2014 INFINITI QX50 Owner's Manual

5-12Starting and driving
SSD0785
INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY DIS-
CHARGE
If the battery of the Intelligent Key is
almost discharged, the guide light
*Bof
the Intelligent Key port
*Ablinks and the
indicator appears on the dot matrix liquid
crystal display. (See “Dot matrix liquid
crystal display” (P.2-19).)
In this case, inserting the Intelligent Key
into the port
*1allows you to start the
engine. Make sure that the key ring side
faces backward as illustrated. Insert the
Intelligent Key in the port until it is latched
and secured. To remove the Intelligent Key from the port,
push the ignition switch to the OFF position
and pull the Intelligent Key out of the port.
NOTE:
The Intelligent Key port does not charge
the Intelligent Key battery. If you see the
low battery indicator in the dot matrix
liquid crystal display, replace the battery
as soon as possible. (See
“Intelligent Key
battery replacement” (P.8-24).)
CAUTION
.Never place anything except the Intelli-
gent Key in the Intelligent Key port.
Doing so may cause damage to the
equipment.
. Make sure the Intelligent Key is in the
correct direction when inserting it to the
Intelligent Key port. The engine may not
start if it is in the incorrect direction.
. Remove the Intelligent Key from the
Intelligent Key port after the ignition
switch is pushed to the OFF position.
.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).)
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE

1. Apply the parking brake.
2. 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.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Depress the brake pedal 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 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 startbecause 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 pushing the push-button igni-
tion 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,
otherwise the starter could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of 2 - 3 minutes before
shutting it off. Starting and stopping
the engine over a short period of time
may make the vehicle more difficult to
start. 5. To stop the engine, shift the shift lever
to the P (Park) position and push the
ignition switch to the OFF position.
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.
Starting and driving5-13
STARTING THE ENGINE

5-14Starting and driving
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
7 speed 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 engine, 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), DS (Drive
Sport) or Manual shift mode position. Be
sure the vehicle is fully stopped before
attempting to shift the shift lever.
This automatic transmission 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 position is ON.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.
1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed
and 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), DS
(Drive Sport) 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), D (Drive) or DS (Drive Sport) while vehicle is moving rearward.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
CAUTION
.
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.
. 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.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE

SSD0712
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 engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and shift the shift lever from P
(Park) to R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive),
DS (Drive Sport) 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.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shift lever is
in any position while the engine is not
running. Failure to do so could cause the
vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll away
and result in serious personal injury or
property damage.
CAUTION
Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped
and the transmission is in the P (Park)
position.
P (Park) position:
Use this position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped. The
brake pedal must be depressed and the
shift lever button pushed in to move the
shift lever from the N (Neutral) position or
any drive position to the P (Park) position.
Apply the parking brake. When parking on
a hill, apply the parking brake first, then
move the shift lever to the P (Park) position.
CAUTION
Use this position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Always be
sure the vehicle is completely stopped
before selecting the R (Reverse) position.
The brake pedal must be depressed and
the shift lever button pushed in to move
the shift lever from the P (Park) position,
the N (Neutral) position or any drive
position to the R (Reverse) position.
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is en-
gaged. The engine can be started in this
position. You may shift to the N (Neutral)
position and restart a stalled engine while
the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward
driving.
Starting and driving5-15

5-16Starting and driving
DS (Drive Sport) mode
Move the shift lever from D (Drive) to the
left into the manual shift gate. The
transmission position indicator in the
meter shows“DS”.
In the DS (Drive Sport) mode, the transmis-
sion changes to the “sporty”driving shift
operation, creating a more aggressive
acceleration feeling than the D (Drive)
mode and providing a gear change sensa-
tion when the driver accelerates quickly.
When the driver selects the manual shift
mode using the shift lever during the DS
(Drive Sport) mode operation, the driver
must move the shift lever from DS (Drive
Sport) to D (Drive) and back again to re-
select the DS (Drive Sport) mode.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is in the DS (Drive
Sport) position, the transmission is ready
for the manual shift mode. Shift ranges can
be selected manually by moving the shift
lever up or down.
When shifting up, move the shift lever to
the + (up) side. The transmission shifts to
the higher range.
When shifting down, move the shift lever to the
−(down) side. The 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.
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 this position for all normal forward
driving at highway speeds.
M6 (6th) andM5 (5th):
Use these positions 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 shift lever rapidly to the
same side twice will shift the ranges in
succession. However, if this motion is
done rapidly, the second shifting may
not be completed properly.
. In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear
or may automatically shift to the other
gear depending on conditions. This
helps maintain driving performance
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
normal operating condition, have an
INFINITI retailer check the transmission
and repair if necessary.
SSD0713
Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged,
the shift lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed and the shift lever button
pushed.
To move the shift lever, perform the
following procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF or
LOCK 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 shift lever button
*Cand
move the shift lever to N (Neutral)
position
*Dwhile holding down the
shift lock.
Push the ignition switch to the ON posi-
tion. Now the vehicle may be moved to the
desired location.
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) and "DS" (Drive Sport)
position and selects an appropriate gear
depending on the road conditions such as
uphill, downhill or curving roads.
Control on uphill and curving roads:
A low gear is maintained that suits the
degree of the slope or curve to allow
smooth driving with a small number of
shifts.
Starting and driving5-17

5-18Starting and driving
Control on downhill roads:
The adaptive shift control system shifts to
a low gear that suits the degree of the
slope, and uses the engine braking to
reduce the number of times that the brake
must be used.
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 engine braking. 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.WARNING
.
Be sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
. Do not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
. Do not use the gear shift in place of the
parking brake. When parking, be sure
the parking brake is fully engaged.
. Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the parking
brake and cause an accident.
PARKING BRAKE

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. 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 (72
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 with 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 of the
traveling lane by applying brake control
to the left or right wheels individually
(for a short period of time).
SSD0697
SSD1166
Starting and driving5-19
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)
SYSTEM/LANE DEPARTURE PREVENTION
(LDP) SYSTEM (if so equipped)