2014 INFINITI QX80 transmission

D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward
driving.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is in the manual shift
gate, 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 this position 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.
. 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
light (in the vehicle information dis-
play) 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.
Starting and driving5-19

5-20Starting and driving
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 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.
SSD0946
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 orLOCK 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.
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.

5-100Starting and driving
.Keep your engine tuned up.
. Follow the recommended scheduled
maintenance.
. Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure. Low tire pressure increases
tire wear and lowers fuel economy.
. Keep the wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
. Use the recommended viscosity engine
oil. (See “Engine oil and oil filter
recommendation” in the“9. Technical
and consumer information” section.)
WARNING
.Do not attempt to raise two wheels off
the ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in serious
vehicle damage or personal injury.
. Do not attempt to test a 4WD equipped
vehicle on a 2-wheel dynamometer or
similar equipment even if the other two
wheels are raised off the ground. Make
sure you inform test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with 4WD
before it is placed on a dynamometer.
Using the wrong test equipment may
result in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage or
personal injury.
CAUTION
.Do not drive the vehicle in the 4HI or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads.
Driving on dry, hard surfaces in 4HI or 4LO may cause unnecessary noise, tire
wear and increased fuel consumption.
If the Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) warning
light turns on when driving on dry hard
surface roads:
—in the 4HI position, shift the 4WD
shift switch to AUTO.
—in the 4LO position, stop the vehicleand shift the transmission lever to
the N (Neutral) position with the
brake pedal depressed and shift the
4WD shift switch to AUTO.
If the 4WD warning light is still on
after the above operation, have your
vehicle checked by an INFINITI retai-
ler as soon as possible.
. The transfer case may be damaged if you
continue driving with the 4WD warning
light blinking.
See “On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions” earlier in this section for
other precautions for offroad driving.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY INFINITI ALL-MODE 4WD®(if so equipped)

INFINITI ALL-MODE 4WD®SYSTEM
The all mode 4WD system provides 3 positions (AUTO, 4HI and 4LO), so you can select the desired drive mode according to the driving
conditions.
4WD shift procedure:
SSD1100
*1: The 4LO and 4HI indicator may flash alternately. Stop the vehicle and be sure to turn the 4WD shift switch after the transmission shift
Starting and driving5-101

The 4WD shift switch is used to select the
4WD mode depending on the driving
conditions. There are 3 types of drive
modes available, AUTO, 4HI and 4LO.
The 4WD shift switch electronically con-
trols the transfer case operation. Rotate
the switch to move between each mode,
AUTO, 4H and 4L.
You must depress the 4WD shift switch to
select 4L, and the vehicle MUST be
stationary and the shift lever in the N
(Neutral) position when changing into or
out of 4L.
WARNING
.When parking, apply the parking brake
before stopping the engine and make
sure that the 4WD shift indicator is on
and the ATP warning light turns off.
Otherwise, the vehicle could unexpect-
edly move even if the automatic trans-
mission is in the P (Park) position.
. The 4LO and 4HI indicators must stop
blinking and the 4LO or 4HI indicator
must remain illuminated or turn off
before shifting the transmission into
gear. If the shift lever is shifted from the N (Neutral) position to any other gear
while the 4LO and 4HI indicators are
blinking alternately, the vehicle may
move unexpectedly.
CAUTION
.
Never shift the 4WD shift switch be-
tween 4L and 4H while driving.
. The 4HI position provides greater trac-
tion. Avoid excessive speed, as it will
cause increased fuel consumption and
higher oil temperatures, and could da-
mage drivetrain component. Speeds over
62 MPH (100 km/h) in 4HI is not
recommended.
. The 4LO position provides maximum
traction. Avoid raising vehicle speed
excessively, as the maximum speed is
approximately 31 MPH (50 km/h).
. When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the AUTO or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shift switch when
making a turn or reversing.
. Do not shift the 4WD shift switch
(between AUTO and 4H) while driving
on steep downhill grades. Use the engine brake and low automatic trans-
mission gears for engine braking.
. Do not operate the 4WD shift switch
(between AUTO and 4H) with the rear
wheels spinning.
. Do not drive on dry hard surface roads in
the 4HI or 4LO position. Driving on dry
hard surfaces in 4HI or 4LO may cause
unnecessary noise and tire wear.
INFINITI recommends driving in the
AUTO position under these conditions.
. The 4WD transfer case may not be
shifted between 4HI and 4LO at low
ambient temperatures and the 4LO and
4HI indicators may blink even when the
4WD shift switch is shifted. After driving
for a while you can change the 4WD shift
switch between 4H and 4L.
When driving on rough roads,
.Drive carefully according to the road
surface conditions.
When the vehicle is stuck,
. Place stones or wooden blocks under
the tires to free the vehicle.
. Set the 4WD shift switch to 4H or 4L.
. If it is difficult to free the vehicle, repeat
forward and backward movement to
Starting and driving5-103

5-104Starting and driving
increase the movement.
. If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, tire
chains may be effective.
CAUTION
. Do not spin the tires excessively. Tires
will sink deep into the mud, making it
difficult to free the vehicle.
. Avoid shifting gears with the engine
running at high speeds as this may
cause malfunction.
SSD1048
4WD SHIFT SWITCH
.Shift the 4WD shift switch to either the
AUTO, 4H or 4L position, depending on
driving conditions.
. With the switch set to the AUTO posi-
tion, distribution of torque to the front
and rear wheels changes automatically,
depending on road conditions encoun-
tered [ratio; 0 : 100 (2WD) ?50 : 50
(4WD)]. This results in improved driving
stability.
. If the 4WD shift switch is operated
while making a turn, accelerating or
decelerating or if the ignition switch is
placed in the OFF position while in the AUTO, 4H or 4L, you may feel a jolt.
This is not abnormal.
. When the vehicle is stopped after
making a turn, you may feel a slight
jolt after the shift lever is shifted to N
(Neutral) or P (Park) position. This
occurs because the transfer clutch is
released and not because of a malfunc-
tion.
CAUTION
. When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the AUTO or 4H position.
Do not move the 4WD shift switch when
making a turn or reversing.
. Do not shift the 4WD shift switch while
driving on steep downhill grades. Use
the engine brake and low automatic
transmission gears for engine braking.
. Do not operate the 4WD shift switch with
the rear wheels spinning.
. Before placing the 4WD shift switch in
the 4H position from AUTO, ensure the
vehicle speed is less than 62 MPH (100
km/h). Failure to do so can damage the
4WD system.

5-106Starting and driving
If any malfunction occurs in the 4WD
system when the ignition switch is placed
in the ON position, the 4WD warning light
will either remain illuminated or blink.
If the 4WD warning light comes on, the
4WD shift indicator turns off.
High-temperature transfer case oil makes
the 4WD warning light blink rapidly (about
twice per second). If the warning light
blinks rapidly during operation, stop the
vehicle in a safe place immediately. Then if
the light turns off after a while, you can
continue driving.
A large difference between the diameters
of front and rear wheels will make the 4WD
warning light blink slowly (about once per
two seconds). Change the 4WD shift switch
to AUTO and do not drive fast.
CAUTION
.If the 4WD warning light comes on or
blinks slowly during operation or rapidly
after stopping the vehicle for a while,
have your vehicle checked by an INFINITI
retailer as soon as possible.
. Shifting between 4HI and 4LO is not
recommended when the 4WD warning light turns on.
. When the 4WD warning light comes on,
the 2WD mode may be engaged even if
the 4WD shift switch is in AUTO or 4H.
Be especially careful when driving. If
corresponding parts are malfunctioning,
the 4WD mode will not be engaged even
if the 4WD shift switch is shifted.
. Do not drive the vehicle in the 4HI or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads.
Driving on dry, hard surfaces in 4HI or
4LO may cause unnecessary noise, tire
wear and increased fuel consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on when
driving on dry hard surface roads:
—in the AUTO or 4HI position, shift
the 4WD shift switch to AUTO.
—in the 4LO position, stop the vehicle
and shift the transmission shift lever
to the N (Neutral) position and shift
the 4WD shift switch to AUTO.
. If the 4WD warning light is still on after
the above operation, have your vehicle
checked by an INFINITI retailer as soon
as possible.
. The transfer case may be damaged if you
continue driving with the warning light blinking.

WARNING
.Never rely solely on the hill start assist
system to prevent the vehicle from
moving backward on a hill. Always drive
carefully and attentively. Depress the
brake pedal when the vehicle is stopped
on a steep hill. Be especially careful
when stopped on a hill on frozen or
muddy roads. Failure to prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards may
result in a loss of control of the vehicle
and possible serious injury or death.
. The hill start assist system is not
designed to hold the vehicle at a
standstill on a hill. Depress the brake
pedal when the vehicle is stopped on a
steep hill. Failure to do so may cause the
vehicle to roll backwards and may result
in a collision or serious personal injury.
. The hill start assist system may not
prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards on a hill under all load or road
conditions. Always be prepared to de-
press the brake pedal to prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards. Failure to
do so may result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
The hill start assist system automatically
keeps the brakes applied to help prevent
the vehicle from rolling backwards in the
time it takes the driver to release the brake
pedal and apply the accelerator when the
vehicle is stopped on a hill.
The hill start assist system will operate
automatically under the following condi-
tions:
.The transmission is shifted to a forward
or reverse gear.
. The vehicle is stopped completely on a
hill by applying the brake.
The maximum holding time is 2 seconds.
After 2 seconds the vehicle will begin to
roll back and the hill start assist system
will stop operating completely.
The hill start assist system will not operate
when the transmission is shifted to the N
(Neutral) or P (Park) position or on a flat
and level road.
When the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
warning light illuminates in the meter, the
hill start assist system will not operate.
(See “Warning/indicator lights and audible
reminders” in the“2. Instruments and
controls” section.)
Starting and driving5-107
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM