2018 INFINITI Q50 HYBRID Owner's Manual

7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior ................................................................ 7-2Washing ........................................................................\
... 7-2
Waxing ........................................................................\
..... 7-2
Removing spots ............................................................. 7-3
Underbody ...................................................................... 7-3
Glass ........................................................................\
......... 7-3
Wheels ........................................................................\
..... 7-3
Chrome parts ................................................................ 7-4
Tire dressing .................................................................. 7-4 Cleaning interior ................................................................. 7-5
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery and DC/DC
converter air vent ....................................................... 7-5
Air fresheners ............................................................... 7-6
Floor mats ..................................................................... 7-6
Seat belts ...................................................................... 7-7
Corrosion protection ........................................................ 7-8 Most common factors contributing to
vehicle corrosion ........................................................ 7-8
Environmental factors influence the rate
of corrosion ................................................................. 7-8
To protect your vehicle from corrosion ............... 7-8

7-2Appearance and care
In order to maintain the appearance of your
vehicle, it is important to take proper care of
it.
To protect the paint surface, wash your
vehicle as soon as you can:
.after a rainfall to prevent possible da-
mage from acid rain
. after driving on coastal roads
. when contaminants such as soot, bird
droppings, tree sap, metal particles or
bugs get on the paint surface
. when dust or mud builds up on the
surface
Whenever possible, store or park your
vehicle inside a garage or in a covered area.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in
a shady area or protect the vehicle with a
body cover.
Be careful not to scratch the paint surface
when putting on or removing the body
cover.WASHING
Wash dirt off the vehicle with a wet sponge
and plenty of water. Clean the vehicle
thoroughly using a mild soap, a special
vehicle soap or general purpose dishwashing
liquid mixed with clean, lukewarm (never hot)
water.
CAUTION
. Do not use car washes that use acid in
the detergent. Some car washes,
especially brushless ones, use some
acid for cleaning. The acid may react
with some plastic vehicle compo-
nents, causing them to crack. This
could affect their appearance, and
also could cause them not to function
properly. Always check with your car
wash to confirm that acid is not used.
. Do not wash the vehicle with strong
household soap, strong chemical de-
tergents, gasoline or solvents.
. Do not wash the vehicle in direct
sunlight or while the vehicle body is
hot, as the surface may become
water-spotted.
. Avoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care
must be taken when removing caked- on dirt or other foreign substances so
the paint surface is not scratched or
damaged.
Rinse the vehicle again with plenty of clean
water.
Inside flanges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable
to the effects of road salt. Therefore, these
areas must be regularly cleaned. Make sure
that the drain holes in the lower edge of the
door are open. Spray water under the body
and in the wheel wells to loosen the dirt and
wash away road salt.
Avoid leaving water spots on the paint
surface by using a damp chamois to dry the
vehicle.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface
and helps retain new vehicle appearance.
Polishing is recommended to remove built-
up wax residue and to avoid a weathered
appearance before reapplying wax.
An INFINITI retailer can assist you in choos-
ing the proper product.
. Wax your vehicle only after a thorough
washing. Follow the instructions sup-
plied with the wax.
CLEANING EXTERIOR

.Do not use a wax containing any abra-
sives, cutting compounds or cleaners
that may damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compound or aggressive polishing
on a base coat/clear coat paint finish may
dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust,
insects, and tree sap as quickly as possible
from the paint surface to avoid lasting
damage or staining. Special cleaning pro-
ducts are available at an INFINITI retailer or
any automotive accessory stores.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, the
underbody must be cleaned regularly. This
will prevent dirt and salt from building up
and causing the acceleration of corrosion on
the underbody and suspension. Before the
winter period and again in the spring, the
underseal must be checked and, if necessary,
re-treated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust
film from the glass surfaces. It is normal for
glass to become coated with a film after the
vehicle is parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner
and a soft cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the win-
dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based dis-
infectant cleaners. They could damage
the electrical conductors, radio antenna
elements or rear window defroster ele-
ments.
WHEELS
Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle
to maintain their appearance.
. Clean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
. Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss
of pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
. INFINITI recommends that the road
wheels be waxed to protect against road
salt in areas where it is used during winter.
CAUTION
Do not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
Aluminum alloy wheels
Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in a
mild soap solution, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used. Salt
could discolor the wheels if not removed.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining or discoloring the wheels:
.
Do not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
. Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as
ambient temperature.
. Rinse the wheel to completely re-
move the cleaner within 15 minutes
after the cleaner is applied.
Appearance and care7-3

7-4Appearance and care
Bright wheels (if so equipped)
The bright wheels use a different coating
process than typical aluminum alloy wheel
and they are not plated wheels. These
wheels are clear-coated and require the
following special cleaning. They should be
regularly washed with a soft sponge soaked
in a lot of water. After washing with water,
wipe clean with a dry, soft cloth and dry
completely. When there is chemical or tire
wax, or dirt such as an antifreeze agent on
the surface, wash them with water as soon
as possible.
CAUTION
.The surfaces of the wheels use a
different coating process than typical
aluminum alloy wheels. Do not use
aluminum alloy wheel cleaners or
abrasive cleaners to clean the wheels.
Using such cleaners could damage the
wheel surfaces.
. Do not use an automatic car wash if
the vehicle is equipped with bright
wheels. The wheel coating may be
damaged.
. Do not use a brush to wash the
wheels if the vehicle is equipped with
bright wheels. The wheel coating may be damaged.
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the
finish.
TIRE DRESSING
INFINITI does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coat-
ing to the tires to help reduce discoloration
of the rubber. If a tire dressing is applied to
the tires, it may react with the coating and
form a compound. This compound may come
off the tire while driving and stain the vehicle
paint.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
.
Use a water-based tire dressing. The
coating on the tire dissolves more easily
with an oil-based tire dressing.
. Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help
prevent it from entering the tire tread/
grooves (where it would be difficult to
remove).
. Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry
towel. Make sure the tire dressing is
completely removed from the tire tread/
grooves. .
Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by tire dressing manufacturer.

Occasionally remove loose dust from the
interior trim, plastic parts and seats using a
vacuum cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe
the vinyl and leather surfaces with a clean,
soft cloth dampened in mild soap solution,
then wipe clean with a dry soft cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in order
to maintain the appearance of the leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the
manufacturer’s recommendations. Some
fabric protectors contain chemicals that
may stain or bleach the seat material.
Use a cloth dampened only with water, to
clean the meter and gauge lens.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can
damage the seat or occupant classifica-
tion sensors. This can also affect the
operation of the air bag system and
result in serious personal injury.
CAUTION
.Never use benzine, thinner, or any
similar material. .
For cleaning, use a soft cloth, dam-
pened with water. Never use a rough
cloth, alcohol, benzine, thinner or any
kind of solvent or paper towel with a
chemical cleaning agent. They will
scratch or cause discoloration to the
lens.
. Do not spray any liquid such as water
on the meter lens. Spraying liquid
may cause the system to malfunction.
. Small dirt particles can be abrasive
and damaging to the leather surfaces
and should be removed promptly. Do
not use saddle soap, car waxes,
polishes, oils, cleaning fluids, sol-
vents, detergents or ammonia-based
cleaners as they may damage the
leather’s natural finish.
. Do not clean the interior or trunk
using water. If water contacts the
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, it may
cause a short circuit and damage the
battery.
. Only use fabric protectors approved
by INFINITI.
. Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on
meter or gauge lens covers. It may
damage the lens cover.
JVO0114X
LITHIUM-ION (Li-ion) BATTERY
AND DC/DC CONVERTER AIR
VENT
CAUTION
.Do not place objects over or into the
air vent. The Li-ion battery or DC/
DC converter may overheat and be
damaged.
. Do not allow any liquid to get on or in
the air vent. It may cause a short
circuit and damage the Li-ion battery
or DC/DC converter.
Appearance and care7-5
CLEANING INTERIOR

7-6Appearance and care
.Clean the air vent regularly to pre-
vent the Li-ion battery or DC/DC
converter from overheating.
Regularly clean the air vent
with a dry
cloth to prevent the vent from being blocked.
AIR FRESHENERS
Most air fresheners use a solvent that could
affect the vehicle interior. If you use an air
freshener, take the following precautions:
. Hanging-type air fresheners can cause
permanent discoloration when they con-
tact vehicle interior surfaces. Place the
air freshener in a location that allows it
to hang free and not contact an interior
surface.
. Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip
on the vents. These products can cause
immediate damage and discoloration
when spilled on interior surfaces.
Carefully read and follow the manufac-
turer’s instructions before using air fresh-
eners.
FLOOR MATS
WARNING
To avoid potential pedal interference
that may result in a collision, injury or
death:
. NEVER place a floor mat on top of
another floor mat in the driver front
position or install them upside down
or backwards.
. Use only genuine INFINITI floor mats
or equivalent floor mats that are
specifically designed for use in your
vehicle model and model year.
. Properly position the mats in the
floorwell using the floor mat posi-
tioning hook. See “Floor mat installa-
tion” (P.7-7).
. Make sure the floor mat does not
interfere with pedal operation.
. Periodically check the floor mats to
make sure they are properly installed.
. After cleaning the vehicle interior,
check the floor mats to make sure
they are properly installed.
The use of genuine INFINITI floor mats can
extend the life of your vehicle carpet and make it easier to clean the interior. Mats
should be maintained with regular cleaning
and replaced if they become excessively
worn.

JVA0032X
Floor mat installation
Your vehicle is equipped with floor mat
positioning hook(s). The number and shape
of the floor mat positioning hook(s) for each
seating position varies depending on the
vehicle.
When installing genuine INFINITI floor mats,
follow the installation instructions provided
with the floor mat and the following:
1. Position the floor mat in the floorwell sothat the mat grommet holes are aligned
with the hook(s).
2. Push the grommet holes into the hook(s) firmly and secure it. Ensure that the floor
mat is properly positioned. 3. Make sure the floor mat does not
interfere with pedal operation. With the
ignition in the OFF position and the shift
lever in the P (Park) position, fully apply
and release all pedals. The floor mat
must not interfere with pedal operation
or prevent the pedal from returning to its
normal position. It is recommended you
see an INFINITI retailer for details about
installing the floor mats in your vehicle.
SAI0051
Positioning hooks
The illustration shows the location of the
floor mat positioning hooks.
SEAT BELTS
The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping
them with a sponge dampened in a mild soap
solution. Allow the belts to dry completely
before using them.
See “Seat belts” (P.1-9).
WARNING
Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in
the retractor. NEVER use bleach, dye, or
chemical solvents to clean the seat belts,
Appearance and care7-7

7-8Appearance and care
since these materials may severely
weaken the seat belt webbing.MOST COMMON FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE
CORROSION
.The accumulation of moisture-retaining
dirt and debris in body panel sections,
cavities, and other areas.
. Damage to paint and other protective
coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor traffic accidents.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN-
FLUENCE THE RATE OF COR-
ROSION
Moisture
Accumulation of sand, dirt and water on the
vehicle body underside can accelerate corro-
sion. Wet floor coverings will not dry
completely inside the vehicle, and should be
removed for drying to avoid floor panel
corrosion.
Relative humidity
Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of high
relative humidity, especially those areas
where the temperatures stay above freezing
where atmospheric pollution exists, or where
road salt is used.
Temperature
A temperature increase will accelerate the
rate of corrosion to those parts which are
not well ventilated.
Air pollution
Industrial pollution, the presence of salt in
the air in coastal areas, or heavy road salt
use will accelerate the corrosion process.
Road salt will also accelerate the disintegra-
tion of paint surfaces.
TO PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE
FROM CORROSION
. Wash and wax your vehicle often to keep
the vehicle clean.
. Always check for minor damage to the
paint and repair it as soon as possible.
. Keep drain holes at the bottom of the
doors open to avoid water accumulation.
. Check the underbody for accumulation of
sand, dirt or salt. If present, wash with
water as soon as possible.
CAUTION
. NEVER remove dirt, sand or other
debris from the passenger compart-
ment by washing it out with a hose.
Remove dirt with a vacuum cleaner.
CORROSION PROTECTION