2012 INFINITI M Owners Manual

5-16Starting and driving
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.
SSD1099
Paddle shifters (if so equipped)
Manual shift mode
When the selector lever is in the manual
shift gate, 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 (if so equipped).
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 while in
the D (Drive) position, the transmission will
shift to the upper or lower range tempora-
rily. 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 these positions 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

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 ignition 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.
Starting and driving5-17

5-18Starting and driving
SSD0974
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 position
to unlock the steering wheel (if so
equipped). Now the vehicle may be moved
to the desired location.
For models with a steering wheel lock
mechanism: If the battery is discharged
completely, the steering wheel cannot be
unlocked. Do not move the vehicle with the
steering wheel locked.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P
(Park), have an INFINITI retailer check the
automatic transmission system as soon as
possible.
WARNING
. Be sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
. Do not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
. Do not use the gear shift in place of the
parking brake. When parking, be sure
the parking brake is fully engaged.
. Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the parking
brake and cause an accident.
PARKING BRAKE

SPA2331
To apply:Fully depress the parking brake
pedal
*1.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake
*2.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal
*1
and the parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
SSD1024
Drive mode select switch
Four driving modes can be selected by
using the drive mode selector switch,
STANDARD, SPORT, ECO and SNOW.
NOTE:
. When the drive mode select switch
selects a mode, the mode may not
switch quickly. This is not a malfunc-
tion.
. Select the STANDARD mode for normal
driving.
STANDARD MODE
Recommended for normal driving. Turn the
drivemodeselectswitchtothe
position. “STANDARD ”appears in the
vehicle information display for 2 seconds.
SPORT MODE
Adjusts the engine and transmission
points to enhance performance. If the
vehicle is equipped with 4-Wheel Active
Steer (4WAS) system, the SPORT mode
adjusts this system’ s settings to provide
faster steering ratios. If the vehicle is
equipped with the active trace control
system, the amount of brake control
provided by active trace control is reduced.
(See “4 Wheel Active Steer (4WAS) system ”
later in this section or “Vehicle Dynamic
Control (VDC) system” later in this section.)
Turn the drive mode select switch to the
SPORT position. “SPORT ”appears in the
vehicle information display for 2 seconds.
NOTE:
In the SPORT mode, fuel economy may be
reduced.
Starting and driving5-19
INFINITI DRIVE MODE SELECTOR

5-20Starting and driving
SNOW MODE
Used on snowy roads or slippery areas.
When the SNOW mode is activated, engine
output is controlled to avoid wheel spin.
Turn the SNOW mode off for normal
driving. Turn the drive mode select switch
to the SNOW position.“SNOW” appears in
the vehicle information display for 2
seconds.
ECO MODE
Adjusts engine and transmission points to
enhance fuel economy.
NOTE:
Selecting this drive mode will not neces-
sarily improve fuel economy as many
driving factors influence its effectiveness.
Operation
Turn the drive mode select switch to the
ECO position. “ECO ”appears in the vehicle
information display for 2 seconds and the
ECO drive indicator light illuminates on the
instrument panel.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed
within the range of economy drive, the ECO
drive indicator light illuminates in green.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed
above the range of economy drive, the color of the ECO drive indicator light
changes to orange. For ECO pedal system
equipped models see
“ECO pedal system ”
later in this section.
The ECO drive indicator light will not
illuminate in the following cases:
. When the selector lever is in the R
(Reverse) position.
. When the vehicle speed is below 3 MPH
(4.8 km/h) or over 90 MPH (144 km/h).
. When the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)
system is operated.
ECO pedal system (if so equipped)
Helps assist the driver to improve fuel
economy by increasing the reaction force
of the accelerator pedal. When the ECO
drive indicator light is blinking or turns
orange, the ECO pedal system increases
the reaction force of the accelerator pedal.
SSD1041
When the ECO drive indicator illuminates in
green, the accelerator reaction force is
normal. When the ECO drive indicator light
is blinking or turns orange, the ECO pedal
system increases the reaction force of the
accelerator pedal.
The ECO pedal system may not vary
accelerator reaction force under the follow-
ing conditions:
. When the selector lever is in the N
(Neutral) or R (Reverse) position.
. When Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) is
being operated.
If the ECO pedal system malfunctions, it

will cancel automatically. The ECO pedal
system will not vary the reaction force of
the accelerator pedal.
When the drive mode select switch is
rotated from the ECO mode to another
mode (STANDARD, SPORT or SNOW) while
the ECO pedal system is operating, the ECO
pedal system continues to operate until
the pedal is released.
If the accelerator pedal is depressed
quickly, the ECO pedal system will not
increase the reaction force of the accelera-
tion pedal. The ECO pedal system is not
designed to prevent the vehicle from
accelerating.
Adjusting the ECO pedal system reaction
force:
The ECO pedal system reaction force can
be adjusted. The reaction force setting will
be maintained until the setting is changed
even if the engine is turned off.
SSD0939
SSD1001
Setting ECO pedal reaction force:
1. Push the SETTING
*1button and high-
light the ECO DRIVE key on the display
using the INFINITI controller. Then push
the ENTER
*2button.
2. Highlight the ECO pedal key and push the ENTER
*2button.
Starting and driving5-21

5-22Starting and driving
SSD1025
3. To set the reaction force of the ECOpedal system, highlight “Standard” or
“ Soft ”.
4. To turn off the ECO pedal system, highlight the OFF key, select ON and
push the ENTER
*2button. When the
ECO pedal system is tuned off, the
accelerator will operate normally. The Lane Departure Warning (LDW) sys-
tem/Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) sys-
tem will operate when the vehicle is driven
at speeds of approximately 45 MPH (70
km/h) and above, and when it is traveling
close to either the left or the right of a
traveling lane.
Each system functions as follows:
.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system
— warns the driver by a warning light
and chime that the vehicle is beginning
to leave the driving lane.
. Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) system
— warns the driver by a warning light
and chime, and helps assist the driver
to return the vehicle to the center
direction of the traveling lane by
applying brake control to the left or
right wheels individually (for a short
period of time).
SSD0937
SSD0672
Lane departure warning light (orange)
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)
SYSTEM/LANE DEPARTURE PREVENTION
(LDP) SYSTEM (if so equipped)

The LDW and LDP systems monitor the lane
markers on the traveling lane using the
camera unit
*1located above the inside
mirror. When the camera unit detects that
the vehicle is traveling close to either the
left or the right of the traveling lane, the
lane departure warning light on the instru-
ment panel blinks in orange and a warning
chime sounds. When the LDP system is on,
it will automatically apply the brakes for a
short period of time, using the function of
the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system.
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.)
Starting and driving5-23