5-62Starting and driving
SSD0284A
NOTE:
The approach warning chime may sound
and the system display may blink when
the ICC sensor detects some reflectors
*A
which are fitted on vehicles in other lanes
or on the side of the road. This may cause
the ICC system to decelerate or accelerate
the vehicle. The ICC sensor may detect
these reflectors when the vehicle is driven
on winding roads, hilly roads or when
entering or exiting a curve. The ICC sensor
may also detect reflectors on narrow roads
or in road construction zones. In these
cases you will have to manually control
the proper distance ahead of your vehicle.Also, the sensor sensitivity can be affected
by vehicle operation (steering maneuver or
driving position in the lane) or traffic or
vehicle condition (for example, if a vehicle
is being driven with some damage).
Automatic cancellation
A chime sounds under the following con-
ditions and the control is automatically
canceled.
.
When the vehicle ahead is not detected
and your vehicle is traveling below the
speed of 15 MPH (24 km/h)
. When the system judges the vehicle is
at standstill
. When the selector lever is not in the D
or Manual mode
. When the windshield wipers are operat-
ing at high speed (HI). If the vehicle is
equipped with a rain sensing auto-
wiper, the system may cancel when the
wipers are set to the AUTO position.
. When the parking brake is applied
. When the drive mode select switch is
turned to the SNOW mode
. When the VDC system is turned off
. When ABS or VDC (including the trac-
tion control system) operates .
When driving into a strong light (for
example, sunlight)
. When distance measurement becomes
impaired due to adhesion of dirt or
obstruction to the sensor
. When a wheel slips
5-90Starting and driving
SD1006MA
WARNING
.Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite and
cause a fire.
. Never leave the hybrid System in the
ready to drive mode while the vehicle is
unattended.
. Do not leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. They could unknowingly
activate switches or controls. Unat-
tended children could become involved in serious accidents.
. Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be applied and
the transmission placed into P (Park).
Failure to do so could cause the vehicle
to move unexpectedly or roll away and
result in an accident.
. Make sure the automatic transmission
selector lever has been pushed as far
forward as it can go and cannot be
moved without depressing the foot
brake pedal.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into the street when parked on a
sloping drive way, it is a good practice
to turn the wheels as illustrated.
.HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:*1
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
.HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:*2
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
.HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
*3
Turn the wheels toward the side of
the road so the vehicle will move
away from the center of the road if it
moves.
4. Push the ignition switch to the OFF position.
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-94Starting and driving
BRAKING PRECAUTIONS
This vehicle is equipped with two braking
systems.
.Hydraulic brake system
. Regenerative brake system
Hydraulic brake system
The brake system has two separate hy-
draulic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions,
you will still have braking at two wheels.
Regenerative brake system
Refer to the “Regenerative brake” in the
“Hybrid System. Hybrid System Overview”
section.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven
through water, the brakes may get wet.
As a result, your braking distance will be
longer and the vehicle may pull to one side
during braking.
To dry brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly tapping the brake pedal
to heat-up the brakes. Do this until the
brakes return to normal. Avoid driving the
vehicle at high speeds until the brakes
function correctly.
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 hybrid system is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the brakes will not work.
Braking will be harder.
CAUTION
You may hear a operational noise when the
brake pedal is depressed. This is not
malfunction.
BRAKE SYSTEM
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 increase the likelihood of tire fail-
ure. 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
and Loading Information label to turn
the low tire pressure warning light OFF. If
the light still illuminates while driving
after adjusting the tire pressure, a tire
may be flat. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with a spare tire as soon as
possible.
. When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, the TPMS will not function
and the low tire pressure warning light
will flash for approximately 1 minute.
The light will remain on after 1 minute.
Contact your INFINITI retailer as soon as
possible for tire replacement and/or
system resetting.
. Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by INFINITI could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS. .
Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pressure
sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instruc-
tions below.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road
and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking brake. Move the selector lever
to the P (Park) position.
4. Turn off the INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid
TMSystem.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic, and to signal professional road assis-
tance personnel that you need assis-
tance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
. Make sure the parking brake is securely
applied and the automatic transmission
into P (Park).
. Never change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
. Never change tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
In case of emergency6-3
6-10In case of emergency
Booklet or Roadside Assistance I.D. Card
for the toll-free number to call (U.S.) or
Warranty Information Booklet (Canada).
JVE0010X
WARNING
Always follow the instructions below. Failure
to do so could result in damage to the
charging system and cause personal injury.
1. If the booster battery is in anothervehicle
*A, position the two vehicles
(
*Aand*B) to bring the 12-volt
battery and fuse box into close proxi-
mity to each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch. 2. Apply parking brake. Move the selector
lever to the P (Park) position. Switch off
all unnecessary electrical systems
(light, heater, air conditioner, etc.).
3. Connect jumper cables in the sequence as illustrated (
*1?*2?*3?*4).
For models with a steering wheel lock
mechanism: If the 12-volt battery is
disconnected or discharged, the steer-
ing wheel will lock and cannot be
turned. Supply power using jumper
cables before pushing the ignition
switch and disengaging the steering
lock.
6-12In case of emergency
CAUTION
.Do not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
. To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while the
engine is still hot. When the radiator cap
is removed, pressurized hot water will
spurt out, possibly causing serious
injury.
. Do not open the hood if steam is coming
out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by
an extremely high temperature gauge
reading), or if you feel a lack of engine
power, detect abnormal noise, etc., take
the following steps:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road,
apply the parking brake and move the
selector lever to the P (Park) position.
Do not turn the INFINITI Direct Re-
sponse Hybrid
TMSystem off.
2. Turn off the climate control. Open all the windows, move the heater or air
conditioner temperature control to maximum hot and fan control to high
speed.
3. If engine overheating is caused by climbing a long hill on a hot day, run
the engine at a fast idle (approximately
1,500 rpm) until the temperature gauge
indication returns to normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the
radiator before opening the hood. (If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off
the hybrid system.) Do not open the
hood further until no steam or coolant
can be seen.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the engine,
stand clear to prevent getting burned.
6. Also check if the cooling fan is running. The radiator hoses and radiator should
not leak water. If coolant is leaking or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the
hybrid system.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the
engine cooling fan. The engine cooling fan
can start at any time.
7. After the engine cools down, check thecoolant level in the reservoir tank with
the engine running. Add coolant to the
reservoir tank if necessary. Have your
vehicle repaired at the nearest INFINITI
retailer.
If needed, Roadside Assistance is avail-
able. Please see your Warranty Information
Booklet or Roadside Assistance I.D. Card
for the toll-free number to call (U.S.) or
Warranty & Roadside Assistance Informa-
tion Booklet (Canada).
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Accelerator pedal:Check the pedal for
smooth operation and make sure the pedal
does not catch or require uneven effort.
Keep the floor mat away from the pedal.
Automatic transmission P (Park) mechan-
ism: On a fairly steep hill, check that your
vehicle is held securely with the selector
lever in the P (Park) position without
applying any brakes.
Brake pedal: Check the pedal for smooth
operation. If the brake pedal suddenly
goes down further than normal, the pedal
feels spongy or the vehicle seems to take
longer to stop, see an INFINITI retailer
immediately. Keep the floor mat away from
the pedal.
Brakes: Check that the brakes do not pull
the vehicle to one side when applied.
Parking brake: Check the parking brake
operation regularly. The vehicle should be
securely held on a fairly steep hill with only
the parking brake applied. If the parking
brake needs adjusted, see an INFINITI
retailer.
Seat belts: Check that all parts of the seat
belt system (for example, buckles, an-
chors, adjuster and retractors) operate
properly and smoothly, and are installed securely. Check the belt webbing for cuts,
fraying, wear or damage.
Seats:
Check seat position controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. to
ensure they operate smoothly and that all
latches lock securely in every position.
Check that the head restraints move up
and down smoothly and that the locks (if
so equipped) hold securely in all latched
positions.
Steering wheel: Check for changes in the
steering conditions, such as excessive free
play, hard steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes: Make sure that
all warning lights and chimes are operating
properly.
Windshield defroster: Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly
and in sufficient quantity when operating
the heater or air conditioner.
Windshield wiper and washer*: Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly
and that the wipers do not streak.
Under the hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should
be checked periodically (for example, each
time you check the engine oil or refuel). 12-volt battery*:
Check the fluid level in
each cell. It should be between the MAX
and MIN lines. Vehicles operated in high
temperatures or under severe condition
require frequent checks of the battery fluid
level.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential 12-volt battery
discharge and potential no-start condi-
tions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electro-
nic accessories that consume 12-volt
battery power when the engine is not
running (Phone chargers, GPS, DVD
players, etc.)
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or
only driven short distances.
In these cases, the 12-volt battery may
need to be charged to maintain 12-volt
battery health.
Brake fluid level*: Make sure that the
brake fluid level is between the MAX and
MIN lines on the reservoir.
Engine coolant level*: Check the coolant
level when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belts*: Make sure that no belt
8-6Maintenance and do-it-yourself
ing the service plug can cause severe
burns or electric shock that may result in
serious injury or death.
. The hybrid system uses high voltage up
to 408V. The system can be hot while
and after starting. Be careful of both the
high voltage and the high temperature.
Obey the caution labels attached to the
vehicle.
. Park the vehicle on a level surface, apply
the parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from
moving. Move the shift selector to P
(Park).
. Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF
or LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
. The engine can start at any time without
warning when the Hybrid System is in
the READY to drive mode. If you must
work with the Hybrid System in the
READY to drive mode, keep your hands,
clothing, hair and tools away from fans,
belts and any other parts that can move.
. It is advisable to secure or remove any
loose clothing and remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before
working on your vehicle. .
Always wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition key is in the OFF position and
the engine is not running. To avoid
injury, always disconnect the negative
battery cable before working near the
fan.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed space such as a garage, be
sure there is proper ventilation for
exhaust gases to escape.
. Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is
necessary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
. Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
CAUTION
.Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the hybrid system off
and wait until it cools down. .
Avoid direct contact with used engine oil
and coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, coolant, and/or other vehicle fluids
can damage the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for disposal
of vehicle fluid.
. Never leave the engine or the transmis-
sion related component harness connec-
tor disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. Never connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
This “8. Maintenance and do-it-yourself”
section gives instructions regarding only
those items which are relatively easy for an
owner to perform.
A genuine INFINITI Service Manual is also
available. (See “Owner’s Manual/Service
Manual order information” in the“9.
Technical and consumer information” sec-
tion.)
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
difficulties or excessive emissions, and
could affect your warranty coverage. If in
doubt about any servicing, we recommend