SMALL CHILDREN
Children that are over 1 year old and weigh at
least 20 lbs (9 kg) should remain in a rear-facing
child restraint as long as possible up to the height
or weight limit of the child restraint. Children who
outgrow the height or weight limit of the rear-
facing child restraint and are at least 1 year old
should be secured in a forward-facing child re-
straint with a harness. Refer to the manufactur-
er’s instructions for minimum and maximum
weight and height recommendations. INFINITI
recommends that small children be placed in
child restraints that comply with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standards. You should choose a
child restraint that fits your vehicle and always
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for instal-
lation and use.
LARGER CHILDREN
Children should remain in a forward-facing child
restraint with a harness until they reach the maxi-
mum height or weight limit allowed by the child
restraint manufacturer.Once a child outgrows the height or weight limit
of the harness-equipped forward-facing child re-
straint, INFINITI recommends that the child be
placed in a commercially available booster seat to
obtain proper seat belt fit. For a seat belt to fit
properly, the booster seat should raise the child
so that the shoulder belt is properly positioned
across the chest and the top, middle portion of
the shoulder. The shoulder belt should not cross
the neck or face and should not fall off the shoul-
der. The lap belt should lie snugly across the
lower hips or upper thighs, not the abdomen. A
booster seat can only be used in seating posi-
tions that have a three-point type seat belt. The
booster seat should fit the vehicle seat and have
a label certifying that it complies with Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or Canadian Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standards.
A booster seat should be used until the child can
pass the seat belt fit test below:
● Are the child’s back and hips against the
vehicle seatback?
● Is the child able to sit without slouching?
● Do the child’s knees bend easily over the
front edge of the seat with feet flat on the
floor? ●
Can the child safely wear the seat belt (lap
belt low and snug across the hips and shoul-
der belt across mid-chest and shoulder)?
● Is the child able to use the properly adjusted
head restraint/headrest?
● Will the child be able to stay in position for
the entire ride?
1-26Safety—Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint system
Maintenance
The maintenance menu allows the user to set
reminders for various vehicle maintenance items.
WARNING
The tire replacement indicator is not a
substitute for regular tire checks, includ-
ing tire pressure checks. For additional
information, refer to “Changing wheels
and tires” in the “Do-it-yourself” section of
this manual. Many factors including tire
inflation, alignment, driving habits and
road conditions affect tire wear and when
tires should be replaced. Setting the tire
replacement indicator for a certain driving
distance does not mean your tires will lastthat long. Use the tire replacement indica-
tor as a guide only and always perform
regular tire checks. Failure to perform
regular tire checks, including tire pressure
checks could result in tire failure. Serious
vehicle damage could occur and may lead
to a collision, which could result in serious
personal injury or death.
Menu item
Result
Service This indicator appears when the customer set distance is reached for checking or replacing maintenance items other than the
engine oil, oil filter and tires. Other maintenance items can include such things as air filter or tire rotation. You can set or reset the
distance for checking or replacing the items. You can set or reset the distance for service type items.
For scheduled maintenance items and intervals, refer to the “Maintenance and schedules” section of this manual.
Tire This indicator appears when the customer set distance is reached for replacing tires. You can set or reset the distance for re-
placing tires.
Other This indicator appears when the customer set distance is reached for checking or replacing maintenance items other than the
engine oil, oil filter and tires. Other maintenance items can include such things as air filter or tire rotation. The distance for check-
ing or replacing the items can be set or reset.
Instruments and controls2-23
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
They have higher ground clearance than passen-
ger cars to make them capable of performing in a
variety of on-pavement and off-road applications.
This gives them a higher center of gravity than
ordinary vehicles. An advantage of higher ground
clearance is a better view of the road, allowing
you to anticipate problems. However, they are not
designed for cornering at the same speeds as
conventional 2-wheel drive vehicles any more
than low-slung sports cars are designed to per-
form satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at
all possible, avoid sharp turns at high speeds. As
with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate
this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control
or vehicle rollover. In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
For additional information, refer to “Driving safety
precautions” in this section.
AVOIDING COLLISION AND
ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe
and prudent manner may result in loss of
control or an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey
all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed,
high speed cornering, or sudden steering ma-
neuvers, because these driving practices could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
As with any vehicle, loss of control could
result in a collision with other vehicles or
objects or cause the vehicle to roll over,
particularly if the loss of control causes the
vehicle to slide sideways.
Be attentive at all times, and avoid driving when
tired. Never drive when under the influence of
alcohol or drugs (including prescription or over-
the-counter drugs which may cause drowsi-
ness) . Always wear your seat belt as outlined in
the “Safety – Seats, seat belts and supplemental
restraint system” section of this manual, and also
instruct your passengers to do so. Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in colli-
sions and rollovers.
In a rollover crash, an
unbelted or improperly belted person is
significantly more likely to be injured or
killed than a person properly wearing a
seat belt.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
While driving, the right side or left side wheels
may unintentionally leave the road surface. If this
occurs, maintain control of the vehicle by follow-
ing the procedure below. Please note that this
procedure is only a general guide. The vehicle
must be driven as appropriate based on the con-
ditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and try to hold a straight
course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the accel- erator pedal to gradually slow the vehicle.
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the ve- hicle to follow the road while vehicle speed
is reduced. Do not attempt to drive the ve-
hicle back onto the road surface until vehicle
speed is reduced.
Starting and driving5-9
●Before operating the vehicle, ensure
that the driver and all passengers have
their seat belts fastened.
● Always drive with the floor mats in place
as the floor may become hot.
● Lower your speed when encountering
strong crosswinds. With a higher center
of gravity, your INFINITI is more af-
fected by strong side winds. Slower
speeds ensure better vehicle control.
● Do not drive beyond the performance
capability of the tires, even with AWD
engaged.
● For AWD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected ve-
hicle movement which could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal
injury. ●
Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dyna-
mometer (such as the dynamometers
used by some states for emissions test-
ing) , or similar equipment even if the
other two wheels are raised off the
ground. Make sure you inform test facil-
ity personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with AWD before it is placed
on a dynamometer. Using the wrong
test equipment may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehicle move-
ment which could result in serious ve-
hicle damage or personal injury.
● When a wheel is off the ground due to
an unlevel surface, do not spin the
wheel excessively.
● Accelerating quickly, sharp steering
maneuvers or sudden braking may
cause loss of control.
● If at all possible, avoid sharp turning
maneuvers, particularly at high speeds.
Your INFINITI vehicle has a higher cen-
ter of gravity than a passenger car. The
vehicle is not designed for cornering at
the same speeds as passenger cars.
Failure to operate this vehicle correctly
could result in loss of control and/or a
rollover accident. ●
Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted,
or radial) , and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Install tire chains on the front
wheels when driving on slippery roads
and drive carefully.
● Be sure to check the brakes immedi-
ately after driving in mud or water. For
additional information, refer to “Brake
system” in this section for “Wet
brakes”.
● Avoid parking your vehicle on steep
hills. If you get out of the vehicle and it
rolls forward, backward or sideways,
you could be injured.
● Whenever you drive off-road through
sand, mud or water as deep as the
wheel hub, more frequent maintenance
may be required. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Periodic maintenance”
in the “Maintenance and schedules”
section of this manual.
5-12Starting and driving
INTELLIGENT ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
(AWD) DRIVING SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS (if so equipped)
WARNING
●Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by INFINITI could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS.
● Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted
or radial) , and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Install tire chains on the front
wheels when driving on slippery roads
and drive carefully.
● This vehicle is not designed for offroad
(rough road) use. Do not drive on sandy
or muddy roads that tires may get stuck
in.
● For AWD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any D (Drive) or R (Reverse) position
with the engine running. Doing so may
result in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage or per-
sonal injury. ●
Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dyna-
mometer, (such as the dynamometers
used by some states for emissions test-
ing) , or similar equipment even if the
other two wheels are raised off the
ground. Make sure you inform test facil-
ity personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with AWD before it is placed
on a dynamometer. Using the wrong
test equipment may result in drivetrain
damage or unexpected vehicle move-
ment which could result in serious ve-
hicle damage or personal injury.
● When a wheel is off the ground due to
an unlevel surface, do not spin the
wheel excessively.
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in
an emergency. The INFINITI Direct Re-
sponse Hybrid System will stop when the
ignition switch is pushed three consecu-
tive times or the ignition switch is pushed
and held for more than 2 seconds. If the
hybrid system is turned off while the ve-
hicle is being driven, this could lead to a
crash and serious injury.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
Starting and driving5-13
WARNING
●While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or accel-
erating could cause the wheels to skid
and result in an accident.
● If the engine is not running or is turned
off while driving, the power assist for
the brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result, your
braking distance will be longer and the vehicle
may pull to one side during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal to
heat up the brakes. Do this until the brakes return
to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at high
speeds until the brakes function correctly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever the
stopping effect of the parking brake is weakened
or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or ro-
tors are replaced, in order to assure the best
brake performance. This procedure is described in the INFINITI Ser-
vice Manual. It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
(ABS)
WARNING
●
The ABS is a sophisticated device, but it
cannot prevent accidents resulting from
careless or dangerous driving tech-
niques. It can help maintain vehicle con-
trol during braking on slippery surfaces.
Remember that stopping distances on
slippery surfaces will be longer than on
normal surfaces even with ABS. Stop-
ping distances may also be longer on
rough, gravel or snow covered roads, or
if you are using tire chains. Always
maintain a safe distance from the ve-
hicle in front of you. Ultimately, the
driver is responsible for safety.
● Tire type and condition may also affect
braking effectiveness.
– When replacing tires, install the specified size of tires on all four
wheels. – When installing a spare tire, make
sure that it is the proper size and type
as specified on the Tire and Loading
Information label. For additional in-
formation, refer to “Tire and Loading
Information label” in the “Technical
and consumer information” section
of this manual.
– For additional information, refer to “Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-
yourself” section of this manual.
The ABS controls the brakes so the wheels do
not lock during hard braking or when braking on
slippery surfaces. The system detects the rota-
tion speed at each wheel and varies the brake
fluid pressure to prevent each wheel from locking
and sliding. By preventing each wheel from lock-
ing, the system helps the driver maintain steering
control and helps to minimize swerving and spin-
ning on slippery surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down. De-
press the brake pedal with firm steady pressure,
but do not pump the brakes. The ABS will oper-
ate to prevent the wheels from locking up. Steer
the vehicle to avoid obstacles.
Starting and driving5-135
●When driving on extremely inclined sur-
faces such as higher banked corners,
the VDC system may not operate prop-
erly and the
indicator may flash or
both the
andindicator
lights may illuminate. Do not drive on
these types of roads.
● When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator may flash or
both the
andindicator
lights may illuminate. This is not a mal-
function. Restart the hybrid system af-
ter driving onto a stable surface.
● If wheels or tires other than the INFINITI
recommended ones are used, the VDC
system may not operate properly and
the
indicator may flash or both
the
andindicator lights may
illuminate.
● The VDC system is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
ACTIVE TRACE CONTROL (if so
equipped)
This system senses driving based on the driver’s
steering and acceleration/braking patterns, and
controls brake pressure at individual wheels to
help smooth vehicle response.
When the VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the
VDC system, the active trace control system is
also turned off.
If the active trace control is not functioning prop-
erly, the IBA OFF indicator light illuminates in the
instrument panel.
BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION
During braking while driving through turns, the
system optimizes the distribution of force to each
of the four wheels depending on the radius of the
turn.
WARNING
● The VDC system is designed to help the
driver maintain controllability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or by
careless or dangerous driving tech-
niques. Reduce vehicle speed and be
especially careful when driving and cor-
nering on slippery surfaces and always
drive carefully.
● Do not modify the vehicle’s suspension.
If suspension parts such as shock ab-
sorbers, struts, springs, stabilizer bars,
bushings and wheels are not INFINITI
recommended for your vehicle or are
extremely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly. This could
adversely affect vehicle handling per-
formance, and the
indicator may
flash or both the
andindica-
tor lights may illuminate.
● If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
INFINITI recommended or are extremely
deteriorated, the VDC system may not
operate properly and both the
and theindicator lights may
illuminate.
5-138Starting and driving
●If engine control related parts are not
INFINITI recommended or are extremely
deteriorated, both the
andindicator lights may illuminate.
● When driving on extremely inclined sur-
faces such as higher banked corners,
the VDC system may not operate prop-
erly and the
indicator may flash or
both the
andindicator
lights may illuminate. Do not drive on
these types of roads.
● When driving on an unstable surface
such as a turntable, ferry, elevator or
ramp, the
indicator may flash or
both the
andindicator
lights may illuminate. This is not a mal-
function. Restart the hybrid system af-
ter driving onto a stable surface.
● If wheels or tires other than the INFINITI
recommended ones are used, the VDC
system may not operate properly and
the
indicator may flash or both
the
andindicator lights may
illuminate.
● The VDC system is not a substitute for
winter tires or tire chains on a snow
covered road.
WARNING
● Never rely solely on the hill start assist
system to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing backward on a hill. Always drive
carefully and attentively. Depress the
brake pedal when the vehicle is stopped
on a steep hill. Be especially careful
when stopped on a hill on frozen or
muddy roads. Failure to prevent the ve-
hicle from rolling backwards may result
in a loss of control of the vehicle and
possible serious injury or death.
● The hill start assist system is not de-
signed to hold the vehicle at a standstill
on a hill. Depress the brake pedal when
the vehicle is stopped on a steep hill.
Failure to do so may cause the vehicle
to roll backwards and may result in a
collision or serious personal injury.
● The hill start assist system may not pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling backwards
on a hill under all load or road condi-
tions. Always be prepared to depress
the brake pedal to prevent the vehicle
from rolling backwards. Failure to do so
may result in a collision or serious per-
sonal injury. The hill start assist system automatically keeps
the brakes applied to help prevent the vehicle
from rolling backward in the time it takes the
driver to release the brake pedal and apply the
accelerator when the vehicle is stopped on a hill.
The hill start assist system will operate automati-
cally under the following conditions:
● The transmission is shifted to a forward or
reverse gear.
● The vehicle is stopped completely on a hill
by applying the brake. The maximum holding
time is 2 seconds. After 2 seconds the ve-
hicle will begin to roll back and the hill start
assist system will stop operating completely.
The hill start assist system will not operate when
the shift lever is placed in the N (Neutral) or P
(Park) position or on a flat and level road.
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-139