High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid temperature
protection mode. If the fluid temperature be-
comes too high (for example, when climbing
steep grades in high temperatures with heavy
loads, such as when towing a trailer) , engine
power and, under some conditions, vehicle
speed will be decreased automatically to reduce
the chance of transmission damage. Vehicle
speed can be controlled with the accelerator
pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed may be
limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. The MIL may illu-
minate to indicate the fail-safe mode is
activated. For additional information, refer
to “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in the
“Instrument and controls” section of this
manual. This will occur even if all electrical
circuits are functioning properly. In this
case, place the ignition switch in the OFF
position and wait for 10 seconds. Then turn
the switch back to the ON position. The
vehicle should return to its normal operat-
ing condition. If it does not return to itsnormal operating condition, have an
INFINITI retailer check the transmission
and repair if necessary.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs,
vehicle speed may be gradually reduced.
The reduced speed may be lower than
other traffic, which could increase the
chance of a collision. Be especially careful
when driving. If necessary, pull to the side
of the road at a safe place and allow the
transmission to return to normal opera-
tion, or have it repaired if necessary.
WARNING
●
Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased 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 shift lever 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
Starting and driving5-21
8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirements..........................8-2
General maintenance ..............................8-2
Explanation of general maintenance items .........8-2
Maintenance precautions ...........................8-5
Engine compartment check locations ................8-6
Engine cooling system .............................8-7
Checking engine coolant level ...................8-8
Changing engine coolant ........................8-8
Engine oil .........................................8-9
Checking engine oil level ........................8-9
Changing engine oil ........................... 8-10
Changing engine oil filter .......................8-11
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid ......8-12
Power steering fluid ............................... 8-12
Brake fluid ....................................... 8-13
Windshield-washer fluid ........................... 8-14
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ...............8-14
Battery .......................................... 8-14
Jump starting ................................. 8-16
Variable voltage control system .....................8-16
Drive belt ........................................ 8-17
Spark plugs ...................................... 8-18Replacing spark plugs
......................... 8-18
Air cleaner ....................................... 8-18
In-cabin microfilter ............................. 8-19
Windshield wiper blades .......................... 8-19
Cleaning ..................................... 8-19
Replacing .................................... 8-20
Brakes .......................................... 8-21
Fuses ........................................... 8-22
Engine compartment ........................... 8-22
Passenger compartment .......................8-23
Battery replacement .............................. 8-24
INFINITI Intelligent Key ......................... 8-25
Lights ........................................... 8-26
Headlights .................................... 8-26
Fog lights ..................................... 8-26
Exterior and interior lights .......................8-27
Wheels
and tires ................................. 8-31
Tire pressure .................................. 8-31
Tire labeling ................................... 8-34
Types of tires .................................. 8-37
Tire chains .................................... 8-38
Changing wheels and tires .....................8-38
●Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant and/or other vehicle
fluids can damage the environment. Al-
ways conform to local regulations for
disposal of vehicle fluid.
● Never leave the engine or continuously
variable transmission related compo-
nent harnesses disconnected while the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
● Never connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
This “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
gives instructions regarding only those items
which are relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine INFINITI service manual is also avail-
able. For additional information, refer to “Owner’s
Manual/Service Manual order information” in the
“Technical and consumer information” section of
this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or improper
servicing may result in operating difficulties or
excessive emissions, and could affect warranty
coverage. If in doubt about any servicing,
have it done by an INFINITI retailer.
LDI2498
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
8-6Maintenance and do-it-yourself
VQ35DE engine
1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine coolant reservoir
3. Drive belt location
4. Fuse box
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Brake fluid reservoir
7. Air cleaner
8. Fuse box
9. Fuse box/fusible links
10 Fuse box
11. Battery
12. Engine oil dipstick
13. Radiator cap
14. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
NOTE:
Engine cover removed for clarity.The engine cooling system is filled at the factory
with a pre-diluted mixture of 50% Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) and
50% water to provide year-round antifreeze and
coolant protection. The antifreeze solution con-
tains rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional en-
gine cooling system additives are not necessary.
WARNING
●
Never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator cool
down. Serious burns could be caused
by high pressure fluid escaping from
the radiator. For additional information,
refer to precautions in “If your vehicle
overheats” found in the “In case of
emergency” section of this manual.
● The radiator is equipped with a pres-
sure type radiator cap. To prevent en-
gine damage, use only a Genuine
NISSAN radiator cap.
CAUTION
● Never use any cooling system additives
such as radiator sealer. Additives may
clog the cooling system and cause dam-
age to the engine, transmission and/or
cooling system.
● When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or
equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-diluted
to provide antifreeze protection to -34°
F (-37° C) . If additional freeze protection
is needed due to weather where you
operate your vehicle, add Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant
(blue) concentrate following the direc-
tions on the container. If an equivalent
coolant other than Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is
used, follow the coolant manufacturer’s
instructions to maintain minimum anti-
freeze protection to -34° F (-37° C) . The
use of other types of coolant solutions
other than Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent
may damage the engine cooling
system.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-7
8. Start the engine and check for leakagearound the oil filter. Correct as required.
9. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level. Add engine
oil if necessary.CAUTION
●INFINITI recommends using Genuine
NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 ONLY in
INFINITI CVTs. Do not mix with other
fluids.
● Do not use Automatic transmission
fluid (ATF) or Manual transmission fluid
in an INFINITI CVT, as it may damage
the CVT. Damage caused by the use of
fluids other than recommended is not
covered under INFINITI’s New Vehicle
Limited Warranty.
● Using fluids that are not equivalent to
Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 may
also damage the CVT. Damage caused
by the use of fluids other than as recom-
mended is not covered under INFINITI’s
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
When checking or replacement of CVT fluid is
required, we recommend your INFINITI retailer for
servicing. Check the fluid level in the reservoir.
The fluid level should be checked when the fluid
is cold at fluid temperatures of 32 to 86ºF (0 to
30ºC) . The fluid level can be checked with the
level gauge which is attached to the cap. To
check the fluid level, remove the cap. The fluid
level should be between the MAX
1and MIN2
lines.
If the fluid is below the MIN
2line, add Genuine
NISSAN E-PSF. Remove the cap and fill through
the opening.
LDI2146
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUID POWER STEERING FLUID
8-12Maintenance and do-it-yourself
The following are approximate capacities. The actual refill capacities may be slightly different. When refilling, follow the procedure
described in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section to determine the proper refill capacity.
Capacity (Approximate)Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
US measure Imp measureLiter
Fuel 19-1/2 gal16-1/4 gal74 L• For additional information, refer to “Fuel recom-
mendation” in this section.
Engine oil Drain and refill• For additional information, refer to “Engine oil”
in the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section
of this manual.
VQ35DE With oil filter
change 5-1/8 qt
4-1/4 qt4.8 L• Genuine NISSAN engine oil or equivalent
• Viscosity SAE 0W-20
• As an alternative to this recommended oil, SAE
5W-30 conventions petroleum oils may be used
and meet all specifications and requirements
necessary to maintain the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
• For additional information, refer to “Engine oil
and oil filter recommendations” in this section.
Without oil filter
change 4-3/4 qt
4 qt4.5 L
Cooling system With reservoir2-1/2 gal 2-1/8 gal9.6 L • Pre-diluted Genuine NISSAN Long Life
Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) water or equivalent
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid ———• Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3
• INFINITI recommends using Genuine NISSAN
CVT Fluid NS-3 ONLY in INFINITI CVTs. Do not
mix with other fluids. Using fluids that are not
equivalent to Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3
may damage the CVT. Damage caused by the
use of fluids other than as recommended is not
covered under INFINITI’s New Vehicle Limited
Warranty.
RECOMMENDED FLUIDS/
LUBRICANTS AND CAPACITIES
9-2Technical and consumer information
●When launching a boat, don’t allow the wa-
ter level to go over the exhaust tail pipe or
rear bumper.
● Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights
before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more fre-
quently. For additional information, refer to
the “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion in this manual.
FLAT TOWING
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground is sometimes called flat towing. This
method is sometimes used when towing a vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle, such as a motor
home.
CAUTION
● Failure to follow these guidelines can
result in severe transmission damage.
● Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward.
● DO NOT tow any continuously variable
transmission vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground (flat towing) . Do-
ing so WILL DAMAGE internal transmis-
sion parts due to lack of transmission
lubrication.
● For emergency towing procedures refer
to “Towing recommended by INFINITI”
in the “In case of emergency” section of
this manual.
Continuously Variable Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with a continuously
variable transmission, an appropriate vehicle
dolly MUST be placed under the towed vehicle’s
drive wheels. Alwaysfollow the dolly manufac-
turer’s recommendations when using their prod-
uct. DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times
as well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent the
tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as mea-
sured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information9-29
C
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants . .9-2
Cargoareastoragebin.............2-52
Cargolight....................2-60
Cargo(Seevehicleloadinginformation)....9-14
Car phone or CB radio .............4-109
CD care and cleaning ..............4-94
CD player (See audio system) .........4-73
Check tire pressure ...............2-24
Child restraints .......1-24,1-25,1-26,1-28
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren) System ..............1-28
Precautions on child
restraints.........1-26,1-33,1-40,1-45
Top tether strap anchor point locations . .1-31
Child restraint with top tether strap .......1-30
Child safety rear door lock ............3-7
Chimes, audible reminders ...........2-15
Cleaningexteriorandinterior........7-2,7-4
Clock set/adjustment ...........4-8,4-16
C.M.V.S.S. certification label ..........9-11
Cold weather driving ..............5-104
Compact disc (CD) player ...........4-73
Consolebox...................2-50
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) . . .5-17 Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
fluid ......................8-12
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) .............5-17
Control panel buttons ..............4-10
Brightness/contrast button ......4-9,4-18
Enterbutton...............4-4,4-10
Without navigation system ..........4-4Controls
Audio controls (steering wheel) .......4-95
Heater and air conditioner controls .....4-46
Coolant Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants .................9-2
Changingenginecoolant...........8-8
Checking engine coolant level ........8-8
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-6
Corrosion protection ...............7-6
Cruisecontrol..................5-51
Cupholders...................2-48
D
Daytime running light system (Canada only) . .2-35
Defroster switch Rear window and outside mirror defroster
switch.....................2-31
Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) player .......4-76
Dimensionsandweights.............9-9
Dimmer switch for instrument panel ......2-35
Display controls
(seecontrolpanelbuttons) ........4-4,4-10
Distance Control Assist (DCA) system .....5-72
Door locks .....................3-5
Drive belt .....................8-17
Drive positioner, Automatic ...........3-34
Drive Sport Mode Selector ...........5-22
Driving Cold weather driving ............5-104
Driving with Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) .............5-17
Precautions when starting and driving ....5-4
Driving the vehicle ................5-17 Dual head restraint DVD system
........4-97
E
Economy-fuel..................5-90
Emission control information label .......9-11
Emission control system warranty .......9-30
Engine Before starting the engine ..........5-16
Blockheater ................5-106
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants.................9-2
Changing engine coolant ...........8-8
Changingengineoil.............8-10
Changing engine oil filter ..........8-11
Checking engine coolant level ........8-8
Checking engine oil level ...........8-9
Engine
compartment check locations ....8-6
Engine coolant temperature gauge .....2-6
Engine cooling system ............8-7
Engineoil ...................8-9
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation . . .9-6
Engine oil pressure warning light ......2-10
Engine oil viscosity ..............9-6
Engine serial number ............9-11
Engine specifications .............9-8
Starting the engine .............5-16
Engine coolant temperature gauge .......2-6
Enter button .................4-4,4-10
Event data recorders ..............9-32
Exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide) .........5-4
Explanation of maintenance items ........8-2
Extended storage switch ............8-23
Eyeglass case ..................2-47
10-2