5-10Starting and driving
states for emissions testing), 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 AWD before it is
placed on a dynamometer. Using the
wrong test equipment may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in serious
vehicle damage or personal injury. (AWD
models)
. When a wheel is off the ground due to an
unlevel surface, do not spin the wheel
excessively.
. Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may cause
loss of control.
. If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high speeds.
Your vehicle has a higher center of
gravity than a conventional passenger
car. The vehicle is not designed for
cornering at the same speeds as con-
ventional passenger cars. Failure to
operate this vehicle correctly could
result in loss of control and/or a rollover
accident.
. Always use tires of the same type, size, brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial), 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
after driving in mud or water. See “Brake
system” (P.5-78) 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
surfaces may cause the AWD warning
light to flash and the AWD system to
automatically switch from the AWD
mode to the 2WD mode. This could
reduce traction. Be especially careful
when towing a trailer. (AWD models)WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in an
emergency. (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.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-14Starting and driving
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to the P (Park)or N (Neutral) position. (P is recom-
mended.)
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the selector lever is in either of
the above positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Depress the brake pedal and
push the ignition switch to start the
engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while
depressing the brake pedal with the
ignition switch in any position.
.If the engine is very hard to start inextremely cold weather or when
restarting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to
the floor) and while holding, crank
the engine. Release the accelerator
pedal when the engine starts.
.If the engine is very hard to startbecause it is flooded, depress the
accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and hold it. Push the ignition
switch to the ON position to start
cranking the engine. After 5 or 6
seconds, stop cranking by pushing the ignition switch to OFF. After
cranking the engine, release the
accelerator pedal. Crank the engine
with your foot off the accelerator
pedal
by depressing the brake pedal
and pushing the push-button igni-
tion switch to start the engine. If the
engine starts, but fails to run, repeat
the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than 15
seconds at a time. If the engine does not
start, push the ignition switch to OFF and
wait 10 seconds before cranking again,
otherwise the starter could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of 2 - 3 minutes before
shutting it off. Starting and stopping
the engine over a short period of time
may make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, shift the selector lever to the P (Park) position and push
the ignition switch to the OFF position.
STARTING THE ENGINE
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
5-16Starting and driving
SSD0774
Selector lever
To move the selector lever,
: Push the button while depressing the brake pedal,
: Push the button,
: Just move the selector lever.
Shifting
After starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and shift the selector lever
from P (Park) to R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D
(Drive), DS (Drive Sport) or Manual shift
mode position.
Push the button to shift into P (Park) or R
(Reverse). All other positions can be
selected without pushing the button.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the selector lever
is in any position while the engine is not
running. Failure to do so could cause the
vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll away
and result in serious personal injury or
property damage.
CAUTION
Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped
and the transmission is in the P (Park)
position.
P (Park) position:
Use this selector position when the vehicle
is parked or when starting the engine.
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped. The brake pedal must be de-
pressed and the selector lever button
pushed in to move the selector lever from
the N (Neutral) position or any drive
position to the P (Park) position. Apply
the parking brake. 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
completely 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 en-
gaged. 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.
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.
5-22Starting and driving
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)
SYSTEM
Precautions on LDW system
WARNING
.This system is only a warning device to
inform the driver of a potential unin-
tended lane departure. It will not steer
the vehicle or prevent loss of control. It
is the driver’ s responsibility 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 or if it
cannot detect lane markers.
. If the LDW system malfunctions, it will
cancel automatically, and the lane de-
parture warning light (orange) will illu-
minate.
. If the lane departure warning light
(orange) illuminates, pull off the road
to a safe location and stop the vehicle.
Turn the engine off and restart the
engine. If the lane departure warning
light (orange) continues to illuminate, have the system checked by an INFINITI
retailer.
. Excessive noise will interfere with the
warning chime sound, and the chime
may not be heard.The system may not function properly
under the following conditions:
.On roads where there are multiple
parallel lane markers; lane markers
that are faded or not painted clearly;
yellow painted lane markers; non-stan-
dard lane markers; or lane markers
covered with water, dirt, snow, etc.
. On roads where the discontinued lane
markers are still detectable.
. On roads where there are sharp curves.
. On roads where there are sharply
contrasting objects, such as shadows,
snow, water, wheel ruts, seams or lines
remaining after road repairs. (The LDW
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.)
SSD0672
Lane departure warning light (orange)
SSD1156
Warning systems switch
LDW system operation
The LDW system provides a lane departure
warning function 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.
The warning function will stop when the
vehicle returns inside of the lane markers.
When you operate the lane change signal
and change traveling lanes in the direction
of the signal, the LDW system temporarily
suspends operation. It will become oper-
able again approximately 2 seconds after
the lane change signal is turned off.
When the vehicle speed lowers to less than
approximately 45 MPH (70 km/h), the LDW
system will not provide a warning.
The LDW system has an automatic setting
mode and a manual setting mode. The
setting mode can be changed. In the
automatic setting mode, the LDW system
is automatically turned on when the igni-
tion switch is pushed to the ON position.
When the LDW system is on, the warningsystems ON indicator
*1on the warning
systems switch illuminates. To cancel the
LDW system, push the warning systems
switch. The warning systems ON indicator
will turn off. To turn on the system, push
the warning systems switch again.
When the warning systems switch is
pushed, the FCW system will also turn on
or off simultaneously. See“ FCW system
operation” (P.5-70)
In the manual setting mode, you need to
push the warning systems switch to turn
on the system after the ignition switch is
pushed to the ON position.
The setting mode can be changed using
the warning systems switch. To change the
setting mode, push and hold the warning
systems switch for more than 4 seconds
when the warning systems ON indicator is
off. When the mode is changed, a chime
sounds and the lane departure warning
light (orange) flashes.
Temporary disabled status at high
temperature
If the vehicle is parked in direct sunlight
under high temperature conditions (over
approximately 1048 F (408C) and then
started, the LDW system may be deacti-
Starting and driving5-23
5-24Starting and driving
vated automatically. The warning systems
ON indicator on the switch will flash.
When the interior temperature is reduced,
the LDW system will resume operating
automatically and the warning systems
ON indicator will stop flashing.
LANE DEPARTURE PREVENTION
(LDP) SYSTEM
Precautions on LDP system
WARNING
.The LDP system will not steer the vehicle
or prevent loss of control. It is the
driver’s responsibility to stay alert, drive
safely, keep the vehicle in the traveling
lane, and be in control of vehicle at all
times.
. The LDP system is primarily intended for
use on well-developed freeways or high-
ways. It may not detect the lane markers
in certain roads, weather or driving
conditions.
. Using the LDP system under some
conditions of road, lane marker or
weather, or when you change lanes
without using the lane change signal could lead to an unexpected system
operation. In such conditions, you need
to correct the vehicle’s direction with
your steering operation to avoid acci-
dents.
. When the LDP system is operating, avoid
excessive or sudden steering maneu-
vers. Otherwise, you could lose control
of the vehicle.
. The LDP system will not operate at
speeds below approximately 45 MPH
(70 km/h) or if it cannot detect lane
markers.
. The LDP system may not function
properly under the following conditions,
and do not use the LDP system:
—During bad weather (rain, fog, snow,
wind, etc.).
—When driving on slippery roads,such as on ice or snow, etc.
—When driving on winding or uneven roads.
—When there is a lane closure due toroad repairs.
—When driving in a makeshift lane.
—When driving on roads where thelane width is too narrow.
—When driving without normal tireconditions (for example, tire wear,
low tire pressure, installation of
spare tire, tire chains, non-standard
wheels).
—When the vehicle is equipped withnonoriginal brake parts or suspen-
sion parts.
—When you are towing a trailer.
. If the LDP system malfunctions, it will
cancel automatically. The lane departure
warning light (orange) on the instrument
panel will illuminate.
. If the lane departure warning light
(orange) illuminates, pull off the road
to a safe location and stop the vehicle.
Turn the engine off and restart the
engine. If the warning light (orange)
continues to illuminate, have the LDP
system checked by an INFINITI retailer.
. Excessive noise will interfere with the
warning chime sound, and the chime
may not be heard.