8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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).
Battery*: Check the fluid level in each cell.
It should be between the MAX and MIN
lines. Vehicles operated in high tempera- tures 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 battery dis-
charge and potential no-start conditions
such as:
1.
Installation or extended use of electro-
nic accessories that consume 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 battery may need to be
charged to maintain 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
is frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level*: Check the level after
parking the vehicle on a level spot and
turning off the engine. Wait more than 15
minutes for the oil to drain back into the oil pan.
Exhaust system:
Make sure there are no
loose supports, cracks or holes. If the
sound of the exhaust seems unusual or
there is a smell of exhaust fumes, im-
mediately have the exhaust system in-
spected by an INFINITI retailer. (See
“Precautions when starting and driving”
(P.5-3).)
Fluid leaks: Check under the vehicle for
fuel, oil, water or other fluid leaks after the
vehicle has been parked for a while. Water
dripping from the air conditioner after use
is normal. If you should notice any leaks or
if gasoline fumes are evident, check for the
cause and have it corrected immediately.
Power steering fluid level* and lines:
Check the level when the fluid is cold,
with the engine off. Check the lines for
proper attachment, leaks, cracks, etc.
Radiator and hoses: Check the front of the
radiator and clean off any dirt, insects,
leaves, etc., that may have accumulated.
Make sure the hoses have no cracks,
deformation, rot or loose connections.
Underbody: The underbody is frequently
exposed to corrosive substances such as
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
.
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.
. Never connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
. Never leave the engine or automatic
transmission related component har-
nesses disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
. If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, clothing, hair
and tools away from moving fans, belts
and any other moving parts. .
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.
. 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 fuel tank and the
battery.
. 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.
. The fuel filter or fuel lines should be
serviced by an INFINITI retailer because
the fuel lines are under high pressure
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
JVM0250X
1. Battery
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Power steering fluid reservoir (if soequipped)
5. Air cleaner
6. Radiator filler cap
7 Engine coolant reservoir
8 Engine oil dipstick
9 Engine drive belt location
10 Fuse/fusible link holder
11 Window washer fluid reservoir
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-7
CAUTION
.Do not ground accessories directly to the
battery terminal. Doing so will bypass
the variable voltage control system and
the vehicle battery may not charge
completely.
. Use electrical accessories with the en-
gine running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery.
The variable voltage control system mea-
sures the amount of electrical discharge
from the battery and controls voltage
generated by the generator.SDI2119
Type A
1. Power steering fluid pump
2. Alternator
3. Crankshaft pulley
4. Air conditioner compressor
5. Drive belt auto-tensioner
JVM0243X
Type B
1. Alternator
2. Crankshaft pulley
3. Air conditioner compressor
4. Drive belt auto-tensioner
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or
LOCK position before servicing drive belts.
The engine could rotate unexpectedly.
1. Visually inspect each belt for signs of
unusual wear, cuts, fraying or loosen-
ess. If the belt is in poor condition or
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-17
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL SYSTEM DRIVE BELTS
8-18Maintenance and do-it-yourself
loose, have it replaced or adjusted by
an INFINITI retailer.
2. Have the belts checked regularly for condition and tension in accordance
with the maintenance schedule in your
“INFINITI Service and Maintenance
Guide”.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.
SPARK PLUGS
.The original tires have built-in
tread wear indicators. When wear
indicators are visible, the tire(s)
should be replaced.
. Tires degrade with age and use.
Have tires, including the spare,
over 6 years old checked by a
qualified technician, because
some tire damage may not be
obvious. Replace the tires as
necessary to prevent tire failure
and possible personal injury.
. Improper service of the spare tire
may result in serious personal
injury. If it is necessary to repair
the spare tire, contact an INFINITI
retailer.
. For additional information regard-
ing tires, refer to “Important Tire
Safety Information ”(US) or “Tire
Safety Information ”(Canada) in
the Warranty Information Booklet.Replacing wheels and tires
When replacing a tire, use the same size,
tread design, speed rating and load carry-
ing capacity as originally equipped. (See
“Specifications” (P.9-8) for recommended
types and sizes of tires and wheels.)
WARNING
. The use of tires other than those
recommended or the mixed use of tires
of different brands, construction (bias,
bias-belted, radial or run-flat), or tread
patterns can adversely affect the ride,
braking, handling, ground clearance,
body-to-tire clearance, tire chain clear-
ance, speedometer calibration, head-
light aim and bumper height. Some of
these effects may lead to accidents and
could result in serious personal injury.
. For Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models, if
your vehicle was originally equipped
with 4 tires that were the same size
and you are only replacing 2 of the 4
tires, install the new tires on the rear
axle. Placing new tires on the front axle
may cause loss of vehicle control in
some driving conditions and cause an accident and personal injury.
. If the wheels are changed for any
reason, always replace with wheels
which have the same off-set dimension.
Wheels of a different off-set could cause
premature tire wear, degrade vehicle
handling characteristics and/or interfer-
ence with the brake discs/drums. Such
interference can lead to decreased brak-
ing efficiency and/or early brake pad/
shoe wear. See “Wheels and tires” (P.9-
9) of this manual for wheel off-set
dimensions.
. 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 install a damaged or deformed
wheel or tire even if it has been repaired.
Such wheels or tires could have struc-
tural damage and could fail without
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-39
8-40Maintenance and do-it-yourself
warning.
. The use of retread tire is not recom-
mended.
. For additional information regarding
tires, refer to “Important Tire Safety
Information” (US) or“Tire Safety Infor-
mation” (Canada) in the Warranty Infor-
mation Booklet.
Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
models
CAUTION
. Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Failure to do so may result in a
circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles which will
cause excessive tire wear and may
damage the transmission, transfer case
and differential gears.
. ONLY use spare tires specified for the
Intelligent AWD model.
If excessive tire wear is found, it is recommended that all four tires be re-
placed with tires of the same size, brand,
construction and tread pattern. The tire
pressure and wheel alignment should also
be checked and corrected as necessary.
Contact an INFINITI retailer.
Wheel balance
Unbalanced wheels may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Even with regular
use, wheels can get out of balance. There-
fore, they should be balanced as required.
Wheel balance service should be per-
formed with the wheels off the vehicle.
Spin balancing the wheels on the vehicle
could lead to mechanical damage.
For additional information regarding tires,
refer to
“Important Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Information” (Canada)
in the INFINITI Warranty Information Book-
let.
Care of wheels
See “Cleaning exterior” (P.7-2) for details
about care of the wheels.
Spare tire (TEMPORARY USE ONLY
(T-type) spare tire) (if so equipped)
When a spare tire is mounted (TEMPORARY
USE ONLY), the Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) will not function.
Observe the following precautions if the
TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire must be
used, otherwise your vehicle could be
damaged or involved in an accident.
WARNING
. The TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire
should be used for emergency use. It
should be replaced with the standard
tire at the first opportunity to avoid
possible tire or differential damage.
. Drive carefully while the TEMPORARY
USE ONLY spare tire is installed. Avoid
sharp turns and abrupt braking while
driving.
. Periodically check spare tire inflation
pressure. Always keep the pressure of
the TEMPORARY USE ONLY spare tire at
60 psi (420 kPa, 4.2 bar). Always keep
the pressure of the full size spare tire (if
so equipped) at the recommended pres-
sure for standard tires, as indicated on
9-16Technical and consumer information
WARNING
.It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area inside the vehicle.
In a collision, people riding in
these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed.
.Do not allow people to ride in any
area of vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and seat
belts.
.Be sure everyone in your vehicle is
in a seat and using a seat belt
properly.
TERMS
It is important to familiarize yourself
with the following terms before
loading your vehicle:
.Curb Weight (actual weight of yourvehicle) - vehicle weight includ-
ing: standard and optional equip-
ment, fluids, emergency tools,
and spare tire assembly. This weight
does not include passen-
gers and cargo.
.GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - curb weight plus the combined weight
of passengers and cargo.
.GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-ing) - maximum total combined
weight of the unloaded vehicle,
passengers, luggage, hitch, trailer
tongue load and any other op-
tional equipment. This informa-
tion is located on the F.M.V.S.S./
C.M.V.S.S. label.
.GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) -maximum weight (load) limit spe-
cified for the front or rear axle.
This information is located on the
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. label.
.GCWR (Gross Combined WeightRating) - The maximum total
weight rating of the vehicle, pas-
sengers, cargo, and trailer.
.Vehicle Capacity Weight, Loadlimit, Total load capacity - max-
imum total weight limit specified of the load (passengers and car-
go) for the vehicle. This is the
maximum combined weight of
occupants and cargo that can be
loaded into the vehicle. If the
vehicle is used to tow a trailer,
the trailer tongue weight must be
included as part of the cargo load.
This information is located on the
Tire and Loading Information la-
bel.
.Cargo capacity - permissible
weight of cargo, the weight of
total occupants weight subtracted
from the load limit.
VEHICLE LOADING INFORMATION