2018 INFINITI Q50 HYBRID ignition

5-126Starting and driving
the road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it
moves.
4. Push the ignition switch to the OFF position.DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING
TYPE
WARNING
.When the power steering warning
light illuminates with the INFINITI
Direct Response Hybrid
®System run-
ning, the power assist for the steer-
ing will cease operation. You will still
have control of the vehicle, but the
steering will be harder to operate.
. If wheels or tires other than the
INFINITI recommended ones are
used, Direct Adaptive Steering may
not operate properly and the power
steering warning light may illumi-
nate.
. Do not modify the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not INFINITI recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
Direct Adaptive Steering may not
operate properly and the power
steering warning light may illumi-
nate.
. Do not modify the vehicle’s steering.
If steering parts are not INFINITI recommended for your vehicle or are
extremely deteriorated, Direct Adap-
tive Steering may not operate prop-
erly and the power steering warning
light may illuminate.
. If the VDC warning light illuminates,
the power steering warning light may
also illuminate at the same time. Stop
the vehicle in a safe location, turn the
hybrid system off and restart the
hybrid system. If the power steering
warning light continues to illuminate,
have the system checked. It is recom-
mended you visit an INFINITI retailer
for this service. For the VDC system,
see “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
system” (P.5-130).
CAUTION
.Do not place the ignition switch is in
the ON position while the steering
wheel or a tire is removed.
. Do not turn the steering wheel as
much as possible while the ignition
switch is in any position other than
the ON position.
. Installing an accessory on the steer-
ing wheel, or changing the steering
POWER STEERING

wheel, may reduce the steering per-
formance.
Direct Adaptive Steering is designed to
control the steering force and steering angle
according to the vehicle speed and amount
of turning of the steering wheel.
The steering characteristic can be selected
using the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector. See
“INFINITI Drive Mode Selector” (P.5-21).
If the VDC system is turned off, the setting
of steering becomes Standard mode.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the hybrid system is running, it
may indicate that Direct Adaptive Steering is
not functioning properly and may need
servicing. It is recommended you have the
system checked by an INFINITI retailer. (See
“Power steering warning light” (P.2-14).)
When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the hybrid system running,
the power assist for the steering will cease
operation. You will still have control of the
vehicle. However, greater steering effort will
be needed, especially in sharp turns and at
low speeds.
If Direct Adaptive Steering is malfunction-
ing, the steering wheel may turn slightly even
when driving on a straight road.
Under the following conditions, the steering wheel may turn slightly even when driving on
a straight road. This is due to a protection
mechanism for Direct Adaptive Steering. The
steering wheel will return to the normal
position after the protection mechanism is
deactivated.
Condition A
.
When the engine is stalled or likely to be
stalled
. When the steering wheel is held in the full
lock position or when the front tire
touches an obstruction.
. When the battery is discharged
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and stop operating the steering wheel. Then
drive the vehicle for a short period of time.
Condition B
. When the steering wheel is operated
repeatedly or continuously while parking
or driving at a very low speed. In this
case, the power assist for the steering
wheel will be reduced.
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and wait for a period of time, without
operating the steering wheel, until the
temperature of Direct Adaptive Steering
cools down. Avoid repeated steering wheel
operations that could cause Direct Adaptive
Steering to overheat. When the vehicle is tested on the 2-wheel
dynamometer, the power steering warning
light may illuminate. To turn off the power
steering warning light, stop the vehicle in a
safe location, turn the hybrid system off,
restart the hybrid system, and then drive the
vehicle for a period of time.
The following conditions do not indicate a
malfunction of Direct Adaptive Steering.
.
You may notice wider steering play when
the ignition switch is in the OFF or ACC
position compared to when it is in the
ON position.
. After the hybrid system is started, the
steering wheel may turn slightly even
when driving on a straight road. To
return to the normal position, drive the
vehicle on a straight road for a period of
time.
. After the hybrid system is started, the
steering wheel may move if the steering
wheel was turned to the fully locked
position while the ignition switch was in
the OFF position.
. After the vehicle is tested on the 4-wheel
dynamometer, the steering wheel may
turn slightly even when driving on a
straight road. To return the steering
wheel to the normal position, drive the
vehicle on a straight road for a period of
time.
Starting and driving5-127

help keep the vehicle on the steered path.
. You may feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal and hear a noise or vibration from
under the hood. This is normal and
indicates that the VDC system is working
properly.
. Adjust your speed and driving to the road
conditions.
See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warn-
ing light” (P.2-15).
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
VDC warning light
illuminates in the
instrument panel. The VDC system automa-
tically turns off.
The VDC OFF switch is used to turn off the
VDC system. The VDC off indicator light
illuminates to indicate the VDC system is off.
When the VDC switch is used to turn off the
system, the VDC system still operates to
prevent one drive wheel from slipping by
transferring power to a non slipping drive
wheel. The VDC warning light
flashes if
this occurs. All other VDC functions are off,
except for rise-up and build-up, and brake
force distribution, and the VDC warning
light
will not flash. The VDC system is
automatically reset to on when the ignition
switch is placed in the off position then back
to the on position.
See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warn-
ing light” (P.2-15) and “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) off indicator light” (P.2-17).
The computer has a built-in diagnostic
feature that tests the system each time you
start the INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid
®
System and move the vehicle forward or in
reverse at a slow speed. When the self-test
occurs, you may hear a “clunk” noise and/or
feel a pulsation in the brake pedal. This is
normal and is not an indication of a mal-
function.
RISE-UP AND BUILD-UP
The system gradually adjusts braking power
during normal braking to help provide an
enhanced brake feel.
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 stability but does
not prevent accidents due to abrupt
steering operation at high speeds or
by careless or dangerous driving
techniques. Reduce vehicle speed
and be especially careful when driving and cornering on slippery surfaces
and always drive carefully.
. The rise-up and build-up, and brake
force distribution system may not be
effective depending on the driving
condition. Always drive carefully and
attentively.
. Do not modify the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer 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 performance, and
the VDC warning light
may
illuminate.
. If brake related parts such as brake
pads, rotors and calipers are not
INFINITI recommended or are extre-
mely deteriorated, the VDC system
may not operate properly and the
VDC warning light
may illumi-
nate.
. If engine control related parts are not
INFINITI recommended or are extre-
mely deteriorated, the VDC warning
light
may illuminate.
. When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
Starting and driving5-131

6-2In case of emergency
SIC2574
Push the switch on to warn other drivers
when you must stop or park under emer-
gency conditions. All turn signal lights will
flash.
WARNING
.If stopping for an emergency, be sure
to move the vehicle well off the road.
. Do not use the hazard warning
flashers while moving on the highway
unless unusual circumstances force
you to drive so slowly that your
vehicle might become a hazard to
other traffic. .
Turn signals do not work when the
hazard warning flasher lights are on.
The flasher can be actuated with the ignition
switch in any position.
When an impact that could activate the
supplemental air bags is detected, the
hazard warning flasher lights blink automa-
tically. If the hazard warning flasher switch is
pushed, the hazard warning flashers will turn
off.
WARNING
Do not turn the hazard warning flasher
switch to off until you can make sure
that it is safe to do so. Also, the hazard
flasher warning may not blink automa-
tically depending on the force of impact.
Some state laws may prohibit the use of the
hazard warning flasher switch while driving. In the event of a roadside emergency,
Roadside Assistance Service is available to
you. Please refer to your Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet (U.S.) or Warranty & Roadside
Assistance Information Booklet (Canada) for
details.
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER SWITCHROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

To shut off the INFINITI Direct Response
Hybrid®System in an emergency situation
while driving, perform the following proce-
dure:
. Rapidly push the push-button ignition
switch 3 consecutive times in less than
1.5 seconds, or
. Push and hold the push-button ignition
switch for more than 2 seconds. Your vehicle is equipped with run-flat tires
and you can continue driving to a safe
location even if they are punctured. (See
“Run-flat tires” (P.8-34).)
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). It
monitors tire pressure of all tires except the
spare. When the low tire pressure warning
light is lit and the “Tire Pressure Low - Add
Air” warning appears in the vehicle informa-
tion display, one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. If the vehicle is
being driven with low tire pressure, the
TPMS will activate and warn you of it by
the low tire pressure warning light. This
system will activate only when the vehicle is
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h).
For more details, see “Low tire pressure
warning light” (P.2-12) and “Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS)” (P.5-5).
WARNING
.
Radio waves could adversely affect
electric medical equipment. Those
who use a pacemaker should contact
the electric medical equipment man-
ufacturer for the possible influences before use.
. If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull
off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Driving with under-inflated tires may
permanently damage the tires and
increase the likelihood of tire failure.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and
could result in serious personal injury.
Check the tire pressure for all four
tires. Adjust the tire pressure to the
recommended COLD tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label to turn the low tire
pressure warning light OFF. If the
light still illuminates while driving
after adjusting the tire pressure, a
tire may be flat.
. When a wheel is replaced, the TPMS
will not function and the low tire
pressure warning light will flash for
approximately 1 minute. The light will
remain on after 1 minute. Have your
tires replaced and/or TPMS system
reset as soon as possible. It is recom-
mended you visit an INFINITI retailer
for these services.
In case of emergency6-3
EMERGENCY INFINITI DIRECT
RESPONSE HYBRID®SYSTEM SHUT OFFFLAT TIRE

Before attempting to jump start the vehicle,
make sure the fuel tank is not empty and the
correct starting procedure is followed. See
“Starting the INFINITI Direct Response
Hybrid
®System” (P.5-14). Do not drive the
vehicle on battery power only if the fuel tank
is empty. The Lithium ion (Li-ion) battery will
become discharged and the INFINITI Direct
Response Hybrid
®System will turn off.
CONFIRM BATTERY IS DIS-
CHARGED
If any of the following conditions occurs, the
12-volt battery might discharged:
. The instrument cluster and/or headlights
are not normal brightness.
. Audio accessories cannot be turned on.
. The hybrid system does not become
READY to drive mode.
. The ignition switch cannot be placed in
the ON position.
Check the following if you notice above
conditions.
1. Check that the 12-volt battery terminals are tight and clean. See “12-volt battery”
(P.8-14). The 12-volt battery is located
on the left hand side of the trunk behind
an access panel. If the 12-volt battery
terminals are loose, it is recommended
you contact an INFINITI retailer. 2. If the 12-volt battery terminals are tight
and clean, try to jump start the vehicle.
See “Jump starting” (P.6-5).
If the hybrid system still does not start, it is
recommended that you contact an INFINITI
retailer. To start your INFINITI Direct Response
Hybrid
®System with a booster battery, the
instructions and precautions below must be
followed.
Jump starting provides power to the 12 volt
system to allow the electrical systems to
operate. The electrical systems must be
operating to allow the Lithium ion (Li-ion)
battery to be charged. Jump starting does
not charge the Li-ion battery.
WARNING
. If done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a 12-volt battery explosion,
resulting in severe injury or death. It
could also damage your vehicle.
. Explosive hydrogen gas is always
present in the vicinity of the 12-volt
battery. Make sure that the vent
tube is mounted.
. Do not allow battery fluid to come
into contact with eyes, skin, clothing
or painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a
corrosive sulfuric acid solution which
can cause severe burns. If the fluid
should come into contact with any-
thing, immediately flush the con-
tacted area with water.
. Keep the 12-volt battery out of the
reach of children.
In case of emergency6-5
IF THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STARTJUMP STARTING

unnecessary electrical systems (light,
heater, air conditioner, etc.).
3. Connect jumper cables in the sequence as illustrated (
???).
CAUTION
.Always connect positive (+) to posi-
tive (+) and negative (−) to body
ground (as illustrated) − not to the
12-volt battery.
. Make sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine
compartment and that clamps do
not contact any other metal.
4. Start the engine of the booster vehicle
and let it run for a few minutes.
5. Start the hybrid system of the vehicle being jump started
.
CAUTION
If the hybrid system does not start right
away, push the ignition switch to the
OFF position and wait 10 seconds
before trying again. 6. After starting your hybrid system, care-
fully disconnect the negative cable and
then the positive cable (
???).
NOTE:
If it is not possible to turn the hybrid system
ON by following this procedure, it is
recommended that you contact an INFINITI
retailer immediately. Do not attempt to start the engine by
pushing.CAUTION
.
Automatic Transmission (AT) models
cannot be push-started or tow-
started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
. Three-way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing
since the three-way catalyst may be
damaged.
. Never try to start the vehicle by
towing it; when the engine starts,
the forward surge could cause the
vehicle to collide with the tow vehi-
cle.
. Hybrid models cannot be push-
started or tow-started. Attempting
to do so may cause electrical or
transmission damage.
In case of emergency6-7
PUSH STARTING

6-10In case of emergency
SCE0788
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models
TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
INFINITI
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models
INFINITI recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (rear) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flat bed
truck as illustrated. The vehicle should only
be loaded onto a flat bed using a winch.
WARNING
If your vehicle needs to be towed, do it
with the rear wheels raised. If the rearwheels are on the ground when towing,
the electric motor may generate electri-
city. This may damage the INFINITI
Direct Response Hybrid
®System com-
ponents and cause a fire.
CAUTION
. Never tow automatic transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the ground
(forward or backward), as this may
cause serious and expensive damage to the transmission. If it is necessary
to tow the vehicle with the front
wheels raised, always use towing
dollies under the rear wheels.
. When towing rear wheel drive models
with the front wheels on the ground
or on towing dollies: Push the ignition
switch to the ACC or ON position,
and secure the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position with a rope
or similar device.