5-8Starting and driving
Maintenance and do-it-yourself”section of
this manual.
If a tire rapidly loses air pressure or
“blows-out” while driving maintain control
of the vehicle by following the procedure
below. Please note that this procedure is
only a general guide. The vehicle must be
driven as appropriate based on the condi-
tions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the
chance of losing control of the vehicle if
there is a sudden loss of tire air pressure.
Losing control of the vehicle may cause a
collision and result in personal injury.
. The vehicle generally moves or pulls in
the direction of the flat tire.
. Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
. Do not rapidly release the accelerator
pedal.
. Do not rapidly turn the steering wheel.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering
wheel with both hands and try to hold a straight course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the accelerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe location off the road and away from
traffic if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradu- ally stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and either contact a roadside emer-
gency service to change the tire or see
“Changing a flat tire” in the“6. In case
of emergency” section of this Owner’s
Manual.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alcohol or
drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream reduces
coordination, delays reaction time and im-
pairs judgement. Driving after drinking
alcohol increases the likelihood of being
involved in an accident injuring yourself and
others. Additionally, if you are injured in an accident, alcohol can increase the severity
of the injury.
INFINITI is committed to safe driving.
However, you must choose not to drive
under the influence of alcohol. Every year
thousands of people are injured or killed in
alcohol-related accidents. Although the
local laws vary on what is considered to
be legally intoxicated, the fact is that
alcohol affects all people differently and
most people underestimate the effects of
alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix!
And that is true for drugs, too (over-the-
counter, prescription, and illegal drugs).
Don’t drive if your ability to operate your
vehicle is impaired by alcohol, drugs, or
some other physical condition.
INTELLIGENT ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
(AWD) DRIVING SAFETY PRECAU-
TIONS
WARNING
. Do not drive beyond the performance
capability of the tires, even with Intelli-
gent AWD engaged. Accelerating quickly,
sharp steering maneuvers or sudden
braking may cause loss of control.
. Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Install tire chains on the rear
wheels when driving on slippery roads
and drive carefully.
. This vehicle is not designed for offroad
(rough road) use. Do not drive on sandy
or muddy roads that tires may get stuck
in.
. For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any D (Drive) or R (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 states for emissions testing), or
similar equipment even if the other two
wheels are raised off the ground. Make sure you inform test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with AWD
before it is placed on a dynamometer.
Using the wrong test equipment may
result in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage or
personal injury.
. When a wheel is off the ground due to an
unlevel surface, do not spin the wheel
excessively.WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in an
emergency. (The engine will stop when the
ignition switch is pushed 3 consecutive
times or the ignition switch is pushed and
held for more than 2 seconds.) If the engine
stops while the vehicle is being driven, this
could lead to a crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the selector lever
to the P (Park) position.
Starting and driving5-9
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
If the battery of the vehicle is discharged,
the push-button ignition switch cannot be
turned from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for opera-
tion are displayed on the dot matrix liquid
crystal display between the speedometer
and tachometer. (See“Dot matrix liquid
crystal display” in the“2. Instruments and
controls” section.)
The ignition lock is designed so that the
ignition switch position cannot be switched
to LOCK until the selector lever is moved to
the P (Park) position.
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed
toward the LOCK position, proceed as
follows:
1. Move the selector lever into the P (Park) position.
2. Push the ignition switch to the OFF position. The ignition switch position
indicator will not illuminate.
3. Open the door. The ignition switch will change to the LOCK position.
The selector lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in
the ON position and the brake pedal is
depressed.STEERING LOCK (if so equipped)
In order for the steering wheel to be
locked, it must be turned about 1/8 of a
right or left turn from the straight up
position.
To lock the steering wheel, push the
ignition switch to the OFF position. To
unlock the steering wheel, push the
ignition switch. If the steering lock release
malfunction indicator appears on the dot
matrix liquid crystal display, push the
push-button ignition switch again while
lightly turning the steering wheel right
and left. (See “Dot matrix liquid crystal
display” in the“2. Instruments and con-
trols” section.)
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position)
The ignition switch can only be locked in
this position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when
it is pushed to the ACC position while
carrying the Intelligent Key.
ACC (Accessories)
This position activates electrical acces-
sories such as the radio, when the engine
is not running.
ON (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the ignition system
and electrical accessories.
OFF
The engine can be turned off in this
position.
The ignition lock is designed so that the
ignition switch cannot be switched to the
LOCK position until the selector lever is
moved to the P (Park) position.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the push-
button ignition switch in ACC or ON posi-
tions when the engine is not running for an
extended period. This can discharge the
battery.
Starting and driving5-11
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
or may automatically shift to the other
gear. This helps maintain driving per-
formance and reduces the chance of
vehicle damage or loss of control.
. When the transmission does not shift
to the selected gear, the Automatic
Transmission (AT) position indicator
light (on the dot matrix liquid crystal
display) will blink and the buzzer 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
Starting and driving5-17
5-18Starting and driving
normal operating condition, have an
INFINITI retailer check the transmission
and repair if necessary.
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.
Adaptive Shift Control (ASC)
The adaptive shift control system automa-
tically operates when the transmission is
in the "D" (drive) position and selects an
appropriate gear depending on the road
conditions such as uphill, downhill or
curving roads.
5-20Starting and driving
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
drive mode select switch to the
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.
INFINITI DRIVE MODE SELECTOR
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
Starting and driving5-21
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)
Starting and driving5-23
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)
SYSTEM/LANE DEPARTURE PREVENTION
(LDP) SYSTEM (if so equipped)