2014 INFINITI Q50 HYBRID service

those used on icy roads or to control dust.
It is very important to remove these
substances, otherwise rust will form on
the floor pan, frame, fuel lines and around
the exhaust system. At the end of winter,
the underbody should be thoroughly
flushed with plain water, being careful to
clean those areas where mud and dirt may
accumulate. For additional information,
see“Cleaning exterior” (P.7-2).
Windshield washer fluid*: Check that there
is adequate fluid in the reservoir. When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always take
care to prevent serious accidental injury to
yourself or damage to the vehicle. The
following are general precautions which
should be closely observed.
WARNING
.
This vehicle has high voltage DC and AC
systems as well as a 12-volt system. DC
and AC high voltage is very dangerous
and can cause severe burns and electric
shock that may result in serious injury or
death.
. Never touch, disassemble, remove or
replace the high voltage parts, har-
nesses and their connectors. High vol-
tage cables are orange. Touching,
disassembling, removing or replacing
those parts and harnesses can cause
severe burns or electric shock that may
result in serious injury or death.
. Never try to remove the service plug
located in the trunk room. The service
plug is used only when the vehicle is
serviced by trained technicians wearing
personal protection equipment and is
part of the high voltage system. Touch- ing the service plug can cause severe
burns or electric shock that may result in
serious injury or death.
. The INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid
®
System uses high voltage up to 408
volts. 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 lever 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.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS

8-6Maintenance and do-it-yourself
.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 of the 12-volt battery
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 the
12-volt 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 12-volt
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” (P.9-23).)
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
that it be done by an INFINITI retailer.

The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (blue) and 50% water to provide year-
round anti-freeze and coolant protection.
The anti-freeze solution contains rust and
corrosion inhibitors. Additional engine
cooling system additives are not neces-
sary.
WARNING
.Never remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Wait until the engine and
radiator cool down. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid escap-
ing from the radiator. See precautions in
“If your vehicle overheats” (P.6-7) of this
manual.
. The radiator is equipped with a pressure
type radiator cap. To prevent engine
damage, use only a genuine NISSAN
radiator cap.
CAUTION
.Never use any cooling system additives
such as radiator sealer. Additives may clog the cooling system and cause
damage to the engine, transmission
and/or cooling system.
. When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equiva-
lent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life Anti-
freeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted to
provide antifreeze protection to −348F
(−378C). If additional freeze protection is
needed due to weather where you
operate your vehicle, add Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(blue) concentrate following the direc-
tions on the container. If an equivalent
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is used,
follow the coolant manufacture’s instruc-
tions to maintain minimum antifreeze
protection to −348F(−378C). The use of
other types of coolant solutions other
than Genuine NISSAN Long Life Anti-
freeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent may
damage the engine cooling system.
. The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000 km)
or 7 years. Mixing any other type of
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue), including Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (green), or the use of non-
distilled water will reduce the life
expectancy of the factory-fill coolant.
Refer to the INFINITI Service and Main-
tenance Guide for more details.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-9
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM

8-10Maintenance and do-it-yourself
JVM0251X
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir
when the engine is cold. If the coolant
level is below MIN
*2, open the reservoir
tank cap and add coolant up to the MAX
*1
level. If the reservoir tank is empty, check
the coolant level in the radiator when the
engine is cold. If there is insufficient
coolant in the radiator, fill the radiator
with coolant up to the filler opening and
also add it to the reservoir tank up to the
MAX level
*1.
Tighten the cap securely after adding
engine coolant. If the cooling system requires coolant
frequently, have it checked by an INFINITI
retailer.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
Major cooling system repairs should be
performed by an INFINITI retailer. The
service procedures can be found in the
appropriate INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
.
To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
. Never remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Serious burns could be
caused by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator.
. Avoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner as
soon as possible.
. Keep coolant out of reach of children and
pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of
properly. Check your local regulations.

The inverter cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (blue) and 50% water to provide year-
round anti-freeze and coolant protection.
The antifreeze solution contains rust and
corrosion inhibitors. Additional inverter
cooling system additives are not neces-
sary.
WARNING
.Never remove the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine and inverter are hot.
Wait until the engine and inverter cool
down. Serious burns could be caused by
high pressure fluid escaping from the
radiator.
. The inverter reservoir is equipped with a
pressure type cap. To prevent engine and
inverter damage, use only a genuine
NISSAN inverter reservoir cap.
CAUTION
.Never use any additives in the coolant
such as radiator sealer in the cooling
system. This may cause damage to electrical equipment such as the motor
and inverter, and also to engine and
transmission.
. When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equiva-
lent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life Anti-
freeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted to
provide antifreeze protection to −348F
(−378C). If additional freeze protection is
needed due to weather where you
operate your vehicle, add Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(blue) concentrate following the direc-
tions on the container. If an equivalent
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is used,
follow the coolant manufatururer’s in-
structions to maintain minimum anti-
freeze protection to −348F(−378C). The
use of other types of coolant solutions
other than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent
may damage the inverter cooling sys-
tem.
. The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 125,000 miles (200,000 km)
or 15 years. Mixing any other type of
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue), including
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (green), or the use of non-
distilled water will reduce the life
expectancy of the factory-fill coolant.
Refer to the INFINITI Service and Main-
tenance Guide for more details.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-11
INVERTER COOLING SYSTEM

8-12Maintenance and do-it-yourself
JVM0326X
CHECKING INVERTER COOLANT LE-
VEL
Check the coolant level in the reservoir
when the engine and inverter are cold. If
the coolant level is below the MIN level
*B,
add coolant to the MAX level
*A.
If the inverter cooling system frequently
requires coolant, have it checked by an
INFINITI retailer.
CHANGING INVERTER COOLANT
An INFINITI ratailer can change the inverter
coolant. The service procedure can be
found in the INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in inverter
overheating.
WARNING
. To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
inverter is hot.
. Never remove the cap when the inverter
is hot. Serious burns could be caused by
high pressure fluid escaping from the
inverter coolant reservoir.
. Avoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner as
soon as possible.
. Keep coolant out of the reach of children
and pets.
Inverter coolant must be disposed of
properly. Check your local regulations.
SDI2045
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and
apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operat- ing temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than 15
minutes for the oil to drain back into
the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Reinsert it all the way.
5. Remove the dipstick again and check the oil level. It should be within the
range
*1. If the oil level is below*2,
remove the oil filler cap and pour
ENGINE OIL

WARNING
Be sure the engine and the ignition switch
are off and that the parking brake is
engaged securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to remove
the spark plugs. An incorrect socket can
damage the spark plugs.
SDI2020
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
If replacement is required, see an INFINITI
retailer for servicing.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace the iridium-
tipped spark plugs as frequently as the
conventional type spark plugs since they
will last much longer. Follow the main-
tenance schedule in“INFINITI Service and
Maintenance Guide” , but do not reuse
them by cleaning or regapping. Always replace spark plugs with recom-
mended or equivalent ones.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-19
SPARK PLUGS

8-22Maintenance and do-it-yourself
maged from wind pressure.If the brakes do not operate properly, have
the brakes checked by an INFINITI retailer.
SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjust-
ing brakes.
The disc-type brakes self-adjust every time
the brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
See an INFINITI retailer for a brake system
check if the brake pedal height does not
return to normal.
BRAKE PAD WEAR WARNING
The disc brake pads have audible wear
warnings. When a brake pad requires
replacement, it will make a high pitched
scraping sound when the vehicle is in
motion. This scraping sound will first occur
only when the brake pedal is depressed.
After more wear of the brake pad, the
sound will always be heard even if the
brake pedal is not depressed. Have the
brakes checked as soon as possible if the
wear warning sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is
normal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.
For additional information,
see the maintenance log section of your
“INFINITI Service and Maintenance Guide”
for maintenance intervals.
BRAKES