2012 INFINITI FX automatic transmission

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
7 speed automatic transmission
The automatic transmission in your vehicle
is electronically controlled by a transmis-
sion control module to produce maximum
efficiency and smooth operation.
Shown on the following pages are the
recommended operating procedures for
this transmission. Follow these procedures
for maximum vehicle performance and
driving enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle
After starting the engine, fully depress the
foot brake pedal and push the selector
lever button before shifting the selector
lever to the R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D
(Drive), DS (Drive Sport) or Manual shift
mode position. Be sure the vehicle is fully
stopped before attempting to shift the
selector lever.
This automatic transmission model is
designed so that the foot brake pedal
must be depressed before shifting from P
(Park) to any drive position while the
ignition switch position is ON.The selector lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other gear positions if the ignition switch
is pushed to the LOCK, OFF or ACC
position.
1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed
and push the selector lever button to
shift into a driving gear.
2. Release the parking brake and foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle
in motion.WARNING
. Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), DS
(Drive Sport) or manual shift mode.
Always depress the brake pedal until
shifting is completed. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and have
an accident.
. Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
. Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while vehicle is moving forward. Never shift to P (Park), D (Drive) or DS (Drive
Sport) while vehicle is moving rearward.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
CAUTION
.
When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this
purpose.
. Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
Starting and driving5-15
DRIVING THE VEHICLE

DS (Drive Sport) mode
When the selector lever is shifted from the
D (Drive) position to the manual shift gate,
the transmission enters the DS (Drive
Sport) mode.
Moving the selector lever to the DS (Drive
Sport) position allows you to enjoy com-
fortable driving on a winding road and feel
smooth acceleration or deceleration on a
hilly road by moving in a lower gear
automatically.
When canceling the DS mode, return the
selector lever to the D (Drive) position. The
transmission returns to the normal driving
mode.
SSD0732
Paddle shifters (If so equipped)
Manual shift mode
When the selector lever is in the DS (Drive
Sport) position, the transmission is ready
for the manual shift mode. Shift ranges can
be selected manually by moving the
selector lever up or down, or pulling the
right-side or left-side paddle shifter.
When shifting up, move the selector lever
to the + (up) side or pull the right-side
paddle shifter (+)
*A(if so equipped). The
transmission shifts to the higher range.
When shifting down, move the selector
lever to the −(down) side or pull the left-
side paddle shifter (−)
*B(if so equipped). 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.
When you pull the paddle shifter (if so
equipped) while in the D (Drive) position,
the transmission will shift to the upper or
lower range temporarily. The transmission
will automatically return to the D (Drive)
position after a short period of time. If you
want to return to the D (Drive) position
manually, pull and hold the paddle shifter
for about 1.5 seconds.
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
Starting and driving5-17

5-18Starting and 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 econ-
omy.
. Moving the selector lever rapidly to the
same side twice will shift the ranges in
succession.
. In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving perfor-
mance and reduces the chance of
vehicle damage or loss of control.
When this situation occurs, the Auto-
matic Transmission (AT) position indi-
cator light (on the dot matrix liquid
crystal display) will blink and the
chime will sound.
. In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down to 1st gear before the vehicle comes to a
stop. When accelerating 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, depending 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 spin-
ning and subsequent 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 repair if necessary.

SSD0775
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 depressed and the selector lever
button pushed.
To move the selector lever, perform the
following procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF orLOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock cover
*Ausing a
suitable tool. 4. Push down the shift lock
*Bas
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 posi-
tion. Now the vehicle may be moved to the
desired location.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have an INFINITI retailer check the
automatic transmission system as soon as
possible.
Adaptive shift control (ASC)
The adaptive shift control system automa-
tically operates when the transmission is
in the "D" (drive) and "DS" (Drive Sport)
position and selects an appropriate gear
depending on the road conditions such as
uphill, downhill or curving roads.
Control on uphill and curving roads:
A low gear is maintained that suits the
degree of the slope or curve to allow
smooth driving with a small number of
shifts. Control on downhill roads:
The adaptive shift control system shifts to
a low gear that suits the degree of the
slope, and uses the engine braking to
reduce the number of times that the brake
must be used.
Control on winding roads:
A low gear is maintained on continuous
curves that involve repeated acceleration
and deceleration, so that smooth accelera-
tion is available instantly when the accel-
erator pedal is depressed.
NOTE:
. Adaptive shift control may not operate
when the transmission oil temperature
is low immediately after the start of
driving or when it is very hot.
. During some driving situations, hard
braking for example, the adaptive shift
control may automatically operate. The
transmission may automatically shift
to a lower gear for engine braking. This
increases engine speed but not vehicle
speed. Vehicle speed is controlled by
the accelerator pedal when the vehicle
is in the Adaptive shift control mode.
. When the adaptive shift control oper-
ates, the transmission sometimes
Starting and driving5-19

5-76Starting and driving
the AWD system. 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
continue driving with the warning light
blinking.
SD1006MA
WARNING
.Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite and
cause a fire.
. Never leave the engine running while the
vehicle is unattended.
. Do not leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. They could unknowingly
activate switches or controls. Unat-
tended children could become involved
in serious accidents. .
Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be applied and
the transmission be placed in the P
(Park) position. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly
or roll away and result in an accident.
. Make sure the automatic transmission
selector lever has been pushed as far
forward as it can go and cannot be
moved without depressing the foot
brake pedal.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS

location and stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. Driving with under-inflated
tires may permanently damage the tires
and increase the likelihood of tire fail-
ure. Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and could
result in serious personal injury. Check
the tire pressure for all four tires. Adjust
the tire pressure to the recommended
COLD tire pressure shown on the Tire
and Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light OFF. If
the light still illuminates while driving
after adjusting the tire pressure, a tire
may be flat. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with a spare tire as soon as
possible.
. 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 remain on after 1 minute.
Contact your INFINITI retailer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
. Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by INFINITI could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS. .
Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pressure
sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instruc-
tions below.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road
and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake. Move the selector lever
to the P (Park) position.
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic, and to signal professional road assis-
tance personnel that you need assis-
tance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
. Make sure the parking brake is securely
applied and the automatic transmission
is in the P (Park) position.
. Never change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
. Never change tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
In case of emergency6-3

6-10In case of emergency
CAUTION
.Always connect positive (+) to positive
(+) and negative (−) to body ground (as
illustrated) —not to the battery.
. Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that clamps do not contact
any other metal.
6. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
*Aand let it run for a few minutes.
7. Keep the engine speed of the booster vehicle
*Aat about 2,000 rpm, and
start the engine of the vehicle being
jump started
*B.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the starter motor
does not start by pushing the ignition
switch, push the ignition switch to the
“OFF” position before trying again.
8. After starting your engine, carefully
disconnect the negative cable and then the positive cable (
*4?*3?*2?
*1).
9. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped). Be sure to dispose of the cloth used to
cover the vent holes as it may be
contaminated with corrosive acid.
10. Put the battery cover on. Do not attempt to start the engine by
pushing.
CAUTION
.
Automatic transmission models cannot
be push-started or tow-started. Attempt-
ing to do so may cause transmission
damage.
. Three way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing since
the three way catalyst may be damaged.
. Never try to start the vehicle by towing
it; when the engine starts, the forward
surge could cause the vehicle to collide
with the tow vehicle.
If needed, Roadside Assistance is avail-
able. Please see your Warranty Information
Booklet or Roadside Assistance I.D. Card
for the toll-free number to call (U.S.) or
Warranty & Roadside Assistance Informa-
tion Booklet (Canada).
PUSH STARTING

SCE0768
Two-wheel drive models
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY INFINITI
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models
INFINITI recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed
truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
.Never tow automatic transmission mod-
els with the rear wheels on the ground
or four wheels on the ground (forward or
backward), as this may cause serious and expensive damage to the transmis-
sion. If it is necessary to tow the vehicle
with the front wheels raised, always use
towing dollies under the rear wheels.
. When towing rear wheel drive models
with the front wheels on the ground or
on towing dollies: Push the ignition
switch to the ACC or ON position, and
secure the steering wheel in a straight-
ahead position with a rope or similar
device.
In case of emergency6-13