2012 INFINITI FX engine overheat

2-8Instruments and controls
SIC3255
ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE
GAUGE
The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature.
The engine coolant temperature is within
the normal range when the gauge needle
points within the zone
*1shown in the
illustration.
The engine coolant temperature varies with
the outside air temperature and driving
conditions.
CAUTION
If the gauge indicates engine coolant
temperature near the hot (H) end of the
normal range, reduce vehicle speed to
decrease temperature. If gauge is over the
normal range, stop the vehicle as soon as
safely possible and let the engine idle. If the
engine is overheated, continued operation
of the vehicle may seriously damage the
engine. See “If your vehicle overheats” (P.6-
11) for immediate action required.
SIC3256
FUEL GAUGE
The gauge indicates the approximatefuel
level in the tank.
The gauge may move slightly during
braking, turning, acceleration, or going up
or down hills.
The gauge needle returns to E (Empty) after
the ignition switch is pushed to the OFF
position.
Refill the fuel tank before the gauge
registers “E”(Empty).
The low fuel warning
appears on the
dot matrix liquid crystal display when the
fuel level in the tank is getting low. Refuel

.Turn signals do not work when the
hazard warning flasher lights are on.
The flasher can be actuated with the
ignition switch in any position.
Some state laws may prohibit the use of
the hazard warning flasher switch while
driving.
SIC3831
To sound the horn, push the center pad
area of the steering wheel.
WARNING
Do not disassemble the horn. Doing so
could affect proper operation of the supple-
mental front air bag system. Tampering with
the supplemental front air bag system may
result in serious personal injury.
WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use the
seat heater if you or the occupants cannot
monitor elevated seat temperatures or have
an inability to feel pain in body parts that
contact the seat. Use of the seat heater by
such people could result in serious injury.
CAUTION
.The battery could run down if the seat
heater is operated while the engine is
not running.
. Do not use the seat heater for extended
periods or when no one is using the
seat.
. Do not put anything on the seat which
insulates heat, such as a blanket,
cushion, seat cover, etc. Otherwise, the
seat may become overheated.
. Do not place anything hard or heavy on
the seat or pierce it with a pin or similar
object. This may result in damage to the
heater.
Instruments and controls2-43
HORN HEATED SEATS (if so equipped)

SSS0905
The climate controlled seat warms up or
cools down the front seats by blowing
warm or cool air from the surface of the
seat. The switches located on the center
console can be operated independently of
each other.
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn the control knob
*Ato the H
(Heat) side
*1or to the C (Cool) side
*2. The indicator light*Bon the
control knob will illuminate.
3. Adjust the desired amount of the air using the control knob
*A.
The climate controlled seat blower remains on low speed for approxi-
mately 60 seconds after turning the
switch on or selecting the desired
temperature.
4. When the vehicle’s interior is warmed or cooled, and/or before you leave the
vehicle, be sure to turn the control
knob to the OFF position (center). The
indicator light
*Bon the control knob
goes off at the OFF position.
To check the air filter for the climate
controlled seat, contact an INFINITI
retailer.
WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use the
seat heater if you or the occupants cannot
monitor elevated seat temperatures or have
an inability to feel pain in body parts that
contact the seat. Use of the seat heater by
such people could result in serious injury.
CAUTION
. The battery could run down if the climate
controlled seat is operated while the engine is not running.
. Do not use the climate controlled seat
for extended periods or when no one is
using the seat.
. Do not put anything on the seat which
insulates heat, such as a blanket,
cushion, seat cover, etc. Otherwise, the
seat may become overheated.
. Do not place anything hard or heavy on
the seat or pierce it with a pin or similar
object. This may result in damage to the
climate controlled seat.
. Any liquid spilled on the seat should be
removed immediately with a dry cloth.
. The climate controlled seat has an air
filter. Do not operate climate controlled
seat without an air filter. This may result
in damage to the system.
. When cleaning the seat, never use
gasoline, thinner, or any similar materi-
als.
. If any malfunctions are found or the
climate controlled seat does not operate,
turn the switch off and have the system
checked by an INFINITI retailer.
Instruments and controls2-45
CLIMATE CONTROLLED SEATS (if so
equipped)

SIC3631
Front
SIC4274
Center console
SIC3835
Rear console
SIC3836
Cargo areaThe power outlet is used for powering
electrical accessories such as cellular
telephones.
CAUTION
.
The outlet and plug may be hot during or
immediately after use.
. Do not use with accessories that exceed
a 12 volt, 120W (10A) power draw. Do
not use double adapters or more than
one electrical accessory.
. Use power outlet with the engine run-
ning to avoid discharging the vehicle
battery.
. Avoid using power outlet when the air
conditioner, headlights or rear window
defroster is on.
. This power outlet is not designed for use
with a cigarette lighter unit.
. Push the plug in as far as it will go. If
good contact is not made, the plug may
overheat or the internal temperature
fuse may blow.
. Before inserting or disconnecting a plug,
be sure the electrical accessory being
used is turned OFF.
Instruments and controls2-49
POWER OUTLET

6. Push and hold the power lift gateswitch
*2on the lower part of the lift
gate for 3 seconds to set the user
selected open position. A chime will
sound when setting is successful.
7. Fully close the lift gate.
The lift gate will open and stop at the user
selected position.
CAUTION
. Do not lean against a partially opened
lift gate. The lift gate may close un-
expectedly and may result in personal
injury.
. If the vehicle was driven by another
person, confirm the garage mode func-
tion before opening the lift gate in a
location with low clearance. The lift gate
can be damaged if the previous driver
changed or canceled the setting.
. If the switch is pressed two times
quickly (1 second or less) when opening
the lift gate from the fully closed
position, the system may not recognize
the second switch press. The lift gate
will continue to open. This is normal
operation and does not indicate a mal- function. However, this may result in
minor personal injury if someone is
behind the vehicle when the switch is
activated, or damage to the lift gate.
NOTE:
.
To avoid damaging the lift gate system,
do not manually force the lift gate to
open or close when the lift gate is
moving. When manually operating the
lift gate from the full close or full open
position, do not use excessive force.
Using excessive force may damage the
system.
. Do not install accessories such as bike
racks onto the lift gate. The additional
weight of these accessories may cause
the lift gate to operate slowly or to not
open completely. This is a normal
operation and does not indicate a
malfunction. The lift gate will operate
normally when the accessory is re-
moved.
. If the lift gate is opened when the
vehicle is parked on a steep slope, the
lift gate may not open to the expected
position. This is a normal operation
and does not indicate a malfunction. .
If the automatic lift gate is operated
continuously for approximately 180
seconds, the system automatically
turns off to prevent overheating. The
lift gate cannot be opened using the
switches. The system resets and opera-
tion returns to normal after approxi-
mately 180 seconds. This is a normal
operation and does not indicate a
malfunction.
. The lift gate may automatically reverse
direction if the lift gate is operating
and passengers enter/exit the vehicle.
This is a normal operation and does
not indicate a malfunction.
. The lift gate must be operated manually
if the battery is disconnected or
discharged.
. If the lift gate is not activated due to a
low voltage (less than approximately
11V), operate the lift gate with the
engine running.
Manual mode
If power operation is not available, the lift
gate can be operated manually. Power
operation may not be available if multiple
obstacles have been detected in a single
power cycle or if the battery voltage is low.
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-23

5-4Starting and driving
cause a fire.
CAUTION
.Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously reduce
the three-way catalyst’s ability to help
reduce exhaust pollutants.
. Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunctions
in the ignition, fuel injection, or elec-
trical systems can cause overrich fuel
flow into the three-way catalyst, causing
it to overheat. Do not keep driving if the
engine misfires, or if noticeable loss of
performance or other unusual operating
conditions are detected. Have the vehicle
inspected promptly by an INFINITI retai-
ler.
. Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel
level. Running out of fuel could cause
the engine to misfire, damaging the
three-way catalyst.
. Do not race the engine while warming it
up.
. Do not push or tow your vehicle to start
the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYS-
TEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’
s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if
under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction,
the telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the sys-
tem may not be able to detect or signal low
tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunc-
tions may occur for a variety of reasons,
including the installation of replacement or
alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that
prevent the TPMS from functioning prop-
erly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.

WARNING
.Drive carefully when off the road and
avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle should
be seated with their seat belt fastened.
This will keep you and your passengers
in position when driving over rough
terrain.
. Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead
drive either straight up or straight down
the slopes. Off-road vehicles can tip over
sideways much more easily than they
can forward or backward.
. Many hills are too steep for any vehicle.
If you drive up them, you may stall. If
you drive down them, you may not be
able to control your speed. If you drive
across them, you may roll over.
. Do not shift ranges while driving on
downhill grades as this could cause loss
of control of the vehicle.
. Stay alert when driving to the top of a
hill. At the top there could be a drop-off
or other hazard that could cause an
accident. .
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. Prop-
erly secure all cargo so it will not be
thrown forward and cause injury to you
or your passengers.
. To avoid raising the center of gravity
excessively, do not exceed the rated
capacity of the roof rack (if so equipped)
and evenly distribute the load. Secure
heavy loads in the cargo area as far
forward and as low as possible. 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
steering wheel when driving off-road. The steering 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
capability of the tires, even with AWD
engaged.
. For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in serious
vehicle damage or personal injury.
. Do not attempt to test an AWD equipped
vehicle on a 2-wheel dynamometer (such
as the dynamometers used by some
Starting and driving5-9

PARKING BRAKE BREAK-IN
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or drums/rotors are replaced,
in order to assure the best braking
performance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual and can be performed by
an INFINITI retailer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will cause overheating
of the brakes, wearing out the brake and
pads faster and reduce gas mileage.
To help save the brakes and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed
and downshift to a lower gear before going
down a slope or long grade. Overheated
brakes may reduce braking performance
and could result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
.While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel- erating could cause the wheels to skid
and result in an accident.
. If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
BRAKE ASSIST
When the force applied to the brake pedal
exceeds a certain level, the Brake Assist is
activated generating greater braking force
than a conventional brake booster even
with light pedal force.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation 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.
PREVIEW FUNCTION (Intelligent
Cruise Control system equipped
models)
When the Preview Function identifies the
need to apply emergency braking by
sensing a vehicle ahead in the same lane
and the distance and relative speed from
it, it applies the brake pre-pressure before
the driver depresses the brake pedal and
helps improve brake response by reducing
pedal free play.
Starting and driving5-79
BRAKE ASSIST