5-8Starting and driving
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 flat tire (for models with
spare tire)” (P.6-4) 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.
5-12Starting and driving
.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-
10).) 1. Apply the parking brake.
2.
Automatic Transmission (AT) model:
Move the shift lever to the P (Park) or N
(Neutral) position. (P is recommended.)
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the shift lever is in either of the
above positions.
Manual Transmission (MT) model:
Move the shift lever to the N (Neutral)
position. Depress the clutch pedal fully
to the floor.
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the clutch pedal is fully de-
pressed.
The Intelligent Key must be carried
when operating the ignition switch.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Depress the brake pedal (AT
model) or the clutch pedal (MT model)
and push the ignition switch to start
the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while
depressing the brake pedal or the
clutch pedal (MT model) with the
ignition switch in any position.
.If the engine is very hard to start inextremely cold weather or when restarting, depress the accelerator
pedal a little (approximately 1/3 to
the floor) and while holding, crank
the engine. Release the accelerator
pedal when the engine starts.
.If the engine is very hard to start
because it is flooded, depress the
accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and hold it. Push the ignition
switch to the ON position to start
cranking the engine. After 5 or 6
seconds, stop cranking by pushing
the ignition switch to OFF. After
cranking the engine, release the
accelerator pedal. Crank the engine
with your foot off the accelerator
pedal by depressing the brake pedal
and the clutch pedal (MT model) and
pushing the push-button ignition
switch to start the engine. If the
engine starts, but fails to run, repeat
the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than 15
seconds at a time. If the engine does not
start, push the ignition switch to OFF and
wait 10 seconds before cranking again,
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
SPA2331
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MOD-
ELS
To apply:Fully depress the parking brake
pedal
*1.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake
*2.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal
*1and the parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
SPA2110
MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODELS
To apply: Pull the parking brake lever up
*1.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. While pulling up on the parking brake lever slightly, push the button
*2and
lower the lever completely
*3.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning light goes out.
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE CONTROL
.If the cruise control system malfunc-
tions, it will cancel automatically. The
SET indicator on the dot matrix crystal
display will then blink to warn the
driver.
. If the engine coolant temperature be-
comes excessively high, the cruise
control system will be canceled auto-
matically.
. If the SET indicator blinks, turn the
cruise control main switch off and have
the system checked by your INFINITI
retailer.
. The SET indicator may sometimes blink
when the cruise control main switch is
turned ON while pushing the ACCELER-
ATE/RESUME, COAST/SET or CANCEL
switch. To properly set the cruise
control system, perform the steps
below in the order indicated.
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control when driving
under the following conditions:
. when it is not possible to keep the
vehicle at a set speed
Starting and driving5-21
CRUISE CONTROL
disengage. Turn the MAIN switch off
once and then turn it on again.
. The cruise control will automatically
cancel if the vehicle slows more than
8 MPH (12 km/h) below the set speed.
. If you depress the clutch pedal (Manual
Transmission models) or move the shift
lever to N (Neutral) position (Automatic
Transmission models), the cruise con-
trol will be canceled.
To reset at a faster cruising speed, use one
of the following methods:
. Depress the accelerator pedal. When
the vehicle attains the desired speed,
push and release the COAST/SET
switch.
. Push and hold the ACCELERATE/RE-
SUME switch. When the vehicle attains
the speed you desire, release the
switch.
. Push, then quickly release the ACCEL-
ERATE/RESUME switch. Each time you
do this, the set speed will increase by
about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h).
To reset at a slower cruising speed, use
one of the following methods:
. Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push the COAST/SET switch and release it.
. Push and hold the COAST/SET switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle
slows down to the desired speed.
. Push, then quickly release the COAST/
SET switch. Each time you do this, the
set speed will decrease by about 1 MPH
(1.6 km/h).
To resume the preset speed, push and
release the ACCELERATE/RESUME switch.
The vehicle will resume the last set
cruising speed when the vehicle speed is
over 25 MPH (40 km/h). The Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system
automatically maintains a selected dis-
tance from the vehicle traveling in front of
you according to that vehicle’s speed (up
to the set speed), or at the set speed when
the road ahead is clear.
The ICC function can be set to one of two
cruise control modes:
.
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance control
mode:
For maintaining a selected distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you up to the preset speed.
. Conventional (fixed speed) cruise con-
trol mode:
For cruising at a preset speed.
WARNING
. Always drive carefully and attentively
when using either cruise control mode.
Read and understand the Owner’s Man-
ual thoroughly before using the cruise
control. To avoid serious injury or death,
do not rely on the system to prevent
accidents or to control the vehicle’ s
speed in emergency situations. Do not
use cruise control except in appropriate
road and traffic conditions.
Starting and driving5-23
INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL (ICC)
SYSTEM (if so equipped)
5-26Starting and driving
on straight, dry, open roads with light
traffic. It is not advisable to use the
system in city traffic or congested areas.
. This system will not adapt automatically
to road conditions. This system should
be used in evenly flowing traffic. Do not
use the system on roads with sharp
curves, or on icy roads, in heavy rain or
in fog.
The distance sensor will not detect under
most conditions:
.Stationary and slow moving vehicles
. Pedestrians or objects in the roadway
. Oncoming vehicles in the same lane
. Motorcycles traveling offset in the travel
lane
This system will not automatically brake
the vehicle to a stop.
WARNING
. As there is a performance limit to the
distance control function, never rely
solely on the Intelligent Cruise Control
system. This system does not correct
careless, inattentive or absent-minded
driving, or overcome poor visibility in rain, fog, or other bad weather. Decele-
rate the vehicle speed by depressing the
brake pedal, depending on the distance
to the vehicle ahead and the surround-
ing circumstances in order to maintain a
safe distance between vehicles.
. Although the brake operation is con-
trolled by the system, the system does
not automatically stop the vehicle. If the
vehicle speed falls below approximately
20 MPH (32 km/h), the Intelligent Cruise
Control system is automatically canceled
and a warning chime sounds. (The brake
control is also canceled.)
. The system may not detect the vehicle in
front of you in certain road or weather
conditions. To avoid accidents, never use
the Intelligent Cruise Control system
under the following conditions:
—On roads where the traffic is heavy
or there are sharp curves
—On slippery road surfaces such as
on ice or snow, etc.
—During bad weather (rain, fog, snow,etc.)
When the windshield wiper is oper-
ated at the low speed (LO) or high speed (HI) position, the Intelligent
Cruise Control system is automati-
cally canceled.
—When strong light (for example, at
sunrise or sunset) is directly shining
on the front of the vehicle
—When rain, snow or dirt adhere tothe system sensor
—On steep downhill roads (the vehi-cle may go beyond the set vehicle
speed and frequent braking may
result in overheating the brakes)
—On repeated uphill and downhillroads
—When traffic conditions make itdifficult to keep a proper distance
between vehicles because of fre-
quent acceleration or deceleration
. In some road or traffic conditions, a
vehicle or object can unexpectedly come
into the sensor detection zone and cause
automatic braking. You may need to
control the distance from other vehicles
using the accelerator pedal. Always stay
alert and avoid using the ICC system
when it is not recommended in this
5-34Starting and driving
SSD0614
When the COAST/SET switch is pushed
under the following conditions, the system
cannot be set.
A warning chime will sound and the ICC
indicators will blink.
.When the VDC system is off (To use the
ICC system, turn on the VDC system.
Push the MAIN switch to turn off the ICC
system and reset the ICC switch by
pushing the MAIN switch again.)
For details about the VDC system, see
“Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) sys-
tem” (P.5-56).
. When ABS or VDC (including the trac-
tion control system) is operating .
When driving into a strong light (for
example, sunlight)
. When a wheel is slipping (To use the ICC
system, make sure the wheels are no
longer slipping. Push the MAIN switch
to turn off the ICC, and reset the ICC
system by pushing the MAIN switch
again.)
SSD0610
1. System set display with vehicle ahead
2. System set display without vehicleahead
System operation
WARNING
Normally when controlling the distance to a
vehicle ahead, this system automatically
accelerates or decelerates your vehicle
according to the speed of the vehicle ahead.
Depress the accelerator to properly accel-
erate your vehicle when acceleration is
required for a lane change. Depress the brake pedal when deceleration is required to
maintain a safe distance to the vehicle
ahead due to its sudden braking or if a
vehicle cuts in. Always stay alert when
using the ICC system.
The driver sets the desired vehicle speed
based on the road conditions. The ICC
system maintains the set vehicle speed,
similar to standard cruise control, as long
as no vehicle is detected in the lane ahead.
The ICC system displays the set speed.Vehicle detected ahead:
When a vehicle is detected in the lane
ahead, the ICC system decelerates the
vehicle by controlling the throttle and
applying the brakes to match the speed
of a slower vehicle ahead. The system then
controls the vehicle speed based on the
speed of the vehicle ahead to maintain the
driver selected distance.
The stoplights of the vehicle come on
when braking is performed by the ICC
system.
When the brake operates, a noise may be
heard. This is not a malfunction.
When a vehicle ahead is detected, the
vehicle ahead detection indicator comes
on. The ICC system will also display the set
speed and selected distance.
Vehicle ahead not detected:
When a vehicle is no longer detected
ahead, the ICC system gradually acceler-
ates your vehicle to resume the previously
set vehicle speed. The ICC system then
maintains the set speed.
When a vehicle is no longer detected the
vehicle ahead detection indicator turns off.
If a vehicle ahead appears during accel-
eration to the set vehicle speed or any time
Starting and driving5-35
SSD0284A
NOTE:
The approach warning chime may sound
and the system display may blink when
the ICC sensor detects some reflectors
*Awhich 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 speed falls below
approximately 20 MPH (32 km/h)
. When the shift lever is not in the D
(Drive), DS (Drive Sport) or manual shift
mode
. When the windshield wipers are oper-
ated at low speed (LO) or high speed
(HI)
. When the rain sensing auto wiper
system is operated and the wiper
speed is at least the same as the LO
(low ) position speed
. When the VDC is turned off
. When the VDC operates
SSD0614
Warning light and display
Condition A:
The chime sounds and the Intelligent
Cruise Control system is canceled auto-
matically in the conditions described be-
low. Part of the system display will come
on or blink, making it impossible to set.
.When the VDC is turned off
. When the ABS or VDC (including the
traction control system) operates
. When a tire slips
. When strong light (sunlight, etc.) is
directly shining on the front of the
vehicle
Starting and driving5-39