2013 INFINITI FX Owner's Manual

9-18Technical and consumer information
SIC3849
SECURING THE LOADGUID-F6084B6B-3E67-44EC-BE8D-E9432D2288E3
WARNING
.Properly secure all cargo with ropes or
straps to help prevent it from sliding or
shifting. Do not place cargo higher than the seatbacks. In a sudden stop or
collision, unsecured cargo could cause
personal injury.
. The child restraint top tether strap may
be damaged by contact with items in the
cargo area. Secure any items in the
cargo area. Your child could be seriously
injured or killed in a collision if the top
tether strap is damaged.
. Do not load your vehicle any heavier
than the GVWR or the maximum front
and rear GAWRs. If you do, parts of your
vehicle can break, tire damage could
occur, or it can change the way your
vehicle handles. This could result in loss
of control and cause personal injury.
LOADING TIPSGUID-1BF291CB-8139-4DC1-BA21-2FB8DD06AC2D
WARNING
.Properly secure all cargo to help
prevent it from sliding or shifting.
Do not place cargo higher than the
seatbacks. In a sudden stop or
collision, unsecured cargo could
cause personal injury.
.Do not load your vehicle any
heavier than the GVWR or the
maximum front and rear GAWRs.
If you do, parts of your vehicle can
break, tire damage could occur, or
it can change the way your vehicle
handles. This could result in loss
of control and cause personal
injury.
.Overloading could not only short-
en the life of your vehicle and the
tires, but also could lead to
hazardous vehicle handling and
long braking distance. This may
cause a premature tire malfunc-
tion, which could result in a

WARNING
Overloading or improper loading of a trailer
and its cargo can adversely affect vehicle
handling, braking and performance and may
lead to accidents.
CAUTION
.Do not tow a trailer or haul a heavy load
for the first 500 miles (800 km). Your
engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
. For the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 MPH
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps the engine and other
parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Your new vehicle was designed to be used
primarily to carry passengers and cargo.
Remember that towing a trailer places
additional loads on your vehicle’s engine,
drivetrain, steering, braking and other
systems. An INFINITI Towing Guide (U.S. only) is
available on the website at www.InfinitiU-
SA.com. This guide includes information on
trailer towing capability and the special
equipment required for proper towing.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITSGUID-9B8464D7-BFCF-4992-A6FF-2717C900F8FC

9-20Technical and consumer information
STI0541
The GCWR equals the combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) plus the total trailer load.
Towing loads greater than these or using
improper towing equipment could ad-
versely affect vehicle handling, braking
and performance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is
not only related to the maximum trailer
loads, but also the places you plan to tow.
Tow weights appropriate for level highway
driving may have to be reduced on very
steep grades or for low traction situations
(for example, on slippery boat ramps).
Temperature conditions can also affecttowing. For example, towing a heavy trailer
in high outside temperatures on graded
roads can affect engine performance and
cause overheating. The transmission high
fluid temperature protection mode, which
helps reduce the chance of transmission
damage, could activate and automatically
decrease engine power. Vehicle speed may
decrease under high load. Plan your trip
carefully to account for trailer and vehicle
load, weather and road conditions.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced engine
power and vehicle speed. The reduced speed
may be lower than other traffic, which could
increase the chance of a collision. Be
especially careful when driving. If the
vehicle cannot maintain a safe driving
speed, pull to the side of the road in a safe
area. Allow the engine to cool and return to
normal operation. See
“If your vehicle over-
heats” (P.6-12) of this manual.
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from improper
towing procedures are not covered by
INFINITI warranties.

STI0542
Tongue loadGUID-C348277A-F1BA-42D0-95F7-C6180E6D8C5A
TI1012M
MAXIMUM GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT
(GVW)/MAXIMUM GROSS AXLE
WEIGHT (GAW)
GUID-08867610-D301-4E37-91F7-503757098625

9-22Technical and consumer information
available maximum tongue load.
To determine the available towing capacity,
use the following procedure.
1. Find the GCWR for your vehicle on the “Towing Load/Specification” chart
found later in this section.
2. Subtract the actual vehicle weight from the GCWR. The remaining amount is the
available maximum towing capacity.
To determine the Gross Trailer Weight,
weigh your trailer on a scale with all
equipment and cargo, that are normally
in the trailer when it is towed. Make sure
the Gross trailer weight is not more than
the Gross Trailer Weight Rating shown on
the trailer and is not more than the
calculated available maximum towing ca-
pacity.
Also weigh the front and rear axles on the
scale to make sure the Front Gross Axle
Weight and Rear Gross Axle Weight are not
more than Front Gross Axle Weight and
Rear Gross Axle Weight on the F.M.V.S.S./C.
M.V.S.S. certification label. The cargo in the
trailer and vehicle may need to be moved
or removed to meet the specified ratings. Example:
.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) as weighed
on a scale - including passengers,
cargo and hitch - 5,073 lb. (2,301 kg).
. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
from F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification
label - 5,301 lb. (2,404 kg).
. Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
from “Towing Load/Specification” chart
- 7,355 lb. (3,336 kg).
. Maximum Trailer towing capacity from
“Towing Load/Specification” chart -
2,000 lb. (907 kg).
5,301 lb. (2,404 kg) GVWR
− 5,073 lb. (2,301 kg) GVW
= 228 lb. (103 kg) Available for tongue
weight
7,355 lb. (3,336 kg) GCWR
− 5,073 lb. (2,301 kg) GVW
= 2,282 lb. (1,035 kg) Capacity available for
towing
228 lb. (103 kg) / Available tongue weight
2,282 lb. (1,035 kg) Available capacity = 10 % tongue weight
The available towing capacity may be less
than the maximum towing capacity due to the passenger and cargo load in the
vehicle.
Remember to keep trailer tongue weight
between 10 to 15% of the trailer weight. If
the tongue load becomes excessive, re-
arrange the cargo to obtain the proper
tongue load. Do not exceed the 10 to 15%
tongue weight specification even if the
calculated available tongue weight is
greater than 15%. If the calculated tongue
weight is less than 10%, reduce the total
trailer weight to match the available
tongue weight.
Always verify that available capacities are
within the required ratings.

WARNING
Trailer hitch components have specific
weight ratings. Your vehicle may be capable
of towing a trailer heavier than the weight
rating of the hitch components. Never
exceed the weight rating of the hitch
components. Doing so can cause serious
personal injury or property damage.
Hitch ballGUID-CE674953-BE52-413E-A9FF-B7F163CBF1B0

9-24Technical and consumer information
CAUTION
.Special hitches which include frame
reinforcements are required for towing
above 2,000 lb (907 kg). Suitable
genuine INFINITI hitches for pickup
trucks and sport utility vehicles are
available at an INFINITI retailer.
. The hitch should not be attached to or
affect the operation of the impact-
absorbing bumper.
. Do not use axle-mounted hitches.
. Do not modify the vehicle exhaust
system, brake system, etc. to install a
trailer hitch. .
To reduce the possibility of additional
damage if your vehicle is struck from the
rear, where practical, remove the hitch
and/or receiver when not in use. After
the hitch is removed, seal the bolt holes
to prevent exhaust fumes, water or dust
from entering the passenger compart-
ment.
. Regularly check that all trailer hitch
mounting bolts are securely mounted.
Tire pressuresGUID-013B90D6-E075-4F27-B32E-0E2F49F9243C

CAUTION
When splicing into the vehicle electrical
system, a commercially available power-
type module/converter must be used to
provide power for all trailer lighting. This
unit uses the vehicle battery as a direct
power source for all trailer lights while
using the vehicle tail light, stoplight and
turn signal circuits as a signal source. The
module/converter must draw no more than
15 milliamps from the stop and tail lamp
circuits. Using a module/converter that
exceeds these power requirements may
damage the vehicle’s electrical system.
See a reputable trailer retailer to obtain
the proper equipment and to have it
installed.
Trailer lights should comply with federal
and/or local regulations. For assistance inhooking up trailer lights, contact an
INFINITI retailer or reputable trailer retailer.
Trailer brakesGUID-7D6F63F5-C497-4498-A3A7-FFED19AE74DC
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system directly
to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tipsGUID-A9F812AA-6192-4A97-A335-073B5E83EAD3