2012 INFINITI FX service

if gasoline fumes are evident, check for the
cause and have it corrected immediately.
Power steering fluid level* and lines:
Check the level when the fluid is cold,
with the engine off. Check the lines for
proper attachment, leaks, cracks, etc.
Radiator and hoses:Check the front of the
radiator and clean off any dirt, insects,
leaves, etc., that may have accumulated.
Make sure the hoses have no cracks,
deformation, rot or loose connections.
Underbody: The underbody is frequently
exposed to corrosive substances such as
those used on icy roads or to control dust.
It is very important to remove these
substances, otherwise rust will form on
the floor pan, frame, fuel lines and around
the exhaust system. At the end of winter,
the underbody should be thoroughly
flushed with plain water, being careful to
clean those areas where mud and dirt may
accumulate. For additional information,
see “Cleaning exterior” (P.7-2).
Windshield washer fluid*: Check that there
is adequate fluid in the reservoir. When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always take
care to prevent serious accidental injury to
yourself or damage to the vehicle. The
following are general precautions which
should be closely observed.
WARNING
.
Park the vehicle on a level surface, apply
the parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from
moving. Move the selector lever to P
(Park).
. Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF
or LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
. Never connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
. Never leave the engine or automatic
transmission related component har-
nesses disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans, belts
and any other moving parts. .
It is advisable to secure or remove any
loose clothing and remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before
working on your vehicle.
. Always wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed space such as a garage, be
sure there is proper ventilation for
exhaust gases to escape.
. Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is
necessary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
. Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from fuel tank and the
battery.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition key is in the OFF position and
the engine is not running. To avoid
injury, always disconnect the negative
battery cable before working near the
fan.
. On gasoline engine models, the fuel
filter or fuel lines should be serviced by
an INFINITI retailer because the fuel lines
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS

8-6Maintenance and do-it-yourself
are under high pressure even when the
engine is off.
CAUTION
.Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down.
. Avoid direct contact with used engine oil
and coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, coolant, and/or other vehicle fluids
can damage the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for disposal
of vehicle fluid.
This “8. Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section gives instructions regarding only
those items which are relatively easy for an
owner to perform.
A genuine INFINITI Service Manual is also
available. (See “Owner’s Manual/Service
Manual order information” (P.9-32).)
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect your warranty coverage. If in
doubt about any servicing, we recommend that it be done by an INFINITI retailer.

8-10Maintenance and do-it-yourself
CAUTION
.Never use any cooling system additives
such as radiator sealer. Additives may
clog the cooling system and cause
damage to the engine, transmission
and/or cooling system.
. When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equiva-
lent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life Anti-
freeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted to
provide antifreeze protection to −348F
(−378C). If additional freeze protection is
needed due to weather where you
operate your vehicle, add Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(blue) concentrate following the direc-
tions on the container. If an equivalent
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is used,
follow the coolant manufacturer’ s in-
structions to maintain minimum anti-
freeze protection to −348F(−378C). The
use of other types of coolant solutions
other than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent
may damage the engine cooling system. .
The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000 km)
or 7 years. Mixing any other type of
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue), including
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (green), or the use of non-
distilled water will reduce the life
expectancy of the factory-fill coolant.
Refer to the INFINITI Service and Main-
tenance Guide for more details.
SDI2198
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant level in the reservoir
when the engine is cold. If the coolant
level is below MIN
*2, open the reservoir
tank cap and add coolant up to the MAX
*1level. If the reservoir tank is empty, check
the coolant level in the radiator when the
engine is cold. If there is insufficient
coolant in the radiator, fill the radiator
with coolant up to the filler opening and
also add it to the reservoir tank up to the
MAX level
*1.
Tighten the cap securely after adding
engine coolant.

If the cooling system requires coolant
frequently, have it checked by an INFINITI
retailer.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
Major cooling system repairs should be
performed by an INFINITI retailer. The
service procedures can be found in the
appropriate INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
.To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
. Never remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator.
. Avoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner as
soon as possible.
. Keep coolant out of reach of children and
pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of
properly. Check your local regulations.
SDI2045
VQ35HR engine
SDI2265
VK50VE engine
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-11
ENGINE OIL

8-20Maintenance and do-it-yourself
SDI1411B
VK50VE engine
1. Water pump
2. Alternator
3. Crankshaft pulley
4. Power steering fluid pump
5. Air conditioner compressor
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or
LOCK position before servicing drive belts.
The engine could rotate unexpectedly.
1. Visually inspect each belt for signs of
unusual wear, cuts, fraying or loosen- ess. If the belt is in poor condition or
loose, have it replaced or adjusted by
an INFINITI retailer.
2. Have the belts checked regularly for condition and tension in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in your
“INFINITI Service and Maintenance
Guide”.
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.
SPARK PLUGS

SDI2020
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
If replacement is required, see an INFINITI
retailer 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 main-
tenance schedule in“INFINITI Service and
Maintenance Guide” , but do not reuse
them by cleaning or regapping. Always replace spark plugs with recom-
mended or equivalent ones.SDI2033
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
maintenance intervals. See “INFINITI Ser-
vice and Maintenance Guide” for mainte-
nance intervals. When replacing the filter,
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-21
AIR CLEANER

8-24Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Contact an INFINITI retailer if checking or
replacement 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-adjust-
ing 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
warnings. 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 warning sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,occasional 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 system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.
For additional information,
see the maintenance log section of your
“INFINITI Service and Maintenance Guide”
for maintenance intervals.
REAR WINDOW WIPER BLADES BRAKES

8-40Maintenance and do-it-yourself
The wheel nuts must be kept tigh-
tened to the specification at all
times. It is recommended that wheel
nuts be tightened to the specifica-
tion at each tire rotation interval.
WARNING
.After rotating the tires, check and
adjust the tire pressure.
. Retighten the wheel nuts when
the vehicle has been driven for
600 miles (1,000 km) (also in
cases of a flat tire, etc.).
. Do not include the T-type spare
tire or any other small size spare
tire in the tire rotation.
. For additional information regard-
ing tires, refer to “Important Tire
Safety Information ”(US) or “Tire
Safety Information ”(Canada) in
the Warranty Information Booklet.
SDI1663
1.Wear indicator
2.Wear indicator location mark
Tire wear and damage
WARNING
. Tires should be periodically in-
spected for wear, cracking, bul-
ging or objects caught in the
tread. If excessive wear, cracks,
bulging or deep cuts are found,
the tire(s) should be replaced. .
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 personal injury.
. Improper service of the spare tire
may result in serious personal
injury. If it is necessary to repair
the spare tire, contact an INFINITI
retailer.
. For additional information regard-
ing tires, refer to “Important Tire
Safety Information ”(US) or “Tire
Safety Information ”(Canada) in
the Warranty Information Booklet.