2011 INFINITI QX brakes

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 warning
sound is heard.The dot matrix liquid crystal display appears in
the vehicle information display
1located be-
tween the speedometer and odometer, and
shows the indicators for the driving systems,
Intelligent Key operation and various warnings
and information.
For detailed information about each system, see
the following sections:
● Automatic Transmission (AT)
– “WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS AND AU- DIBLE REMINDERS” earlier in this section.
– “DRIVING THE VEHICLE” in the “5. Start- ing and driving” section. ●
Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) system
– “INFINITI ALL-MODE 4WD” in the “5. Starting and driving” section.
● Cruise control system
– “CRUISE CONTROL” in the “5. Starting and driving” section.
● Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system
– “INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL (ICC) SYSTEM” in the “5. Starting and driving”
section.
● Distance Control Assist (DCA) system
– “DISTANCE CONTROL ASSIST (DCA) SYS- TEM” in the “5. Starting and driving”
section.
● Intelligent Key system
– “INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM” in the “3. Pre-driving checks and adjustments” sec-
tion.
– “PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH” in the “5. Starting and driving” section.
SIC4379
DOT MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY
Instruments and controls2-21

OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
While driving, the right side or left side wheels
may unintentionally leave the road surface. If
this occurs, 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.
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, gradu-
ally 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.
Starting and driving5-7

●If your engine stalls or you cannot make it to
the top of a steep hill, never attempt to turn
around. Your vehicle could tip or roll over.
Always back straight down in R (Reverse)
range. Never back down in N (Neutral), using
only the brake, as this could cause loss of
control.
● Heavy braking going down a hill could cause
your brakes to overheat and fade, resulting
in loss of control and an accident. Apply
brakes lightly and use a low range to control
your speed.
● Unsecured cargo can be thrown around
when driving over rough terrain. Properly se-
cure all cargo so it will not be thrown forward
and cause injury to you or your passengers.
● To avoid raising the center of gravity exces-
sively, do not exceed the rated capacity of
the roof rack (if so equipped) and evenly dis-
tribute the load. Secure heavy loads in the
cargo area as far forward and as low as pos-
sible. Do not equip the vehicle with tires
larger than specified in this manual. This
could cause your vehicle to roll over. ●
Do not grip the inside or spokes of the steer-
ing wheel when driving off-road. The steer-
ing wheel could move suddenly and injure
your hands. Instead drive with your fingers
and thumbs on the outside of the rim.
● Before operating the vehicle, ensure that the
driver and all passengers have their seat
belts fastened.
● Always drive with the floor mats in place as
the floor may became hot.
● Lower your speed when encountering strong
crosswinds. With a higher center of gravity,
your INFINITI is more affected by strong side
winds. Slower speeds ensure better vehicle
control.
● Do not drive beyond the performance capa-
bility of the tires, even with 4WD engaged.
● For 4WD 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 a 4WD 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 you inform test facil-
ity personnel that your vehicle is equipped
with 4WD before it is placed on a dynamom-
eter. Using the wrong test equipment may
result in drivetrain damage or unexpected
vehicle movement which could result in seri-
ous vehicle damage or personal injury (4WD
models).
● When a wheel is off the ground due to an
unlevel surface, do not spin the wheel
excessively.
● Accelerating quickly, sharp steering maneu-
vers or sudden braking may cause loss of
control.
● If at all possible, avoid sharp turning maneu-
vers, particularly at high speeds. Your ve-
hicle has a higher center of gravity than a
conventional passenger car. The vehicle is
not designed for cornering at the same
speeds as conventional passenger cars. Fail-
ure to operate this vehicle correctly could
result in loss of control and/or a rollover
accident.
Starting and driving5-9

●Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), and tread pattern on all four wheels.
Install tire chains on the rear wheels when
driving on slippery roads and drive carefully.
● Be sure to check the brakes immediately af-
ter driving in mud or water. See “BRAKE SYS-
TEM” later in this section for wet brakes.
● Avoid parking your vehicle on steep hills. If
you get out of the vehicle and it rolls forward,
backward or sideways, you could be injured.
● Whenever you drive off-road through sand,
mud or water as deep as the wheel hub, more
frequent maintenance may be required. See
the maintenance information in the “INFINITI
Service and Maintenance Guide”.
● Spinning the rear wheels on slippery sur-
faces may cause the 4WD warning light to
flash. The 4WD system may also automati-
cally switch from the 4WD mode to the 2WD
mode. This could reduce traction. Be espe-
cially careful when towing a trailer (4WD
models).WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition switch
while driving the vehicle except in an emer-
gency. (The engine will stop when the ignition
switch is pushed 3 consecutive times or the
ignition switch is pushed and held for more
than 2 seconds.) If the engine stops while the
vehicle is being driven, this could lead to a
crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the selector lever to the
P (Park) position.
OPERATING RANGE FOR ENGINE
START FUNCTION
The operating range for starting the engine
inside the vehicle
1is shown in the illustra-
tion.
● If the Intelligent Key is on the instrument
panel, cargo area, inside the glove box or
door pocket, or the corner of interior com-
partment, it may not be possible to start the
engine.
● If the Intelligent Key is near the door or door
glass outside the vehicle, it may be possible
to start the engine.
SSD0436
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-10Starting and driving

The Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
system/Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) sys-
tem will operate when the vehicle is driven at
speeds of approximately 45 MPH (70 km/h) and
above, and when it is traveling close to either
the left or the right of a traveling lane.
Each system functions as follows:
●Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system —
warns the driver by a warning light and
chime.
● Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) system —
warns the driver by a warning light and
chime, and helps assist the driver to return
the vehicle to the center direction of the
traveling lane by applying brake control to
the left or right wheels individually (for a
short period of time). The LDW and LDP systems monitor the lane
markers on the traveling lane using the camera
unit
1located inside the front map light cover.
When the camera unit detects that the vehicle is
traveling close to either the left or the right of
the traveling lane, the lane departure warning
light on the instrument panel blinks in orange
and a warning chime sounds. When the LDP
system is on, it will automatically apply the
brakes for a short period of time, using the
function of the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
system.
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)
SYSTEM
Precautions on LDW system
WARNING
● This system is only a warning device to in-
form the driver of a potential unintended
lane departure. It will not steer the vehicle or
prevent loss of control. It is the driver’s re-
sponsibility to stay alert, drive safely, keep
the vehicle in the traveling lane, and be in
control of the vehicle at all times.
● The system will not operate at speeds below
approximately 45 MPH (70 km/h) or if it can-
not detect lane markers.
SSD1045
Lane departure warning light (orange)
SSD0672
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)/
PREVENTION (LDP) SYSTEM (if so
equipped)
5-20Starting and driving

●On roads where there are sharp curves.
● On roads where there are sharply contrast-
ing objects, such as shadows, snow, water,
wheel ruts, seams or lines remaining after
road repairs. (The LDP system could detect
these items as lane markers.)
● On roads where the traveling lane merges or
separates.
● When the vehicle’s traveling direction does
not align with the lane marker.
● When traveling close to the vehicle in front
of you, which obstructs the lane camera unit
detection range.
● When rain, snow or dirt adheres to the
windshield in front of the lane camera unit.
● When the headlights are not bright due to
dirt on the lens or if the aiming is not
adjusted properly.
● When strong light enters the lane camera
unit. (For example, the light directly shines
on the front of the vehicle at sunrise or
sunset.)
● When a sudden change in brightness occurs.
(For example, when the vehicle enters or
exits a tunnel or under a bridge.) While the LDP system is operating, you may
hear a sound of brake operation. This is normal
and indicates that the LDP system is operating
properly.
LDP system operation
The LDP system provides a lane departure warn-
ing and brake control assistance when the
vehicle is driven at speeds of approximately 45
MPH (70 km/h) and above. When the vehicle
approaches either the left or the right side of
the traveling lane, a warning chime will sound
and the lane departure warning light (orange)
on the instrument panel will blink to alert the
driver. Then, the LDP system will automatically
apply the brakes for a short period of time to
help assist the driver to return the vehicle to the
center of the traveling lane.
LDP ON indicator light (green)/
Warning light (orange)
SSD0672
Starting and driving5-25

SELECTING VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE
DISTANCE CONTROL MODE
To choose the vehicle-to-vehicle distance con-
trol mode
1, quickly push and release the
MAIN switch
A.
VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE DISTANCE
CONTROL MODE
In the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode,
the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system auto-
matically maintains a selected distance from
the vehicle traveling in front of you according to
that vehicle’s speed (up to the set speed), or at
the set speed when the road ahead is clear.
With ICC, the driver can maintain the same
speed as other vehicles without the constant
need to adjust the set speed as you would with
a normal cruise control system.
PRECAUTIONS ON VEHICLE-TO-
VEHICLE DISTANCE CONTROL MODE
The system is intended to enhance the opera-
tion of the vehicle when following a vehicle
traveling in the same lane and direction.
If the distance sensor
Adetects a slower
moving vehicle ahead, the system will reduce
the vehicle speed so that your vehicle follows
the vehicle in front at the selected distance.
The system automatically controls the throttle
and applies the brakes (up to 25% of vehicle
braking power) if necessary.
The detection range of the sensor is approxi-
mately 390 ft (120 m) ahead.
WARNING
● This system is only an aid to assist the driver
and is not a collision warning or avoidance
device. It is the driver’s responsibility to stay
alert, drive safely and be in control of the
vehicle at all times.
● The system is primarily intended for use on
straight, dry, open roads with light traffic. It
is not advisable to use the system in city
traffic or congested areas.
● This system will not adapt automatically to
road conditions. This system should be used
in evenly flowing traffic. Do not use the sys-
tem on roads with sharp curves, or on icy
roads, in heavy rain or in fog.
The distance sensor will not detect the follow-
ing objects:
● Stationary and slow moving vehicles
● Pedestrians or objects in the roadway
● Oncoming vehicles in the same lane
● Motorcycles traveling offset in the travel
lane
SSD1047
Starting and driving5-41

WARNING
●As there is a performance limit to the dis-
tance control function, never rely solely on
the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system.
This system does not correct careless, inat-
tentive or absent-minded driving, or over-
come poor visibility in rain, fog, or other bad
weather. Decelerate the vehicle speed by de-
pressing the brake pedal, depending on the
distance to the vehicle ahead and the sur-
rounding circumstances in order to maintain
a safe distance between vehicles.
● If the vehicle ahead comes to a stop, the
vehicle decelerates to a standstill within the
limitations of the system. The system will
cancel once it judges that the vehicle has
come to a standstill and sound a warning
chime. To prevent the vehicle from moving,
the driver must depress the brake pedal.
● The system may not function properly under
the following conditions. To avoid accidents,
never use the ICC system under the following
conditions:
– On roads where the traffic is heavy or there are sharp curves
– On slippery road surfaces such as on ice or snow, etc. – On off-road surfaces such as on sand or
rock, etc.
– During bad weather (rain, fog, snow, etc.)
– When the windshield wipers are operat- ing at high speed. The system may cancel
when the wipers are set to the AUTO
position.
– When strong light (for example, at sun- rise or sunset) is directly shining on the
front of the vehicle
– When rain, snow or dirt adhere to the sys- tem sensor
– On steep downhill roads (the vehicle may go beyond the set vehicle speed and fre-
quent braking may result in overheating
the brakes)
– On repeated uphill and downhill roads
– When traffic conditions make it difficult to keep a proper distance between vehicles
because of frequent acceleration or
deceleration
– When towing a trailer or other vehicle ●
In some road or traffic conditions, a vehicle
or object can unexpectedly come into the
sensor detection zone and cause automatic
braking. You may need to control the dis-
tance from other vehicles using the accelera-
tor pedal. Always stay alert and avoid using
the ICC system when it is not recommended
in this section.
5-42Starting and driving