2014 INFINITI Q50-HYBRID engine

5-4Starting and driving
THREE-WAY CATALYST
The three-way catalyst is an emission
control device installed in the exhaust
system. Exhaust gases in the three-way
catalyst are burned at high temperatures to
help reduce pollutants.
WARNING
.The exhaust gas and the exhaust system
are very hot. Keep people, animals or
flammable materials away from the
exhaust system components.
. 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.
CAUTION
.Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously reduce
the three-way catalyst’s ability to help
reduce exhaust pollutants.
. Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunctions
in the ignition, fuel injection, or elec-
trical systems can cause overrich fuel flow into the three-way catalyst, causing
it to overheat. Do not keep driving if the
engine misfires, or if noticeable loss of
performance or other unusual operating
conditions are detected. Have the vehicle
inspected promptly by an INFINITI retai-
ler.
. Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel
level. Running out of fuel could cause
the engine to misfire, damaging the
three-way catalyst.
. Do not race the engine while warming it
up.
. Do not push or tow your vehicle to start
the hybrid system.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYS-
TEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.) As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or
more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. Accordingly, when the low tire
pressure telltale illuminates, you should
stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability.
If the vehicle is being driven with one or
more flat tires, the low tire pressure
warning light will illuminate continuously
and a chime will sound for 10 seconds. The
“Flat Tire - Visit dealer”
warning will also
appear in the vehicle information display.
The chime will only sound at the first
indication of a flat tire, and the warning
light will illuminate continuously. When the
flat tire warning is activated, have the
system reset and the tire checked and
replaced if necessary by an INFINITI retai-
ler. Even if the tire is inflated to the
specified COLD tire pressure, the warning

JVS0264X
INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY DIS-
CHARGE
If the battery of the Intelligent Key is
discharged, or environmental conditions
interfere with the Intelligent Key operation,
start the hybrid system according to the
following procedure:
1. Move the shift lever to the P (Park)position.
2. Firmly apply the foot brake.
3. Touch the ignition switch with the Intelligent Key as illustrated. (A chime
will sound.) 4. Push the ignition switch while depres-
sing the brake pedal within 10 seconds
after the chime sounds. The hybrid
system will start.
After step 3 is performed, when the
ignition switch is pushed without depres-
sing the brake pedal, the ignition switch
position will change to ACC.
NOTE:
. When the ignition switch is pushed to
the ACC or ON position or the hybrid
system is started by the above proce-
dures, the Intelligent Key battery dis-
charge indicator appears in the vehicle
information display even if the Intelli-
gent Key is inside the vehicle. This is
not a malfunction. To turn off the
Intelligent Key battery discharge indi-
cator, touch the ignition switch with
the Intelligent Key again.
. If the Intelligent Key battery discharge
indicator appears, replace the battery
as soon as possible. (See “Intelligent
Key battery replacement” (P.8-25).).
Make sure the area around the vehicle
is clear.
. Check fluid levels such as engine oil,
coolant, brake fluid and window
washer fluid as frequently as possible,
or at least whenever you refuel.
. Check that all windows and lights are
clean.
. Visually inspect tires for their appear-
ance and condition. Also check tires for
proper inflation.
. Lock all doors.
. Position seat and adjust head re-
straints.
. Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
. Fasten seat belts and ask all passen-
gers to do likewise.
. Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is pushed to
the ON position. (See “Warning/indica-
tor lights and audible reminders” (P.2-
12).)
Starting and driving5-13
BEFORE STARTING THE INFINITI DIRECT
RESPONSE HYBRID®SYSTEM

5-14Starting and driving
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to P (Park) posi-tion.
The INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid
®
System is designed not to operate if
the shift lever is not in the P (Park)
position.
3. Depress the brake pedal and push the ignition switch to start the hybrid
system. The READY to drive indicator
light will illuminate on the meter.
When starting the hybrid system at
very low outside temperatures, the
READY to drive indicator light will flash
and it may take longer for the READY to
drive indicator light to illuminate.
. The hybrid system may not start even
with the READY to drive indicator light
illuminated. Once the READY to drive
indicator light is illuminated you may
begin driving the vehicle.
. You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment when the brake pedal is
depressed with the hybrid system off.
This does not indicate a problem.
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 hybrid system
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.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
The automatic transmission in your vehicle
is electronically controlled by a transmis-
sion control module to produce maximum
efficiency and smooth operation.
Shown on the following pages are the
recommended operating procedures for
this transmission. Follow these procedures
for maximum vehicle performance and
driving enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle
After starting the INFINITI Direct Response
Hybrid®System, fully depress the foot
brake pedal and push the shift lever button
before shifting the shift lever to the R
(Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive) or Manual
shift mode position. Be sure the vehicle is
fully stopped before attempting to shift the
shift lever.
This Automatic Transmission (AT) model is
designed so that the foot brake pedal
must be depressed before shifting from P
(Park) to any drive position while the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of the
P (Park) position and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition switch is
pushed to the LOCK, OFF or ACC position.
STARTING THE INFINITI DIRECT RESPONSE
HYBRID®SYSTEM DRIVING THE VEHICLE

1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressedand push the shift lever button to shift
into a driving gear.
2. Release the parking brake and foot brake, then gradually start the vehicle
in motion.
WARNING
. Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N
(Neutral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or
manual shift mode. Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
. Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
. Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse)
while vehicle is moving forward. Never
shift to P (Park) or D (Drive) while vehicle
is moving rearward. Failure to do so
could cause you to lose control and have
an accident.
CAUTION
.When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this
purpose.
. Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
. Except in an emergency, do not shift to
the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
JVS0186X
Shift lever
To move the shift lever,
: Push the button while depressing the brake pedal,
: Push the button,
: Just move the shift lever.
Shifting
After starting the hybrid system, fully
depress the brake pedal and shift the shift
lever from P (Park) to R (Reverse), N
(Neutral), D (Drive) or Manual shift mode
position.
Push the button to shift into P (Park) or R
(Reverse). All other positions can be
selected without pushing the button.
Starting and driving5-15

transmission shifts to the lower range.
When canceling the manual shift mode,
return the shift lever to the D (Drive)
position. The transmission returns to the
normal driving mode.
When you pull the paddle shifter (if so
equipped) while in the D (Drive) position,
the transmission will shift to the upper or
lower range temporarily. 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 in the vehicle information dis-
play.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
1M?
/2M?
/3M?
/ 4M?
/5M?
/ 6M?
/7M
7M(7th):
Use this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
6
M(6th) and 5M(5th):
Use these positions when driving up long
slopes, or for engine braking when driving down long slopes.
4
M(4th), 3M(3rd) and 2M(2nd):
Use these positions for hill climbing or
engine braking on downhill grades.
1
M(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 shift 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 (in
the vehicle information 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

Control on winding roads:
A low gear is maintained on continuous
curves that involve repeated acceleration
and deceleration, so that smooth accelera-
tion is available instantly when the accel-
erator pedal is depressed.
NOTE:
.Adaptive shift control may not operate
when the transmission oil temperature
is low immediately after the start of
driving or when it is very hot.
. During some driving situations, hard
braking for example, the adaptive shift
control may automatically operate. The
transmission may automatically shift
to a lower gear for re-acceleration. This
increases engine speed but not vehicle
speed. Vehicle speed is controlled by
the accelerator pedal when the vehicle
is in the Adaptive shift control mode.
. When the adaptive shift control oper-
ates, the transmission sometimes
maintains a lower gear for a longer
period of time than when adaptive shift
control is not operating. Engine speed
will be higher for a specific vehicle
speed while ASC system is operating
than when ASC is not operating.NAVI Shift Control (if so equipped)
NAVI Shift Control automatically adjusts
the Automatic Transmission (AT) gear posi-
tion in certain situations based on road
information from the navigation system.
When the navigation system detects that
the vehicle is approaching a curved road,
NAVI Shift Control will adjust the gear
position if needed to help the driver run
through the curve smoothly.
Precaution on NAVI Shift Control:
. The NAVI Shift Control does not provide
steering input or automated driving on
a curve. It is not a speed limit support
system and will not modify your speed
according to local speed limits.
. The NAVI Shift Control is a convenient
system intended to help the vehicle
move through a curve smoothly. How-
ever, the driver must always drive
safely and use the brake pedal if
needed.
. The NAVI Shift Control may be delayed
or not operate properly in the following
situations, because this function uses
the road information provided by the
navigation system. —
When the navigation system cannot
accurately detect the location of the
vehicle.
— When the vehicle is driving on a
roadway that is not recognized by
the navigation system.
— When the actual roadway differs
from the map information on the
navigation system due to road con-
struction, traffic lane obstructions,
etc.
. The NAVI Shift Control may not operate
properly in the following situations:
— If the vehicle’s transmission, engine,
hybrid system and/or navigation
system, and/or GPS is malfunction-
ing.
— If the vehicle speed is higher than
74 MPH (120 km/h) or lower than
37 MPH (60 km/h) and/or transmis-
sion gear is outside the operating
range of the system.
— When the vehicle is driving on a
freeway.
— When the vehicle is driving on a
gentle curve
— When the vehicle is driving with the
shift lever except in the D (Drive)
position.
Starting and driving5-19

JVS0189X
INFINITI Drive Mode Selector
JVS0191M
Five driving modes can be selected by
using the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector
(PERSONAL, SPORT, STANDARD, ECO and
SNOW).
NOTE:
When the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector
selects a mode, the mode may not switch
immediately. This is not a malfunction.
The current mode is displayed in the
vehicle information display.
To change the mode, push the INFINITI
Drive Mode Selector up or down. The mode
list will appear on the upper display and
you can select the mode.
PERSONALÛSPORT ÛSTANDARD ÛECO
Û SNOW
NOTE:
The mode list will be turned off in
approximately 5 seconds after the mode
is selected.
STANDARD MODE
Allows for optimum driving according to
the driving conditions.
This mode will be selected first each time
the INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid
®Sys-
tem is started.
SPORT MODE
Adjusts the engine and transmission
points for a higher response. The setting
of the steering system is adjusted to
provide a quick steering response and a
heavy steering effort.
NOTE:
In the SPORT mode, fuel economy may be
reduced.
SNOW MODE
Changes the engine characteristics to aid
driving on slippery roads.
ECO MODE
Assists the driver’s eco-driving. The engine
and transmission points are adjusted for
improved fuel economy, providing such a
driving features as smooth starting or
constant cruising.
NOTE:
Selecting the ECO mode will not necessa-
rily improve fuel economy as many driving
factors influence its effectiveness.
Operation
Select the ECO mode using the INFINITI
Drive Mode Selector. The ECO drive indi-
cator light on the instrument panel illumi-
Starting and driving5-21
INFINITI DRIVE MODE SELECTOR

JVS0246X
Setting ECO pedal reaction force:
1. Push the MENU button
*1and touch
[Settings] on the lower display.
2. Touch [Drive Mode Enhancement].
3. Touch [ECO Pedal].
4. To set the reaction force of the ECO pedal system, touch [Standard] or
[Soft].
5. To turn off the ECO pedal system, touch [OFF].
When the ECO pedal system is turned off,
the accelerator will operate normally.
PERSONAL MODE
When the PERSONAL mode is selected, the
following functions can be adjusted indivi-
dually.
. Engine·Transmission
. Steering
. Active Trace Control
JVS0246X
How to set the PERSONAL mode
Perform the following steps to set the
PERSONAL mode.
1. Push the MENU button
*1and touch
[Infiniti Drive Mode Selector] on the
lower display.
2. Touch [Engine·Transmission], [Steering] or [Active Trace Control] and select each
item. (See “Engine·Transmission” ,
“Steering” and“Active Trace Control”
about the feature of each item.)
3. Touch [Back] or [Home] to finish the PERSONAL mode setting.
Starting and driving5-23