2012 INFINITI M steering

operation.
The INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System has
dual stage air bag inflators. The system
monitors information from the crash zone
sensor, the Air bag Control Unit (ACU), seat
belt buckle switches and the occupant
classification sensor (pattern sensor). In-
flator operation is based on the severity of
a collision and seat belt usage for the
driver. For the front passenger, the occu-
pant classification sensor is also moni-
tored. Based on information from the
sensors, only one front air bag may inflate
in a crash, depending on the crash severity
and whether the front occupants are belted
or unbelted. Additionally, the front pas-
senger air bag may be automatically turned
OFF under some conditions, depending on
the information provided by the occupant
classification sensor. If the front passenger
air bag is OFF, the passenger air bag status
light will be illuminated (if the seat is
unoccupied, the light will not be illumi-
nated, but the air bag will be off). (See
“Front passenger air bag and status light ”
later in this section for further details.) One
front air bag inflating does not indicate
improper performance of the system.
If you have any questions about your air bag system, contact an INFINITI retailer. If
you are considering modification of your
vehicle due to a disability, you may also
contact an INFINITI retailer. Contact infor-
mation is contained in the front of this
Owner
’s Manual.
When a front air bag inflates, a fairly loud
noise may be heard, followed by release of
smoke. This smoke is not harmful and does
not indicate a fire. Care should be taken
not to inhale it, as it may cause irritation
and choking. Those with a history of a
breathing condition should get fresh air
promptly.
Front air bags, along with the use of seat
belts, help to cushion the impact force on
the head and chest of the front occupants.
They can help save lives and reduce
serious injuries. However, an inflating front
air bag may cause facial abrasions or other
injuries. Front air bags do not provide
restraint to the lower body.
Even with INFINITI advanced air bags, seat
belts should be correctly worn and the
driver and passenger seated upright as far
as practical away from the steering wheel
or instrument panel. The front air bags
inflate quickly in order to help protect the
front occupants. Because of this, the force of the front air bag inflating can increase
the risk of injury if the occupant is too
close to, or is against, the air bag module
during inflation.
The front air bags deflate quickly after a
collision.
The supplemental front air bags operate
only when the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
After pushing the ignition switch to the ON
position, the supplemental air bag warn-
ing light illuminates. The supplemental air
bag warning light will turn off after about
7 seconds if the system is operational.
Safety
—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system1-45

1-48Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
If a malfunction occurs in the front
passenger air bag system, the supplemen-
tal air bag warning light
, located in the
meter and gauges area will blink. Have the
system checked by an INFINITI retailer.
Other supplemental front-impact
air bag precautions
WARNING
. Do not place any objects on the steering
wheel pad or on the instrument panel.
Also, do not place any objects between
any occupant and the steering wheel or
instrument panel. Such objects may
become dangerous projectiles and cause
injury if the front air bags inflate.
. Do not place objects with sharp edges
on the seat. Also, do not place heavy
objects on the seat that will leave
permanent impressions in the seat. Such
objects can damage the seat or occupant
classification sensor (pattern sensor).
This can affect the operation of the air
bag system and result in serious perso-
nal injury.
. Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can damage the seat or occupant classifica-
tion sensor. This can also affect the
operation of the air bag system and
result in serious personal injury.
. Immediately after inflation, several front
air bag system components will be hot.
Do not touch them; you may severely
burn yourself.
. No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the air bag system. This is to prevent
accidental inflation of the supplemental
air bag or damage to the supplemental
air bag system.
. Do not make unauthorized changes to
your vehicle ’s electrical system, suspen-
sion system or front end structure. This
could affect proper operation of the front
air bag system.
. Tampering with the air bag system may
result in serious personal injury. Tamper-
ing includes changes to the steering
wheel and the instrument panel assem-
bly by placing material over the steering
wheel pad and above the instrument
panel or by installing additional trim
material around the air bag system. .
Modifying or tampering with the front
passenger seat may result in serious
personal injury. For example, do not
change the front seats by placing
material on the seat cushion or by
installing additional trim material, such
as seat covers, on the seat that is not
specifically designed to assure proper
air bag operation. Additionally, do not
stow any objects under the front pas-
senger seat or the seat cushion and
seatback. Such objects may interfere
with the proper operation of the occu-
pant classification sensor.
. No unauthorized changes should be
made to any components or wiring of
the seat belt system. This may affect the
front air bag system. Tampering with the
seat belt system may result in serious
personal injury.
. Work on and around the front air bag
system should be done by an INFINITI
retailer. Installation of electrical equip-
ment should also be done by an INFINITI
retailer. The Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) wiring harnesses* should
not be modified or disconnected. Un-
authorized electrical test equipment and
probing devices should not be used on

2 Instruments and controls
Cockpit ................................................................ 2-3
Instrument panel ................................................. 2-5
Meters and gauges .............................................. 2-6Speedometer and odometer ............................ 2-6
Tachometer...................................................... 2-7
Engine coolant temperature gauge .................. 2-8
Fuel gauge ...................................................... 2-9
Warning/indicator lights and
audible reminders ............................................. 2-10 Checking bulbs.............................................. 2-10
Warning lights ............................................... 2-11
Indicator lights .............................................. 2-16
Audible reminders ......................................... 2-19
Dot matrix liquid crystal display ........................ 2-20 Indicators for operation ................................. 2-22
Indicators for maintenance ............................ 2-25
Trip computer ................................................ 2-26
Security systems ............................................... 2-29 Vehicle Security System ................................ 2-29
INFINITI Vehicle Immobilizer System .............. 2-30
Windshield wiper and washer switch ................. 2-31 Rain-sensing auto wiper system .................... 2-33
Rear window and outside mirror
defroster switch................................................. 2-34 Headlight and turn signal switch....................... 2-34
Xenon headlights......................................... 2-34
Headlight switch .......................................... 2-35
Turn signal switch........................................ 2-39
Fog light switch ........................................... 2-39
Hazard warning flasher switch .......................... 2-40
Heated steering wheel (if so equipped) ............. 2-40
Horn ................................................................. 2-41
Heated seats..................................................... 2-41
Climate controlled seats (if so equipped) .......... 2-43
Warning systems switch (if so equipped) .......... 2-44
Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA) OFF switch (if
so equipped)..................................................... 2-44
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF switch ......... 2-45
Clock................................................................. 2-46 Adjusting the time ....................................... 2-46
Power outlet ..................................................... 2-46
Cigarette lighter and ashtrays ........................... 2-47 Front............................................................ 2-47
Rear............................................................. 2-48
Storage ............................................................. 2-48 Cup holders ................................................. 2-48
Sunglasses holder ....................................... 2-49
Glove box .................................................... 2-50>

SSI0689
1. Instrument brightness control switch(P.2-39)
2. AFS switch (if so equipped) (P.2-37)
3. Headlight, fog light and turn signal switch (P.2-34)
4. Trip computer switch (P.2-26) 5. TRIP/RESET switch for twin trip od-
ometer (P.2-7)
6. Windshield wiper and washer switch (P.2-31)
7. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF switch (P.5-98) 8. Rear sunshade switch (if so equipped)
(P.2-57)
9. Steering heater switch (if so equipped) (P.2-40)
10. Trunk lid release switch (P.3-19)
11. Warning systems switch (if so equipped) (P.5-22, P.5-31, P.5-82)
12. IBA OFF switch (if so equipped) (P.5-86)
13. Electric tilting/telescopic steering wheel lever (P.3-23)
14. Steering-wheel-mounted controls (left side)
—Menu control switch (models with
navigation system)/Audio tuning
switch (models without navigation
system) (P.4-87)
— BACK switch (models with naviga-
tion system) (P.4-87)
— TALK switch (P.4-114)
— Bluetooth
®Hands-Free Phone Sys-
tem (models with navigation system)
(P.4-89)
— Bluetooth
®Hands-Free Phone Sys-
tem (models without navigation sys-
tem) (P.4-100)
— Volume control switch (P.4-87)
— Audio source switch (P.4-48)
Instruments and controls2-3
COCKPIT

2-4Instruments and controls
15. Steering wheel—Horn (P.2-41)
— Driver supplemental air bag
(P.1-39)
— Heated steering wheel (if so
equipped) (P.2-40)
16. Steering-wheel-mounted controls (right side)
—Cruise control switches (P.5-45)
— Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)
switches (if so equipped) (P.5-47)
— Dynamic driver assistance switch
(if so equipped) (P.5-22, P.5-31,
P.5-69)

on the DCA system again.
If it is not possible to turn on the system
or the warning light stays on, it may
indicate that the system is malfunctioning.
Although the vehicle is still driveable
under normal conditions, have the vehicle
checked at an INFINITI retailer.
4 Wheel Active Steer (4WAS)
warning light (if so equipped)
If the light comes on while the engine is
running, it may indicate that there is a
malfunction with the 4 Wheel Active Steer
(4WAS) portion of the steering system.
Push the ignition switch to the OFF position
and then to the ON position. If the light
does not turn off after cycling the engine,
have the system checked by an INFINITI
retailer.
For further information about the 4 Wheel
Active Steer system, see “4 Wheel Active
Steer (4WAS) system ”in the “5. Starting
and driving ”section.
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the 4
Wheel Active Steer (4WAS) function will
cease but driving can be continued. How-
ever, the steering wheel is slightly turned
even when driving on a straight road. Drive
carefully to the nearest INFINITI retailer.
Engine oil pressure warning
light
This light warns of low engine oil pressure.
If the light flickers or comes on during
normal driving, pull off the road in a safe
area, stop the engine immediatelyand call
an INFINITI retailer or other authorized
repair shop.
The engine oil pressure warning light is
not designed to indicate a low oil level.
Use the dipstick to check the oil level. (See
“ Engine oil ”in the “8. Maintenance and
do-it-yourself ”section.)
CAUTION
Running the engine with the engine oil
pressure warning light on could cause
serious damage to the engine almost
immediately. Such damage is not covered
by warranty. Turn off the engine as soon as
it is safe to do so.
Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)
system warning light (orange; if so
equipped)
This light comes on if there is a malfunc- tion in the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)
system.
If the warning light comes on, park the
vehicle in a safe place. Turn the engine off,
restart the engine, resume driving and set
the ICC system again.
If it is not possible to set the system or the
indicator stays on, it may indicate that the
system is malfunctioning. Although the
vehicle is still driveable under normal
conditions, have the vehicle checked at
an INFINITI retailer.
Lane departure warning light
(orange; if so equipped)
When the ignition switch is pushed to the
ON position, the light will come on in
orange, turn green, and then turn off. This
indicates that the Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) and Lane Departure Prevention (LDP)
systems are operational.
While the LDW and/or LDP system is on,
the light will blink in orange and a warning
chime will sound if the vehicle is traveling
close to either the left or the right of a
traveling lane with detectable lane mar-
kers.
If the light comes on in orange and remains
on, it may indicate that the LDW and LDP
Instruments and controls2-13

2-14Instruments and controls
systems are not functioning properly. Have
the systems checked by an INFINITI retailer.
See“Lane Departure Warning (LDW) sys-
tem/Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) sys-
tem ”in the “5. Starting and driving ”
section.
Low tire pressure warning
light
Your vehicle is equipped with a Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that
monitors the tire pressure of all tires
except the spare.
The low tire pressure warning light warns
of low tire pressure or indicates that the
TPMS is not functioning properly.
After the ignition switch is pushed ON, this
light illuminates for about 1 second and
turns off.
Low tire pressure warning:
If the vehicle is being driven with low tire
pressure, the warning light will illuminate.
A CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning also
appears in the dot matrix liquid crystal
display.
If you select tire pressure information in
the display, the LOW PRESSURE warning
message will be displayed. The tire pres- sure for each tire will also be displayed.
When the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates, you should stop and adjust
the tire pressure to the recommended
COLD tire pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. The low tire
pressure warning light does not automati-
cally turn off when the tire pressure is
adjusted. After the tire is inflated to the
recommended pressure, the vehicle must
be driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25
km/h) to activate the TPMS and turn off the
low tire pressure warning light. Use a tire
pressure gauge to check the tire pressure.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning is
active as long as the low tire pressure
warning light remains illuminated.
For additional information, see
“Dot matrix
liquid crystal display ”later in this section,
“ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ”
in the “5. Starting and driving ”section and
“ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ”
in the “6. In case of emergency” section.
TPMS malfunction:
If the TPMS is not functioning properly, the
low tire pressure warning light will flash for
approximately 1 minute when the ignition
switch is pushed ON. The light will remain on after the 1 minute. Have the system
checked by an INFINITI retailer. The CHECK
TIRE PRESSURE warning does not appear if
the low tire pressure warning light illumi-
nates to indicate a TPMS malfunction.
For additional information, see
“Tire Pres-
sure Monitoring System (TPMS) ”in the “5.
Starting and driving ”section.WARNING
. If the light does not illuminate with the
ignition switch pushed ON, have the
vehicle checked by an INFINITI retailer as
soon as possible.
. If the light illuminates while driving,
avoid sudden steering maneuvers or
abrupt braking, reduce vehicle speed,
pull off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Driving with under-inflated tires may
permanently damage the tires and in-
crease the likelihood of tire failure.
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

2-22Instruments and controls
INDICATORS FOR OPERATION
1. Engine start operation indicator
This indicator appears when the selector
lever is in the P (Park) position.
This indicator means that the engine will
start by pushing the ignition switch with
the brake pedal depressed. You can start
the engine directly in any position.
2. Steering lock release malfunc-
tion indicator (if so equipped)
This indicator appears when the steering
wheel cannot be released from the LOCK
position.
If this indicator appears, push the push-
button ignition switch while lightly turning
the steering wheel right and left.
3. NO KEY warning
This warning appears in either of the
following conditions.
No key inside the vehicle:
The warning appears when the door is
closed with the Intelligent Key left outside
the vehicle and the ignition switch in the
ACC or ON position. Make sure that the
Intelligent Key is inside the vehicle.Unregistered Intelligent Key:
The warning appears when the ignition
switch is pushed from the LOCK position
and the Intelligent Key cannot be recog-
nized by the system. You cannot start the
engine with an unregistered key. Use the
registered Intelligent Key.
See
“Intelligent Key system” in the“3. Pre-
driving checks and adjustments” section
for more details.
4. SHIFT “P ” warning
This warning appears when the ignition
switch is pushed to stop the engine with
the selector lever in any position except
the P (Park) position.
If this warning appears, move the selector
lever to the P (Park) position or push the
ignition switch to the ON position.
An inside warning chime will also sound.
(See “Intelligent Key system” in the“3.
Pre-driving checks and adjustments ”sec-
tion.)
5. “PUSH ”warning
This warning appears when the selector
lever is moved to the P (Park) position with
the ignition switch in the ACC position after
the SHIFT “P ” warning appears. To push the ignition switch to the OFF
position, perform the following procedure:
.
SHIFT “P”warning ?(Move the selec-
tor lever to “P ”) ? PUSH warning ?
(Push the ignition switch ?ignition
switch position is turned to ON) ?
PUSH warning ?(Push the ignition
switch ?ignition switch position is
turned to OFF)
6. Intelligent Key battery discharge
indicator
This indicator appears when the Intelligent
Key battery is running out of power.
If this indicator appears, replace the
battery with a new one. (See “Intelligent
Key battery replacement ”in the “8. Main-
tenance and do-it-yourself ”section.)
7. Engine start operation for Intel-
ligent Key system indicator
This indicator appears when the Intelligent
Key battery is running out of power and
when the Intelligent Key System and
vehicle are not communicating normally.
If this indicator appears, touch the ignition
switch with the Intelligent Key while
depressing the brake pedal. (See “Intelli-
gent Key battery discharge ”in the “5.