NOTE
Care should be taken to avoid situations that can
lead to potential battery discharge and potential
no-start conditions such as:
•Installation or extended use of electronic
accessories that consume battery power
when the engine is not running (Phone char-
gers, GPS, DVD players, etc.)
•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.
DRIVING WITH AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
Driving precautions
•Do not depress the accelerator pedal while
shifting from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R (Re-
verse), D (Drive), or M (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 either the P (Park) or R (Re-
verse) position while the vehicle is moving
forward and P (Park) or D (Drive) position
while the vehicle is reversing. This could
cause an accident or damage the transmis-
sion.
•Except in an emergency, do not shift to the N
(Neutral) position while driving. Coasting
with the transmission in the N (Neutral) posi-
tion may cause serious damage to the trans-
mission.
WARNING
•Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. this may cause a loss of control.
CAUTION
•To avoid possible damage to your vehicle;
when stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal. The foot brake
should be used for this purpose.
•Except in an emergency, do not shift to the
N (Neutral) position while driving. Coasting
with the transmission in the N (Neutral) po-
sition may cause serious damage to the
transmission.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-17
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
Use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only
when the vehicle is completely stopped.
P (Park)
:
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the P
(Park) position only when the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
Use this position when the vehicle is parked or
when starting the engine. Always make sure
that the vehicle is completely stopped before
pressing button
1to engage the P (Park)
position. For maximum safety, the brake pedal
must be depressed before engaging the P (Park)
position. Use this position together with the
parking brake. When parking on a hill, first
depress the brake pedal, apply the parking
brake and then engage the P (Park) position.
The parking lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. In order to secure the vehicle,always apply the electric parking brake in addi-
tion to the parking lock.
In the event of a malfunction of the vehicle’s
electronics, the transmission may lock in posi-
tion P (Park). Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately. It is recommended you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
Park position P is automatically engaged if:
•You switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key.
•You open the driver’s door when the vehicle
is stationary or driving at very low speed and
the transmission is in position D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
R (Reverse)
:
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the R
(Reverse) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use this position to back up the vehicle.
Make 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 P (Park), N (Neutral) or any drive position to
R (Reverse).
NSD586
Starting and driving5-19
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You
may shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled
engine while driving the vehicle.
D (Drive)
:
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
The automatic transmission changes gear auto-
matically. All forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D (Drive). Shifting is deter-
mined by:
•The selected drive program.
•The position of the accelerator pedal.
•The road speed.
Accelerator pedal position
:
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
•little throttle: early upshifts
•more throttle: late upshifts
Holding the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients
WARNING
If the transmission overheats, the electronic
management system is automatically deacti-
vated. This interrupts the power transmission
from the engine to the wheels. The vehicle
may, for example, roll backwards on gradients.
There is a risk of an accident. Never hold the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients by de-
pressing the accelerator.
The transmission may overheat if you hold the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. If the transmis-
sion overheats, a warning tone sounds and the
[Stop Vehicle Shift to P Leave Engine Running]
display message appears in the vehicle infor-
mation display. You will only be able to con-
tinue your journey once the transmission has
cooled down and the display message in the
vehicle information display has disappeared.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator. In-
stead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients by:
•Depressing the brake pedal.
•Engaging the electric parking brake.
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
•Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear de-
pending on the engine speed.
•Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
5-20Starting and driving
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 out-
side the vehicle.
•Do not use the shift lever in place of the
parking brake. When parking, be sure the
parking brake is fully engaged.
•To help avoid risk of injury or death through
unintended operation of the vehicle and/or
its systems, do not leave children, people
who require the assistance of others, or
pets unattended in your vehicle. Addition-
ally, the temperature inside a closed vehicle
on a warm day can quickly become high
enough to cause a significant risk of injury
or death to people and pets.The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or if there is a malfunction
in the system, it may not be possible to apply
the released parking brake. If this is the case:
•Only park the vehicle on level ground and
secure it to prevent it from rolling away.
•Shift the automatic transmission to position
P (Park).
•It is recommended you contact an INFINITI
retailer.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or
if there is a malfunction in the system. It is
recommended you contact an INFINITI retailer.
The electric parking brake carries out a function
check at regular intervals when the engine is
switched off. Noises that occur are normal.APPLYING/RELEASING MANUALLY
The electric parking brake can be applied or
released by operating the parking brake handle
1.
To apply:Push handle
1.
When the electric parking brake is applied, the
red
indicator lamp lights up in the
combination meter.
The electric parking brake can also be applied
when the ignition switch is in the OFF position
or the key is removed.
To release:With the ignition switch in the ON
position, pull handle
1.
NPA1485
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-25
Before driving, check that the brake warning
lightgoes out. For additional informa-
tion, seeWarning lights, indicator lights and
audible remindersin the2. Instruments and
controlssection.
The electric parking brake can only be released
when the ignition switch is in the ON position.
APPLYING AUTOMATICALLY (VEHICLES
WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION)
The electric parking brake is automatically ap-
plied when:
•Intelligent cruise control (if equipped) brings
the vehicle to a standstill.
or
•Intelligent Parking Assist (if equipped) is
keeping the vehicle stationary.
The red
indicator lamp lights up in the
combination meter.
The electric parking brake is not automatically
applied if the engine is switched off by the Idle
Stop/Start function.
RELEASING AUTOMATICALLY
The electric parking brake can only be released
automatically in vehicles with automatic trans-
mission.
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
released automatically when all of the following
conditions are fulfilled:
•The engine is running.
•The transmission is in position D (Drive) or R
(Reverse).
•The seat belt is fastened.
•You depress the accelerator pedal.
If the transmission is in position R, the lift gate
must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
•The driver’s door is closed
•You have shifted out of transmission posi-
tion P (Park) or you have previously driven
faster than 2 MPH (3 km/h).
Ensure that you do not depress the accelerator
pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the parking
brake will be released and the vehicle will start
to move.
EMERGENCY BRAKING
The vehicle can also be braked during an emer-
gency by using the electric parking brake.
While driving, push handle
1of the electric
parking brake. The vehicle is braked as long as
you keep handle
1of the electric parking
brake pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle
1is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
•A warning tone sounds.
•The [Please Release Parking Brake] message
appears.
•The redindicator lamp in the combi-
nation meter flashes.
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is applied.
5-26Starting and driving
The Idle Stop/Start function switches the en-
gine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
When pulling away again, the engine starts
automatically. The Idle Stop/Start function
thereby helps you to reduce the fuel consump-
tion and emissions of your vehicle.
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against roll-
ing away.If the
Idle Stop/Start symbol is shown in
green in the vehicle information display, the
Idle Stop/Start function switches the engine off
automatically once the vehicle stops moving.
The Idle Stop/Start function is automatically
activated each time you start the engine with
the ignition key.
If the Idle Stop/Start function has been manu-
ally deactivated (seeDeactivating/activating
the Idle Stop/Start functionlater in this sec-
tion) or a malfunction has caused the system to
be deactivated, the
Idle Stop/Start sym-
bol is not displayed.
AUTOMATIC ENGINE SWITCH-OFF
The Idle Stop/Start function is operational and
theIdle Stop/Start symbol is displayed
in green in the vehicle information display, if:
•The indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green.
•The outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system.
•The engine is at normal operating tempera-
ture.
•The set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
•The battery is sufficiently charged.
•The system detects that the windshield is
not misted up when the air-conditioning sys-
tem is switched on.
•The hood is closed.
•The driver’s door is closed and the driver’s
seat belt is fastened.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-off
are not all fulfilled, the
Idle Stop/Start
symbol is shown in yellow.
All of the vehicle’s systems remain active when
the engine is switched off automatically.
NSD620Idle Stop/Start symbol
IDLE STOP/START SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
Starting and driving5-27
If indicator lamp2on ECO button1is off, the
Idle Stop/Start function has been deactivated
manually or as the result of a malfunction. The
engine will then not be switched off automati-
cally when the vehicle stops.WARNING
Failure to follow the warnings and instructions
for proper use of the LDW system could result
in serious personal injury or death. The LDW
system will not steer the vehicle or prevent
loss of control. It is the driver’s responsibility
to stay alert, drive safely, keep the vehicle in
the traveling lane, and be in control of the
vehicle at all times.
The LDW system warns the driver with a warn-
ing light and intermittent steering vibration that
the vehicle is beginning to leave the traveling
lane.The LDW system uses a camera
1installed
behind the windshield to monitor the lane
markers of your traveling lane.
NSD644
LANE DEPARTURE WARNING (LDW)
SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
Starting and driving5-29
LDW SYSTEM OPERATION
1Steering wheel mounted controls
2Vehicle information display
ADisplay area
BMenu barThe LDW system operates at speeds of approxi-
mately 40 MPH (60 km/h) and above, when the
lane markings are clear.
If the system detects that the vehicle’s front
wheel has passed over the lane marking, a
warning will be provided. It will warn you by
means of intermittent vibration through the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds and a
visual alert.
NOTE
The LDW system is designed not to warn when
you operate the lane change signal and change
traveling lanes in the direction of the signal.
No warning vibration occurs if you activate the
turn signals. In this event, the warnings are sup-
pressed for a certain period of time.
NSD626
5-30Starting and driving