2011 INFINITI QX transmission

When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake
first, then move the selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
R (Reverse) :
Use this position to back up. Always be sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting
the R (Reverse) position. The brake pedal must
be depressed and the selector lever button
pushed in to move the selector lever from the P
(Park) position, the N (Neutral) position or any
drive position to the R (Reverse) position.
N (Neutral) :
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You
may shift to the N (Neutral) position and restart
a stalled engine while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive) :
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
Manual shift mode
When the selector lever is in the manual shift
gate, the transmission is ready for the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manu-
ally by moving the selector lever up or down.
When shifting up, move the selector lever to the
+ (up) side. The transmission shifts to the
higher range.
When shifting down, move the selector lever to
the (down) side. The transmission shifts to
the lower range.
When canceling the manual shift mode, return
the selector lever to the D (Drive) position. The
transmission returns to the normal driving
mode.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is
displayed on the position indicator in the meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:
M1 →
←M2→
←M3→
←M4→
←M5→
←M6→
←M7
M7 (7th) :
Use this position for all normal forward driving
at highway speeds.
M6 (6th) andM5 (5th) :
Use this position when driving up long slopes,
or for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
M4 (4th),M3 (3rd) andM2 (2nd) :
Use these positions for hill climbing or engine
braking on downhill grades.
M1 (1st) :
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow, or
for maximum engine braking on steep downhill
grades.
● Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 7th
gear. This reduces fuel economy.
● Moving the selector lever rapidly to the same
side twice will shift the ranges in succes-
sion.
Starting and driving5-17

●In the manual shift mode, the transmission
may not shift to the selected gear. This helps
maintain driving performance and reduces
the chance of vehicle damage or loss of con-
trol.
When this situation occurs, the Automatic
Transmission (AT) position indicator light (on
the dot matrix liquid crystal display) will
blink and the chime will sound.
● In the manual shift mode, the transmission
automatically shifts down to 1st gear before
the vehicle comes to a stop. When accelerat-
ing again, it is necessary to shift up to the
desired range.
Accelerator downshift — In D (Drive)
position —
For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into the lower gear, depend-
ing on the vehicle speed.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, note that
the transmission will be locked in any of the
forward gears according to the condition.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme conditions,
such as excessive wheel spinning and subse-
quent hard braking, the fail-safe system may be
activated. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning properly. In this case,
push the switch to the OFF position and wait for 3
seconds. Then push the ignition switch back to
the ON position. The vehicle should return to its
normal operating condition. If it does not return
to its normal operating condition, have an
INFINITI retailer check the transmission and re-
pair if necessary.
Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed and the selector lever button pushed.
To move the selector lever, perform the follow-
ing procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF or
LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock cover
Ausing a
suitable tool.
SSD0946
5-18Starting and driving

4. Push down the shift lockBas illustrated.
5. Push the selector lever button
Cand
move the selector lever to N (Neutral)
position
Dwhile holding down the shift
lock.
Push the ignition switch to the ON position to
unlock the steering wheel. Now the vehicle may
be moved to the desired location.
If the battery is discharged completely, the
steering wheel cannot be unlocked. Do not
move the vehicle with the steering wheel
locked.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P (Park),
have an INFINITI retailer check the automatic
transmission system as soon as possible.
WARNING
● Be sure the parking brake is fully released
before driving. Failure to do so can cause
brake failure and lead to an accident.
● Do not release the parking brake from out-
side the vehicle.
● Do not use the gear shift in place of the
parking brake. When parking, be sure the
parking brake is fully engaged.
● Do not leave children unattended in a ve-
hicle. They could release the parking brake
and cause an accident. To apply:Fully depress the parking brake pedal
1.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake2.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal
1and
the parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
SPA2331
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-19

WARNING
●Do not attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to any
drive or reverse position with the engine run-
ning. Doing so may result in drivetrain dam-
age or unexpected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle damage or
personal injury.
● Do not attempt to test a 4WD equipped ve-
hicle on a 2-wheel dynamometer or similar
equipment even if the other two wheels are
raised off the ground. Make sure you inform
test facility personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with 4WD 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 drive the vehicle in the 4HI or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads. Driving
on dry, hard surfaces in 4HI or 4LO may
cause unnecessary noise, tire wear and in-
creased fuel consumption.
If the Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) warning light
turns on when driving on dry hard surface
roads:
– in the 4HI position, shift the 4WD shift switch to AUTO.
– in the 4LO position, stop the vehicle and shift the transmission lever to the N (Neu-
tral) position with the brake pedal de-
pressed and shift the 4WD shift switch to
AUTO.
If the 4WD warning light is still on after
the above operation, have your vehicle
checked by an INFINITI retailer as soon as
possible.
● The transfer case may be damaged if you
continue driving with the 4WD warning light
blinking.
See “ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD DRIVING
PRECAUTIONS” earlier in this section for other
precautions for offroad driving.
INFINITI ALL-MODE 4WD SYSTEM
The all mode 4WD system provides 3 positions
(AUTO, 4HI and 4LO), so you can select the
desired drive mode according to the driving
conditions.
INFINITI ALL-MODE 4WD(if so equipped)
5-84Starting and driving

4WD shift procedure:
*1: The 4LO and 4HI indicator may flash alternately. Stop the vehicle and be sure to turn the 4WD shift switch after the transmission selector lever has
been shifted to the N (Neutral) position. If the indicator keeps flashing after the 4WD shift procedure, drive slowly without abrupt maneuvers for a while.
Then the indicator will illuminate or turn off.
· Avoid making a turn or abrupt starts while shifting to the 4LO position. Otherwise the gears may grind, damaging the drive system.
SSD1100
Starting and driving5-85

The 4WD shift switch is used to select the 4WD
mode depending on the driving conditions.
There are 3 types of drive modes available,
AUTO, 4HI and 4LO.
The 4WD shift switch electronically controls the
transfer case operation. Rotate the switch to
move between each mode, AUTO, 4H and 4L.
You must depress the 4WD shift switch to select
4L, and the vehicle MUST be stationary and the
selector lever in the N (Neutral) position when
changing into or out of 4L.
WARNING
●When parking, apply the parking brake be-
fore stopping the engine and make sure that
the 4WD shift indicator is on and the ATP
warning light turns off. Otherwise, the ve-
hicle could unexpectedly move even if the
automatic transmission is in the P (Park)
position.
● The 4LO and 4HI indicators must stop blink-
ing and the 4LO or 4HI indicator must remain
illuminated or turn off before shifting the
transmission into gear. If the selector lever
is shifted from the N (Neutral) position to any
other gear while the 4LO and 4HI indicators
are blinking alternately, the vehicle may
move unexpectedly.
CAUTION
● Never shift the 4WD shift switch between 4L
and 4H while driving.
● The 4HI position provides greater traction.
Avoid excessive speed, as it will cause in-
creased fuel consumption and higher oil
temperatures, and could damage drivetrain
component. Speeds over 62 MPH (100 km/h)
in 4HI is not recommended.
● The 4LO position provides maximum trac-
tion. Avoid raising vehicle speed exces-
sively, as the maximum speed is approxi-
mately 31 MPH (50 km/h).
● When driving straight, shift the 4WD shift
switch to the AUTO or 4H position. Do not
move the 4WD shift switch when making a
turn or reversing.
● Do not shift the 4WD shift switch (between
AUTO and 4H) while driving on steep down-
hill grades. Use the engine brake and low
automatic transmission gears for engine
braking.
● Do not operate the 4WD shift switch (be-
tween AUTO and 4H) with the rear wheels
spinning. ●
Do not drive on dry hard surface roads in the
4HI or 4LO position. Driving on dry hard sur-
faces in 4HI or 4LO may cause unnecessary
noise and tire wear. INFINITI recommends
driving in the AUTO position under these
conditions.
● The 4WD transfer case may not be shifted
between 4HI and 4LO at low ambient tem-
peratures and the 4LO and 4HI indicators
may blink even when the 4WD shift switch is
shifted. After driving for a while you can
change the 4WD shift switch between 4H
and 4L.
When driving on rough roads,
● Drive carefully according to the road surface
conditions.
When the vehicle is stuck,
● Place stones or wooden blocks under the
tires to free the vehicle.
● Set the 4WD shift switch to 4H or 4L.
● If it is difficult to free the vehicle, repeat
forward and backward movement to increase
the movement.
● If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, tire
chains may be effective.
Starting and driving5-87

CAUTION
●Do not spin the tires excessively. Tires will
sink deep into the mud, making it difficult to
free the vehicle.
● Avoid shifting gears with the engine running
at high speeds as this may cause
malfunction.
4WD SHIFT SWITCH
● Shift the 4WD shift switch to either the
AUTO, 4H or 4L position, depending on
driving conditions.
● With the switch set to the AUTO position,
distribution of torque to the front and rear
wheels changes automatically, depending
on road conditions encountered [ratio; 0 :
100 (2WD) →50 : 50 (4WD)]. This results in
improved driving stability. ●
If the 4WD shift switch is operated while mak-
ing a turn, accelerating or decelerating or if
the ignition switch is placed in the OFF posi-
tion while in the AUTO, 4H or 4L, you may feel
a jolt. This is not abnormal.
● When the vehicle is stopped after making a
turn, you may feel a slight jolt after the selec-
tor lever is shifted to N (Neutral) or P (Park)
position. This occurs because the transfer
clutch is released and not because of a mal-
function.
CAUTION
● When driving straight, shift the 4WD shift
switch to the AUTO or 4H position. Do not
move the 4WD shift switch when making a
turn or reversing.
● Do not shift the 4WD shift switch while driv-
ing on steep downhill grades. Use the en-
gine brake and low automatic transmission
gears for engine braking.
● Do not operate the 4WD shift switch with the
rear wheels spinning.
● Before placing the 4WD shift switch in the 4H
position from AUTO, ensure the vehicle
speed is less than 62 MPH (100 km/h). Fail-
ure to do so can damage the 4WD system.
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5-88Starting and driving

The 4WD warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is placed in the ON position. It
turns off soon after the engine is started.
If any malfunction occurs in the 4WD system
when the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position, the 4WD warning light will either
remain illuminated or blink.
If the 4WD warning light comes on, the 4WD
shift indicator turns off.
High-temperature transfer case oil makes the
4WD warning light blink rapidly (about twice per
second). If the warning light blinks rapidly
during operation, stop the vehicle in a safe
place immediately. Then if the light turns off
after a while, you can continue driving.
A large difference between the diameters of
front and rear wheels will make the 4WD warn-
ing light blink slowly (about once per two
seconds). Change the 4WD shift switch to AUTO
and do not drive fast.CAUTION
●If the 4WD warning light comes on or blinks
slowly during operation or rapidly after stop-
ping the vehicle for a while, have your ve-
hicle checked by an INFINITI retailer as soon
as possible.
● Shifting between 4HI and 4LO is not recom-
mended when the 4WD warning light turns
on.
● When the 4WD warning light comes on, the
2WD mode may be engaged even if the 4WD
shift switch is in AUTO or 4H. Be especially
careful when driving. If corresponding parts
are malfunctioning, the 4WD mode will not
be engaged even if the 4WD shift switch is
shifted.
● Do not drive the vehicle in the 4HI or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads. Driving
on dry, hard surfaces in 4HI or 4LO may
cause unnecessary noise, tire wear and in-
creased fuel consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on when driv-
ing on dry hard surface roads:
– in the AUTO or 4HI position, shift the 4WD shift switch to AUTO. – in the 4LO position, stop the vehicle and
shift the transmission selector lever to
the N (Neutral) position and shift the 4WD
shift switch to AUTO.
● If the 4WD warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle checked
by an INFINITI retailer as soon as possible.
● The transfer case may be damaged if you
continue driving with the warning light
blinking.
5-90Starting and driving