KEY POSITIONS
OFF (Normal parking position)
0
The ignition key can only be removed when in
this position.
The steering lock can only be locked in this
position.
ACC (Accessories)/1
The engine is turned off without locking the
steering wheel. This position activates electrical
accessories, such as the radio, when the engine
is not running.
ON (Normal operating position)2
This position turns on the ignition system and
electrical accessories.
START3
The engine starter activates and the engine will
start. As soon as the engine has started, release
the key immediately. It will return to the ON
position.NOTE
For vehicles fitted with Idle Stop/Start System:
When the engine is automatically stopped by
the Idle Stop/Start System the ignition switch
can still be operated as usual.
At the end of a journey turn the ignition OFF to
avoid a discharged battery. The Idle Stop/Start
System does not automatically turn ignition off.
•Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
•Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool-
ant, brake fluid, and windshield-washer fluid
as frequently as possible, or at least when-
ever you refuel.
•Check that all windows and lights are clean.
•Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Measure and check the tire
pressure for proper inflation.
•Check that all doors are closed.
•Position seat and adjust head restraints/
headrests.
•Adjust the inside and outside rear view
mirrors.
•Fasten your seat belt and ask all passengers
to do likewise.
•Check the operation of the warning lights
when the ignition switch is pushed to the ON
position.
BEFORE STARTING ENGINE
Starting and driving5-15
STARTING PROCEDURE WITH THE KEY
0OFF position
1ACC position
2ON position
3START position
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Shift the transmission to position P (Park)
by pressing the
button.
The transmission position indicator in the
vehicle information display shows
When the transmission is in position N (Neu-
tral), you can also start the engine with the
brake pedal depressed.The starter is designed not to operate if the shift
lever is in any of the driving positions.
3. Turn the key to the START position
3in the
ignition lock and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
If the engine is very hard to start because it is
flooded, depress the accelerator pedal all the
way to the floor and hold it. Turn the ignition
switch to the START position to start cranking
the engine. After 5 or 6 seconds, stop cranking
by turning the ignition switch to OFF. After
cranking the engine, release the accelerator
pedal. Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by depressing the brake
pedal and turning the ignition switch to start
the engine. If the engine starts, but fails to run,
repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than 15
seconds at a time. If the engine does not start,
turn the ignition key to the OFF position and
wait 10 seconds before cranking again, other-
wise the starter could be damaged.
4.Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the en-
gine while warming it up. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather. In cold weather, keep the
engine running for a minimum of2-3
minutes before shutting it off. Starting and
stopping the engine over a short period of
time may make the vehicle more difficult to
start.
5. To stop the engine, Shift the transmission to
position P (Park) by pressing the
button.
and turn the ignition switch to the OFF
position.
NPA1483
STARTING ENGINE
5-16Starting and driving
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
Gearshift recommendation:
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the vehicle infor-
mation display.
Shift to recommended gear
1according to
gearshift recommendation
2when shown in
the vehicle information display.Downshifiting
:
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (seeSteering wheel gearshift paddles
earlier in this section). The automatic transmis-
sion shifts down to the next gear.
If you slow down or stop without shifting down,
the automatic transmission automatically shifts
down.
For maximum acceleration, pull the left-hand
steering wheel gearshift paddle until the trans-
mission selects the optimum gear for the cur-
rent speed.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic trans-
mission protects against engine damage by not
shifting down.Kickdown
:
You can also use kickdown for maximum accel-
eration in manual drive program M
•Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point The transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
•Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
During kickdown, you cannot shift gears using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
If you apply full throttle, the automatic trans-
mission shifts up to the next gear when the
maximum engine speed is reached. This pre-
vents the engine from overrevving.
NSD589
Starting and driving5-23
Deactivating the temporary manual drive program:
Pull and hold the right steering wheel gearshift
paddle until the automatic transmission shifts into
the last active automatic drive program E or S.
When manual drive program M is deactivated,
the automatic transmission in automatic drive
program E or S may shift from the current gear
into a higher or lower gear. This is dependent
on the position of the accelerator pedal, speed
and load.Problems with the transmission
:
Problem Possible causes/consequences and solutions
The transmission has problems shift-
ing gearThe transmission is losing oil.
Have the transmission checked immediately. It is recommended you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
The acceleration ability is deteriorat-
ing The transmission no longer shifts
into all of the gears Reverse gear can
no longer be engagedThe transmission is in emergency mode.
•Stop.•Shift the transmission to position P (Park).•Switch off the engine.•Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.•Shift the transmission to position D (Drive).•Have the transmission checked immediately. It is recommended
you visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
5-24Starting and driving
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