able to stabilize the vehicle if the vehicle starts
to skid or a wheel starts to spin.
You can activate/deactivate VDC using the ve-
hicle information display. To activate/
deactivate VDC:
1. Start the engine
2. Press the
orbutton on the
steering wheel to select the [DriveAssist]
menu in the vehicle information display.
3. Press the
orbutton to select
VDC.
4. Press the
The current selection is displayed.
5. To activate/deactivate: press the
ton again.
VDC is deactivated if the
warning light
in the combination meter lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
Characteristics when VDC is deactivated
:
If VDC is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, theVDC warning lamp
flashes in the combination meter. In such situ-
ations, VDC will not stabilize the vehicle. If you deactivate VDC:
•VDC no longer intervenes in understeer or
oversteer situations.
•Engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action, so the tires cut through the
loose surface until the hit solid ground,
giving better traction.
•Traction control is still activated.
•VDC still provides support when you brake.
EBD (ELECTRONIC BRAKE FORCE
DISTRIBUTION)
EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
on the rear wheels to help improve handling
during braking.
WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the EBD [Inoperative
See Operator’s Manual] warning is displayed
in the vehicle information display. The
VDC warning lamp may also light up.
If EBD is malfunctioning as a result of a VDC
malfunction, the rear wheels can lock, e.g. un-
der full braking. This increases the risk of skid-
ding and an accident.You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked. It is recommended
you see an INFINITI retailer.
STEER CONTROL
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering wheel
in the direction required for vehicle stabilisa-
tion.
This steering support is provided in particular if:
•Both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake.
•The vehicle starts to skid.
WARNING
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
•VDC is malfunctioning.
•The steering is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function.
5-92Starting and driving
will flash for approximately 1 minute. The
light will remain on after 1 minute. It is rec-
ommended you Contact an 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.
•If you used Emergency Tire Sealant to repair
a minor tire puncture, the TPMS sensor
should be checked when repairing or re-
placing the tire. It is recommended you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
monitors tire pressure of all tires. When the low
tire pressure warning light is lit, and a tire
pressure-related warning (if equipped) appears
in the vehicle information display, one or more
of your tires is significantly under-inflated. If
the vehicle is being driven with low tire pres-
sure, the TPMS will activate and warn you of it
by the low tire pressure warning light (in the
meter panel). This system will activate only
when the vehicle is driven at speeds above 16
MPH (25 km/h). For more details about the TPMS, see
Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) in the
5. Starting and driving section.
STOPPING VEHICLE
WARNING
•Be sure to apply the parking brake firmly.
•Be sure that P (Park) is engaged.
•Never change tires when the vehicle is on a
slope, ice or slippery area. This is hazard-
ous.
•Never change tires when the oncoming traf-
fic is close to your vehicle. Call for profes-
sional road assistance.
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard indicator flasher lights.
3. Park on a level surface.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Press the P (Park) button.
6. Turn off the engine. 7. Open the hood and set up the triangle
reflector (if equipped):
•To warn other traffic.
•To signal professional road assistance
personnel that you need assistance.
8. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away from other
traffic and clear of the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-3
WARNING
•Do not continue to drive if your vehicle over-
heats. Doing so could cause engine damage
or a vehicle fire.
•To avoid the danger of being scalded, never
remove the radiator or coolant reservoir cap
while the engine is hot. When the radiator or
coolant reservoir cap is removed, pressur-
ized hot water will spurt out, possibly caus-
ing serious injury.
•Do not open the hood if steam is coming out.
If the engine of your vehicle is overheating
(indicated by the engine coolant temperature
gauge) or if you feel a lack of engine power,
detect unusual noise, etc., proceed as follows:
1. Move and park the vehicle safely off the road and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flasher lights.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Press the P (Park) button. DO NOT STOP THE ENGINE.
5. Open all windows. 6. Switch off the air conditioner system (if
equipped).
7. Set the heater or air conditioner temperature control to maximum “HOT” and fan speed
control to maximum speed.
8. Exit the vehicle.
9. Visually inspect and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the radiator before
opening the hood.WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the engine,
stand clear to prevent getting burned.
10. Open the hood. For details, see Hoodin
the 3. Pre-driving checks and adjustments
section.
11. Visually check if the cooling fan is running.
12. Visually check the radiator and radiator hoses for leakage.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair, jew-
elry or clothing to come into contact with, or
get caught in, engine belts or the engine cool-
ing fan. The engine cooling fan can start at any
time.
13. After the engine cools down, check the coolant level in the engine coolant reservoir
with the engine running. Do not open the
radiator cap (if equipped).
14. If the level is low, remove the engine cool- ant reservoir cap and add coolant slowly
into the reservoir. After refilling the reser-
voir to the MAX level, install the reservoir
cap.
15. Close the hood.
Have your vehicle inspected or repaired. It is
recommended you visit an INFINITI retailer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-13
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions..................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ...........8-3
2.0L Gasoline engine .................. .8-3
Engine cooling system ................... .8-3
Checking engine coolant level .............8-4
Changing engine coolant ................8-4
Engine oil ........................... .8-5
Checking engine oil level ................8-5
Changing engine oil .................. .8-5
Changing engine oil filter ................8-6
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) ............8-7
Brake fluid .......................... .8-7
Window washer fluid .................... .8-8
Battery ............................ .8-9
Accessing Vehicle battery ...............8-10
Maintenance free battery ................8-10
Models with Idle Stop/Start System .........8-10
Battery replacement .................. .8-11
Reinitialisation procedure after battery
reconnection ...................... .8-12
Jump-starting ...................... .8-12
Drive belt .......................... .8-12
Spark plugs ..........................8-13
Air cleaner filter ...................... .8-13
Wiper blades .........................8-13 Cleaning
..........................8-13
Replacing front window wiper blades ........8-14
Replacing rear window wiper blade ..........8-15
Brakes ............................ .8-17
Self-adjusting brakes ..................8-17
Fuses ............................. .8-17
Before replacing a fuse .................8-17
Engine compartment .................. .8-17
Passenger compartment ................8-18
Intelligent key battery replacement ..........
.8-20
Checking the
battery ..................8-20
Replacing the battery ..................8-20
Lights ............................ .8-22
Exterior and interior lights ...............8-22
Replacement procedures ................8-24
Wheels and tires ..................... .8-26
Tire Pressure ...................... .8-26
Tire inflation pressure .................8-28
Tire labeling ...................... .8-28
Types of tires ..................... .8-30
Tire chains ....................... .8-31
Tire wear and damage .................8-31
Tire rotation ...................... .8-32
Replacing wheels and tires ..............8-32
Wheel balance ..................... .8-34
5. Wipe the engine oil filter sealing surface witha clean rag.
CAUTION
•Be sure to remove any old gasket material
remaining on the sealing surface of the en-
gine. Failure to do so could lead to an oil
leak and engine damage.
•The dipstick must be inserted in place to
prevent oil spillage from the dipstick hole
when filling the engine with oil.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean engine oil.
7. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resis- tance is felt, then tighten an additional
2/3 turn. Engine oil filter tightening torque:
19 ft-lb, 25 N•m
8. Start the engine and check for leakage around 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. It is recommended that you visit an INFINITI
retailer if checking or replacement is required.
CAUTION
•Use only Shell DCT-M1 or equivalent. Do not
mix with other fluids.
•Using automatic transmission fluid other
than Shell DCT-M1 may cause deterioration
in driveability and automatic transmission
durability, and may damage the automatic
transmission. Damage caused by the use of
fluids other than as recommended is not
covered by the warranty.
WARNING
•Use only new fluid. Old, inferior, or contami-
nated fluid may damage the brake systems.
The use of improper fluids can damage the
brake system and affect the vehicle’s stop-
ping ability.
•Clean the filler cap before removing.
•Brake fluid is poisonous and should be
stored carefully in marked containers out of
the reach of children.
CAUTION
•Do not spill the fluid on painted surfaces.
This will damage the paint. If fluid is spilled,
wash with water.
NDI1599
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF) BRAKE FLUID
Do-it-yourself8-7
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
brake fluid is below the MIN line
2, the brake
warning light will illuminate. Add brake fluid up
to the MAX line
1. For additional information
on the recommended type of brake fluid, refer
Recommended fluids/lubricants and
capacities in the9. Maintenance and Sched-
ules section.
If the brake fluid must be added frequently, the
brake system should be thoroughly checked. It
is recommended that you visit an INFINITI re-
tailer for this service. Fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir peri-
odically. Add fluid when the low washer fluid
warning appears on the vehicle information
display.
To fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir, lift
the cap off the reservoir and pour the
windshield-washer fluid into the reservoir open-
ing.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for better
cleaning. In the winter season, add a
windshield-washer antifreeze. Follow the manu-
facturer’s instructions for the mixture ratio.
Refill the reservoir more frequently when driv-
ing conditions require an increased amount of
windshield-washer fluid.
Recommended fluid is Genuine INFINITI Wind-
shield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Antifreeze
or equivalent.
CAUTION
•Do not substitute engine antifreeze coolant
for window washer solution. This may result
in damage to the paint.
•Do not fill the window washer reservoir tank
with washer fluid concentrates at full
strength. Some methyl alcohol based
washer fluid concentrates may permanently
stain the grille if spilled while filling the
window washer reservoir tank.
•Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates with wa-
ter to the manufacturer’s recommended lev-
els before pouring the fluid into the window
washer reservoir tank. Do not use the win-
dow washer reservoir tank to mix the
washer fluid concentrate and water.
NDI1601
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
8-8Do-it-yourself
Parking brake*:
Check the parking brake operation regularly.
Also make sure that the vehicle is held securely
on a fairly steep hill when only the parking
brake is applied. If the parking brake needs
adjustment, it is recommended you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
Seats
:
Check seat position controls such as seat ad-
justers, seatback recliner, etc. to ensure they
operate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in every position. Check that the head
restraints move up and down smoothly and that
the locks (if so equipped) hold securely in all
latched positions.
Seat belts
:
Check that all parts of the seat belt system (for
example, buckles, anchors, adjusters and re-
tractors) operate properly and smoothly, and
are installed securely. Check the belt webbing
for cuts, fraying, wear or damage.
Steering wheel
:
Check for changes in the steering condition,
such as excessive free play, hard steering or
strange noises.Warning lights and chimes
:
Make sure that all warning lights and chimes
are operating properly.
Windshield defroster
:
Check that the air comes out of the defroster
outlets properly and in good quantity when
operating the heater or air conditioner.
Windshield wiper and washer*
:
Check that the wipers and washer operate
properly and that the wipers do not streak.
Under the hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically (for example, each time
you check the engine oil or refuel).
Battery*
:
Except for maintenance free battery, check the
fluid level in each cell. It should be between the
“UPPER” and “LOWER” lines. Vehicles operated
in high temperatures or under severe condi-
tions require frequent checks of the battery
fluid level.
NOTE
Care should be taken to avoid situations that can
lead to potential battery discharge and potential
no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of electronic ac-
cessories 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.
Brake fluid level*
:
Make sure that the brake fluid level is between
the “MAX” and “MIN” lines on the reservoir.
Coolant level*
:
Check the coolant level when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belt(s)*
:
Make sure that no belt is frayed, worn, cracked
or oily.
Engine oil level*
:
Check the level after parking the vehicle on a
level spot and turning off the engine. Wait more
than 15 minutes for the oil to drain back into the
oil pan.
9-4Maintenance and Schedules
level roads, it is recommended you have an
INFINITI retailer correct the condition. Failure to
correct the condition is misuse of the vehicle, for
which INFINITI is not responsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in knocking,
after-run and/or overheating. This in turn may
cause excessive fuel consumption or damage to
the engine. If any of the above symptoms are
encountered, have your vehicle checked. It is
recommended you visit an INFINITI retailer.
However, now and then you may notice light
spark knock for a short time while accelerating
or driving up hills. This is no cause for concern,
because you get the greatest fuel benefit when
there is light spark knock for a short time under
heavy engine load.
1API certification mark
2API service symbol
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATIONS
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct grade,
quality, and viscosity engine oil to ensure sat-
isfactory engine life and performance. For addi-
tional information, refer toRecommended
fluids/lubricants and capacities earlier in this
section. INFINITI recommends the use of an
energy conserving oil in order to improve fuel
economy.
Select only engine oils that meet the American
Petroleum Institute (API) certification or Interna-
tional Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) certification and SAE viscos-
ity standard. These oils have the API certifica-
tion mark on the front of the container. Oils
which do not have the specified quality label
should not be used as they could cause engine
damage.
Oil additives
INFINITI does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used and
maintenance intervals are followed.
Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is impor-
tant that the engine oil viscosity be selected
based on the temperatures at which the vehicle
will be operated before the next oil change.
Choosing an oil viscosity other than that recom-
mended could cause serious engine damage.
Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new vehicle is equipped with a high—
quality genuine INFINITI oil filter. When replac-
ing, it is recommended you use the genuine oil
filter or its equivalent for the reason described
in “Change intervals”.
NTI326
Technical information10-5