride, braking, handling, ground clear-
ance, body-to-tire clearance, tire chain
clearance, speedometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height. Some of these
effects may lead to accidents and could re-
sult in serious personal injury. ●
If the wheels are changed for any reason,
always replace with wheels which have the
same off-set dimension. Wheels of a differ-
ent off-set could cause premature tire wear,
degrade vehicle handling characteristics
and/or interference with the brake
discs/drums. Such interference can lead to
decreased braking efficiency and/or early
brake pad/shoe wear. See “WHEELS AND
TIRES” in the “9. Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual for
wheel off-set dimensions.
● When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel is
replaced, the TPMS will not function and the
low tire pressure warning light will flash for
approximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main on after 1 minute. Contact your INFINITI
retailer as soon as possible for tire replace-
ment and/or system resetting.
● Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by INFINITI could affect the proper
operation of the TPMS.
● Do not install a damaged or deformed wheel
or tire even if it has been repaired. Such
wheels or tires could have structural damage
and could fail without warning.
● The use of retread tire is not recommended.
8-36Maintenance and do-it-yourself
●For additional information regarding tires,
refer to “Important Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Information” (Canada) in
the Warranty Information Booklet.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) models
CAUTION
● Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), 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.
● 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, construction and tread
pattern. The tire pressure and wheel alignment
should also be checked and corrected as nec-
essary. Contact an INFINITI retailer.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle handling
and tire life. Even with regular use, wheels can
get out of balance. Therefore, they should be
balanced as required.
Wheel balance service should be performed with
the wheels off the vehicle. Spin balancing the
wheels on the vehicle could lead to mechanical
damage.
For additional information regarding tires, refer
to “Important Tire Safety Information” (US) or
“Tire Safety Information” (Canada) in the
INFINITI Warranty Information Booklet.
Care of wheels
See “CLEANING EXTERIOR” in the “7. Appear-
ance and care” section for details about care of
the wheels.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE ONLY
(T-type) spare tire)
Observe the following precautions if the T-type
spare tire must be used, otherwise your vehicle
could be damaged or involved in an accident.
WARNING
● The T-type spare tire should be used for
emergency use. It should be replaced with
the standard tire at the first opportunity to
avoid possible tire or differential damage.
● Drive carefully while the TEMPORARY USE
ONLY spare tire is installed. Avoid sharp
turns and abrupt braking while driving.
● Periodically check spare tire inflation pres-
sure. Always keep the pressure of the TEM-
PORARY USE ONLY spare tire at 60 psi (420
kPa, 4.2 bar). Always keep the pressure of
the full size spare tire (if so equipped) at the
recommended pressure for standard tires,
as indicated on the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation label. For Tire and Loading Informa-
tion label location, see “Tire and Loading
Information label” in the index of this
manual.
● With the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire
installed do not drive your vehicle at speeds
faster than 50 MPH (80 km/h).
● When driving on roads covered with snow or
ice, the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire
should be used on the front wheels and origi-
nal tire used on the rear wheels (drive
wheels). Use tire chains only on the two rear
original tires.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-37
9 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants........ 9-2
Fuel recommendation ........................... 9-3
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation ......... 9-5
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations ..................... 9-6
Specifications ..................................... 9-7
Engine ........................................ 9-7
Wheels and tires ............................... 9-8
Dimensions .................................... 9-9
When traveling or registering your vehicle in
another country ................................... 9-9
Vehicle identification ............................. 9-10
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate ........9-10
Vehicle identification number (chassis
number) ...................................... 9-10
Engine serial number .......................... 9-10
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label ..........9-11
Emission control information label ...............9-11
Tire and loading information label ...............9-11
Air conditioner specification label ...............9-12Installing front license plate
.......................9-12
Vehicle loading information .......................9-13
Terms ........................................ 9-13
Vehicle load capacity ........................... 9-15
Loading tips .................................. 9-16
Measurement of weights ....................... 9-16
Towing a trailer .................................. 9-17
Flat towing ................................... 9-17
Uniform tire quality grading .......................9-17
Treadwear .................................... 9-17
Traction AA, A, B and C ........................ 9-17
Temperature A, B and C ....................... 9-18
Emission control system warranty .................9-18
Reporting safety defects .......................... 9-19
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test ....9-20
Event Data Recorders (EDR) .......................9-21
Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order
information ...................................... 9-21
In the event of a collision ......................9-22
FUEL RECOMMENDATION
VQ35HR engine
INFINITI recommends the use of unleaded pre-
mium gasoline with an octane rating of at least
91 AKI (Anti-Knock Index) number (Research
octane number 96).
If unleaded premium gasoline is not available,
you may use unleaded regular gasoline with an
octane rating of at least 87 AKI number (Re-
search octane number 91), but you may notice a
decrease in performance.
CAUTION
●Using a fuel other than that specified could
adversely affect the emission control sys-
tem, and may also affect warranty coverage.
● Under no circumstances should a leaded
gasoline be used, because this will damage
the three-way catalyst.
● Do not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle. Your
vehicle is not designed to run on E-85 fuel.
Using E-85 fuel can damage the fuel system
components and is not covered by the
INFINITI vehicle limited warranty.
Gasoline specifications
INFINITI recommends using gasoline that meets
the World-Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC) specifica-
tions where it is available. Many of the automo-
bile manufacturers developed this specification
to improve emission system and vehicle perfor-
mance. Ask your service station manager if the
gasoline meets the World-Wide Fuel Charter
(WWFC) specifications.
Reformulated gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing refor-
mulated gasolines. These gasolines are spe-
cially designed to reduce vehicle emissions.
INFINITI supports efforts towards cleaner air
and suggests that you use reformulated gaso-
line when available.
Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE and metha-
nol with or without advertising their presence.
INFINITI does not recommend the use of fuels of
which the oxygenate content and the fuel com-
patibility for your INFINITI cannot be readily
determined. If in doubt, ask your service station
manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please
take the following precautions as the usage of such fuels may cause vehicle performance prob-
lems and/or fuel system damage.
●
The fuel should be unleaded and have an oc-
tane rating no lower than that recommended
for unleaded gasoline.
● If an oxygenate-blend, excepting a methanol
blend, is used, it should contain no more than
10% oxygenate. (MTBE may, however, be
added up to 15%.)
● If a methanol blend is used, it should contain
no more than 5% methanol (methyl alcohol,
wood alcohol). It should also contain a suit-
able amount of appropriate cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors. If not properly formu-
lated with appropriate cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors, such methanol blends may
cause fuel system damage and/or vehicle
performance problems. At this time, suffi-
cient data is not available to ensure that all
methanol blends are suitable for use in
INFINITI vehicles.
If any undesirable driveability problems such as
engine stalling or hard hot starting are experi-
enced after using oxygenate-blend fuels, imme-
diately change to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel
with a low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during refueling.
Gasoline containing oxygenates can cause paint
damage.
Technical and consumer information9-3
E-85 fuel
E-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. E-85 can
only be used in a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV). Do
not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle. U.S. govern-
ment regulations require fuel ethanol dispens-
ing pumps to be identified by a small, square,
orange and black label with the common abbre-
viation or the appropriate percentage for that
region.
Aftermarket fuel additives
INFINITI does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (Example: fuel injec-
tor cleaner, octane booster, intake valve de-
posit removers, etc.) which are sold commer-
cially. Many of these additives intended for
gum, varnish or deposit removal may contain
active solvent or similar ingredients that can be
harmful to the fuel system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
lower than recommended above can cause per-
sistent, heavy spark knock. (Spark knock is a
metallic rapping noise.) If severe, this can lead
to engine damage. If you detect a persistent
heavy spark knock even when using gasoline of
the stated octane rating, or if you hear steady
spark knock while holding a steady speed onlevel roads, have an INFINITI retailer correct the
condition. Failure to correct the condition is mis-
use of the vehicle, for which INFINITI is not re-
sponsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in knocking,
after-run or overheating. This in turn may cause
excessive fuel consumption or damage to the
engine. If any of the above symptoms are
encountered, have your vehicle checked at an
INFINITI retailer or other competent service fa-
cility.
However, now and then you may notice light
spark knock for a short time while accelerating
or driving up hills. This is no cause for concern,
because you get the greatest fuel benefit when
there is light spark knock for a short time under
heavy engine load.
CAUTION
●
Your vehicle is not designed to run on E-85
fuel. Using E-85 fuel in a vehicle not specifi-
cally designed for E-85 fuel can damage fuel
system components and is not covered by
the INFINITI new vehicle limited warranty.
● E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. ●
U.S. government regulations require ethanol
dispensing pumps to be identified by a
small, square, orange and black label with
the common abbreviation or the appropriate
percentage for that region.
9-4Technical and consumer information
1. API certification mark
2. API service symbol
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct grade,
quality, and viscosity engine oil to ensure sat-
isfactory engine life and performance, see “CA-
PACITIES AND RECOMMENDED
FUEL/LUBRICANTS” earlier in this section.
INFINITI recommends the use of an energy
conserving oil in order to improve fuel economy.Select only engine oils that meet the American
Petroleum Institute (API) certification or Interna-
tional Lubricant Standardization and Approval
Committee (ILSAC) certification and SAE viscos-
ity standard. These oils have the API certifica-
tion mark on the front of the container. Oils
which do not have the specified quality label
should not be used as they could cause engine
damage.
Oil additives
INFINITI does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used and
maintenance intervals are followed.Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is impor-
tant that the engine oil viscosity be selected
based on the temperatures at which the vehicle
will be operated before the next oil change.
Choosing an oil viscosity other than that recom-
mended could cause serious engine damage.
Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new vehicle is equipped with a high-
quality genuine NISSAN oil filter. When replac-
ing, use the genuine oil filter or its equivalent
for the reason described in change intervals.
Change intervals
The oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Oil and filter other than
the specified quality, or oil and filter change
intervals longer than recommended could re-
duce engine life. Damage to engines caused by
improper maintenance or use of incorrect oil
and filter quality and/or viscosity is not covered
by the new INFINITI vehicle limited warranties.
Your engine was filled with a high quality
engine oil when it was built. You do not have to
STI0505
Technical and consumer information9-5