8-14Maintenance and do-it-yourself
.Do not spill the fluid on painted
surfaces. This will damage the paint. If
fluid is spilled, wash the surface with
water.
SDI2513
BRAKE FLUID
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
fluid is below the MIN line
*1or the brake
warning light comes on, add Genuine
NISSAN Super Heavy Duty Brake Fluid or
equivalent DOT 3fluid up to the MAX line
*2.
To add brake fluid:
1. Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Depress and release the foot brake pedal more than 40 times.
3. Open the reservoir filler cap and add brake fluid up to the MAX line
*2. (See “
Capacities and recommended fuel/
lubricants” in the“9. Technical and
consumer information” section for the
recommended types of brake fluid.)
NOTE:
When the ignition switch is placed in the
“ON” position after adding brake fluid up
to the MAX line
*2in the reservoir, the
brake fluid decreases below the MAX line
*2. This is normal.
If fluid must be added frequently, the
system should be checked by an INFINITI
retailer.
8-22Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Contact an INFINITI retailer if checking or
replacement is required.If the brakes do not operate properly, have
the brakes checked by an INFINITI retailer.
SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES
Your vehicle is equipped with self-adjust-
ing brakes.
The disc-type brakes self-adjust every time
the brake pedal is applied.
WARNING
See an INFINITI retailer for a brake system
check if the brake pedal height does not
return to normal.
BRAKE PAD WEAR WARNING
The disc brake pads have audible wear
warnings. When a brake pad requires
replacement, it will make a high pitched
scraping sound when the vehicle is in
motion. This scraping sound will first occur
only when the brake pedal is depressed.
After more wear of the brake pad, the
sound will always be heard even if the
brake pedal is not depressed. Have the
brakes checked as soon as possible if the
wear warning sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions,occasional brake squeak, squeal or other
noise may be heard. Occasional brake
noise during light to moderate stops is
normal and does not affect the function or
performance of the brake system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed.
For additional information,
see the maintenance log section of your
“INFINITI Service and Maintenance Guide”
for maintenance intervals.
BRAKE BOOSTER
Check the brake booster function as
follows:
1. With the engine off, depress and release the foot brake pedal more than
20 times. When the foot brake pedal
movement (distance of travel) remains
the same from one pedal application to
the next, continue on to the next step.
2. While depressing the foot brake pedal, start the engine.
3. With the foot brake pedal depressed, stop the engine. Keep the pedal de-
pressed for about 30 seconds.
4. Run the engine for 1 minute without depressing the foot brake pedal, then
turn it off. Depress the foot brake pedal
REAR WINDOW WIPER BLADES BRAKES
several times. The pedal travel distance
will decrease gradually with each de-
pression as the hydraulic pressure
decreases.
If the brakes do not operate properly, have
the brakes checked by an INFINITI retailer.
SDI2518
SDI2532
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
CAUTION
Never use a fuse of a higher or lower
amperage rating than that specified on the
fuse box cover. This could damage the
electrical system or cause a fire.
If any electrical equipment does not
operate, check for an open fuse.
1. Be sure the ignition switch is pushed to the OFF or LOCK position and the
headlight switch is turned to OFF.
2. Open the engine hood and remove the cover on the battery.
3. Remove the fuse/fusible link holder cover
*1,*2or*3.
4. Remove the fuse with the fuse puller.
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-23
FUSES
8-40Maintenance and do-it-yourself
.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” in the“9. Technical and
consumer information” section for recom-
mended 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 or radial), or tread patterns
can adversely affect the ride, braking,
handling, ground clearance, body-to-tire
clearance, tire chain clearance, speed-
ometer calibration, headlight 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” in the
“9. Technical and consumer information”
section 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
10,000 lb (4,545 kg). A weight distributing
hitch should be used to tow trailers that
weigh over 5,000 lb (2,267 kg).
Your vehicle may be equipped with Class IV
trailer hitch equipment that has a 10,000
lb (4,545 kg) maximum weight rating, but
your vehicle is only capable of towing the
maximum trailer weights shown in the
“Towing Load/Specification”chart earlier
in this section.
CAUTION
. Do not use axle-mounted hitches.
. Do not modify the vehicle exhaust
system, brake system, etc.
. Do not attach any additional hitches to
your vehicle because a hitch is already
mounted to your vehicle frame.
Tire pressures
.When towing a trailer, inflate the
vehicle tires to the recommended
cold tire pressure indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information la-
bel.
.Trailer tire condition, size, loadrating and proper inflation pres-
sure should be in accordance with
the trailer and tire manufacturers’
specifications.
Safety chains
Always use a suitable chain between your
vehicle and the trailer. The safety chains
should be crossed and should be attached
to the hitch, not to the vehicle bumper or
axle. Be sure to leave enough slack in the
chains to permit turning corners.
STI0745
Trailer lights
Your vehicle is equipped with a towing
package, which also includes the 7-pin
trailer harness connector located under the
trailer hitch cover on the rear bumper.
CAUTION
. When splicing into the vehicle electrical
system, a commercially available power-
type module/converter must be used to
provide power for all trailer lighting. This
unit uses the vehicle battery as a direct
power source for all trailer lights while
Technical and consumer information9-25
9-26Technical and consumer information
using the vehicle tail light, stoplight and
turn signal circuits as a signal source.
The module/converter must draw no
more than 15 milliamps from the stop
and tail lamp circuits. Using a module/
converter that exceeds these power
requirements may damage the vehicle’s
electrical system. See a reputable trailer
retailer to obtain the proper equipment
and to have it installed.
. Do not connect electrical devices that
draw more than 40 amps to the vehicle.
The fusible link may melt.
Trailer lights should comply with federal
and/or local regulations. For assistance in
hooking up trailer lights, contact an
INFINITI retailer or reputable trailer retailer.
Trailer brakes
When towing a trailer load of 3,500 lbs.
(1,587 kg) or more, trailers with a brake
system MUST be used. However, most
states require a separate braking system
on trailers with a loaded weight above a
specific amount. Make sure the trailer
meets the local regulations and the regula-
tions where you plan to tow.
Several types of braking systems are available.
Surge Brakes -
The surge brake actuator is
mounted on the trailer tongue with a
hydraulic line running to each trailer
wheel. Surge brakes are activated by the
trailer pushing against the hitch ball when
the tow vehicle is braking. Hydraulic surge
brakes are common on rental trailers and
some boat trailers. In this type of system,
there is no hydraulic or electric connection
for brake operation between the tow
vehicle and the trailer.
Electric Trailer Brakes - Electric braking
systems are activated by an electronic
signal sent from a trailer brake controller
(special brake sensing module).
Have a professional supplier of towing
equipment make sure the trailer brakes are
properly installed and demonstrate proper
brake function testing.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system directly
to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
. Be certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the
vehicle if it has an abnormal nose-up
or nose-down condition; check for
improper tongue load, overload, worn
suspension or other possible causes of
either condition.
. Always secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
. Keep the cargo load as low as possible
in the trailer to keep the trailer center of
gravity low.
. Load the trailer so approximately 60%
of the trailer load is in the front half and
40% is in the back half. Also make sure
the load is balanced side to side.
. Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure,
vehicle tire pressure, trailer light opera-
tion, and trailer wheel lug nuts every
time you attach a trailer to the vehicle.
. Be certain your rearview mirrors con-
form to all federal, state or local
regulations. If not, install any mirrors
required for towing before driving the
vehicle.
. Determine the overall height of the
vehicle and trailer so the required
clearance is known.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding
of the vehicle’s behavior, you should
practice turning, stopping and backing up
in an area which is free from traffic.
Steering stability, and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than
under normal driving conditions.
. Always secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
. Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin
or lock to prevent the coupler from
inadvertently becoming unlatched.
. Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or
stops.
. Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
. Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed. Some states or provinces have
specific speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local
speed limits.
. When backing up, hold the bottom of
the steering wheel with one hand.
Move your hand in the direction in
which you want the trailer to go. Make
small corrections and back up slowly. If
possible, have someone guide you when you are backing up.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if you
must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shift lever to the P (Park)
position before blocking the wheels and
applying the parking brake, transmission
damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill side of the vehicle and trailer
wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly release the brake pedal until the
blocks absorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park).
6. Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) models:
Make sure that the 4WD shift switch is
engaged in the AUTO, 4HI or 4LO
position and the Automatic Transmis-
sion (AT) park warning light is turned off.
7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks.
. While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may
decrease overall stability. Therefore, to
maintain adequate control, reduce your
speed and shift to a lower gear. Avoid
long or repeated use of the brakes
when descending a hill, as this reduces
their effectiveness and could cause
overheating. Shifting to a lower gear
instead provides “engine braking” and
reduces the need to brake as fre-
quently.
. If the engine coolant temperature rises
to a high temperature, see “If your
vehicle overheats” in the“6. In case of
Technical and consumer information9-27
the vehicle may be reset to a“not ready
condition” . Before taking the I/M test,
check the vehicle’ s inspection/mainte-
nance test readiness condition. Place the
ignition switch in the ON position without
starting the engine. If the Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL) comes on steady for
20 seconds and then blinks for 10
seconds, the I/M test condition is “not
ready”. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is “ready”.
Contact an INFINITI retailer to set “ready
condition” or to prepare the vehicle for
testing. This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data
Recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an
EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag
deployment or hitting a road obstacle, data
that will assist in understanding how a
vehicle’s systems performed. The EDR is
designed to record data related to vehicle
dynamics and safety systems for a short
period of time, typically 30 seconds or
less. The EDR in this vehicle is designed to
record such data as:
. How various systems in your vehicle
were operating;
. Whether or not the driver and passen-
ger safety belts were buckled/fastened;
. How far (if at all) the driver was
depressing the accelerator and/or
brake pedal; and,
. How fast the vehicle was traveling.
. Sounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better
understanding of the circumstances in
which crashes and injuries occur.
NOTE: EDR data are recorded by your
vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situation
occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR
under normal driving conditions and no
personal data (e.g. name, gender, age and crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement,
could combine the EDR data with the type
of personally identifying data routinely
acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required and access to the
vehicle or the EDR is needed. In addition to
the vehicle manufacturer and INFINITI
retailer, other parties, such as law enforce-
ment, that have the special equipment, can
read the information if they have access to
the vehicle or the EDR. EDR data will only
be accessed with the consent of the vehicle
owner or lessee or as otherwise required or
permitted by law.
Technical and consumer information9-33
EVENT DATA RECORDERS (EDR)