2011 INFINITI M warning light

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.The IBA system uses a distance sensorA
located below the front bumper to measure the
distance to the vehicle ahead. When the system
judges that your vehicle is getting close to the
vehicle ahead in the traveling lane, the vehicle
ahead detection indicator light on the instru-
ment panel blinks and a warning chime sounds.
The IBA system will be turned on/off by pushing
the IBA OFF switch. The IBA OFF indicator light
display will illuminate when the system is
turned off.
PRECAUTIONS ON IBA SYSTEM
WARNING
●
The IBA system is not a collision avoidance
system. 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, the system
may not provide a warning or braking in cer-
tain conditions.
● The system will not detect the following
objects:
– Pedestrians, animals or obstacles in the roadway
– Oncoming vehicles in the same lane
SSD0943
Vehicle ahead detection indicator light
SSD0749
INTELLIGENT BRAKE ASSIST (IBA) SYSTEM
(if so equipped)
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●The system will not detect another vehicle
under the following conditions:
– When the sensor gets dirty and it is im- possible to detect the distance from the
vehicle ahead.
– When driving into a strong light (i.e., sunlight)
● The sensor generally detects the signals re-
turned from the reflectors on a vehicle
ahead. Therefore, the system may not func-
tion properly under the following conditions:
– When the reflectors of the vehicle ahead are positioned high or close to each other
(including a small vehicle such as
motorcycles).
– When the sensor gets dirty and it is im- possible to detect the distance from the
vehicle ahead.
– When the reflectors on the vehicle ahead are missing, damaged or covered.
– When the reflectors of the vehicle ahead are covered with dirt, snow or road spray.
– When visibility is low (such as rain, fog, snow, etc.).
– When snow or road spray from traveling vehicles is splashed. – When dense exhaust or other smoke
(black smoke) from vehicles reduces the
visibility of the sensor.
– When excessively heavy baggage is loaded in the rear seat or the luggage
room of your vehicle.
– When abruptly accelerating or decelerating.
– On a steep downhill slope or on roads with sharp curves.
– When there is a highly reflective object near the vehicle ahead (i.e., being very
close to another vehicle, signboard, etc.)
– When you are towing a trailer.
● Depending on certain road conditions
(curved or beginning of a curve), vehicle con-
ditions (steering position or vehicle posi-
tion), or the preceding vehicle’s conditions
(position in lane, etc.), the system may not
function properly. The system may detect
highly reflective objects such as reflectors,
signs, white markers, and other stationary
objects on the road or near the traveling lane
and provide unnecessary warning.
● The system may not function in offset
conditions. ●
The system may not function when the dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead is extremely
close.
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WARNING
●The system may detect highly reflective ob-
jects such as reflectors, signs, white mark-
ers and other stationary objects on the road
or near the traveling lane.
In extreme conditions, detection of these ob-
jects may cause the system to function. ●
The system is designed to automatically
check the sensor’s functionality. If the sen-
sor is covered with ice, a transparent or
translucent plastic bag, etc., the system may
not detect them. In these instances the sys-
tem may not be able to warn the driver prop-
erly. Be sure to check and clean the sensor
regularly.
● Excessive noise will interfere with the warn-
ing chime sound, and the chime may not be
heard.
● Never place your foot under the brake pedal
when the IBA system turns on. Your foot may
be caught when the system controls the
brake.
● A sudden appearance of a vehicle in front
(i.e., it abruptly cuts in) may not be detected
and the system may not warn the driver soon
enough.
● The system will be cancelled automatically
with a beep sound and the IBA warning light
will illuminate under the following
conditions:
– When the sensor window is dirty
– When the system malfunctions If the IBA OFF indicator light illuminates with a
beep sound, pull off the road to a safe location,
stop the vehicle and turn the engine off. Check
to see if the sensor window is dirty. If the
sensor window is dirty, clean it with a soft cloth
and restart the engine. If the sensor window is
not dirty, restart the engine. If the IBA OFF
indicator light continues to illuminate even if
the IBA system is turned on, have the system
checked by an INFINITI retailer.
Reflectors on the road
SSD0782
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IBA system operation
The IBA system will function when your vehicle
is driven at speeds of approximately 10 MPH (15
km/h) or above, and when the vehicle’s speed
is approximately 10 MPH (15 km/h) faster than
that of the vehicle ahead.
To turn the system off/on, push and hold the
IBA OFF switch
Bfor more than 1 second after
starting the engine. When the IBA OFF indicator
light
Aon the instrument panel turns off and
the IBA OFF switch is pushed, the system will
turn off and the IBA OFF indicator light will
illuminate. When the IBA OFF switch is pushed
again, the system will turn on and the IBA OFF
indicator light will turn off. 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” 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.
SSD1000
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE
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●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. The AWD warning light is located in the meter.
The AWD warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is pushed to the ON position. It
turns off soon after the engine is started. If any malfunction occurs in the Intelligent AWD
system while the engine is running, the warning
light will come on.
The warning light may blink rapidly (about twice
per second) while trying to free a stuck vehicle
due to high power train oil temperature. The
driving mode may change to two-wheel drive. If
the warning light blinks rapidly during opera-
tion, stop the vehicle with the engine idling in a
safe place immediately. Then if the light goes
off after a while, you can continue driving.
A large difference between the diameters of
front and rear wheels will make the warning
light blink slowly (about once per two seconds).
Pull off the road in a safe area, and idle the
engine. Check that all tire sizes are the same,
tire pressure is correct and tires are not worn.
If the warning light is blinking after the above
operation, have your vehicle checked by an
INFINITI retailer as soon as possible.
SSD0336
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
INTELLIGENT ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) (if
so equipped)
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WARNING
●For AWD equipped vehicles, do not attempt
to raise two wheels off the ground and shift
the transmission to any drive or reverse po-
sition with the engine running. Doing so may
result in drivetrain damage or unexpected
vehicle movement which could result in seri-
ous vehicle damage or personal injury.
● Do not attempt to test an AWD equipped ve-
hicle on a 2-wheel dynamometer (such as
the dynamometers used by some states for
emissions testing) or similar equipment
even if the other two wheels are raised off
the ground. Make sure that you inform the
test facility personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with AWD before it is placed on a
dynamometer. Using the wrong test equip-
ment may result in drivetrain damage or un-
expected vehicle movement which could re-
sult in serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
CAUTION
● Do not operate the engine on a free roller
when any of the wheels are raised.
● If the warning light comes on while driving
there may be a malfunction in the AWD sys-
tem. Reduce the vehicle speed and have your
vehicle checked by an INFINITI retailer as
soon as possible.
● If the warning light remains on after the
above operation, have your vehicle checked
by an INFINITI retailer as soon as possible.
● The power train may be damaged if you con-
tinue driving with the warning light blinking.
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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 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, espe-
cially in sharp turns and at low speeds.
BRAKING PRECAUTIONS
The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will still
have braking at two wheels.
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. How-
ever, greater foot pressure on the brake pedal
will be required to stop the vehicle and the
stopping distance will be longer.
When the brake pedal is depressed slowly and
firmly, you may hear a clicking noise and feel a
slight pulsation. This is normal and indicates
that the Brake Assist System is operating.
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 brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe speed
while lightly tapping 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 weak-
ened or whenever the parking brake shoes
and/or drums/rotors are replaced, in order to
assure the best braking performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle ser-
vice manual and can be performed by an
INFINITI retailer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal while
driving. This will cause overheating of the
brakes, wearing out the brake and pads faster
and reduce gas mileage.
To help save the brakes 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 care-
ful when braking, accelerating or downshift-
ing. Abrupt braking or accelerating could
cause the wheels to skid and result in an
accident.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
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●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.BRAKE ASSIST
When the force applied to the brake pedal
exceeds a certain level, the Brake Assist is
activated generating greater braking force than
a conventional brake booster even with light
pedal force.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist braking
operation and is not a collision warning or
avoidance device. It is the driver’s responsibil-
ity to stay alert, drive safely and be in control of
the vehicle at all times.
PREVIEW FUNCTION (Intelligent Cruise
Control system equipped models)
When the Preview Function identifies the need
to apply emergency braking by sensing a ve-
hicle ahead in the same lane and the distance
and relative speed from it, it applies the brake
pre-pressure before the driver depresses the
brake pedal and helps improve brake response
by reducing pedal free play.
● This system will not operate when the ve-
hicle is moving at approximately 20 MPH (32
km/h) or less. ●
The pre-pressure function ceases when the
following conditions are met:
a) When the driver depresses the accel- erator pedal or the brake pedal.
b) If the driver does not operate the ac- celerator or brake pedal within ap-
proximately 1 second.
BRAKE ASSIST
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