2018 INFINITI Q50 light

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
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.5-22).
If the VDC system is turned off, the setting
of steering becomes standard mode.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine 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 engine 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 engine off, restart the
engine, 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 engine 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
Starting and driving5-129

5-130Starting and driving
a straight road for a period of time.
. After the engine 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.
You may hear a noise under the following
conditions. However, this is not a malfunc-
tion.
. When the engine is started or stopped.
. When the steering wheel is turned in the
full lock position.BRAKING PRECAUTIONS
The brake system has two separate hydrau-
lic circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you
will still have braking at two wheels.
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using
engine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can
stop the vehicle by depressing the brake
pedal. However, greater foot pressure on
the brake pedal will be required to stop the
vehicle and the stopping distance will be
longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will cause overheating of
the brakes, wearing out the brake and pads
faster and reduce gas mileage.
To help save the brakes and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going
down a slope or long grade. Overheated
brakes may reduce braking performance and
could result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
. While driving on a slippery surface,
be careful when braking, accelerating or downshifting. Abrupt braking or
accelerating 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 brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly tapping 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 drums/rotors are replaced, in
order to assure the best braking perfor-
mance.
This procedure is described in the vehicle
service manual. It is recommended you visit
BRAKE SYSTEM

an INFINITI retailer for this service.BRAKE ASSIST
When the force applied to the brake pedal
exceeds a certain level, the Brake Assist is
activated generating greater braking force
than a conventional brake booster even with
light pedal force.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. It is the
driver’s responsibility to stay alert, drive
safely and be in control of the vehicle at
all times.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
(ABS)
WARNING
. The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
is a sophisticated device, but it
cannot prevent accidents resulting
from careless or dangerous driving
techniques. It can help maintain ve-
hicle control during braking on slip-
pery surfaces. Remember that
stopping distances on slippery sur- faces will be longer than on normal
surfaces even with ABS. Stopping
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
vehicle 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. See
“Tire and loading information la-
bel” (P.10-16) of this manual.
— For detailed information, see “Wheels and tires” (P.8-32) of
this manual.
The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) controls
the brakes so the wheels do not lock during
hard braking or when braking on slippery
surfaces. The system detects the rotation
speed at each wheel and varies the brake
fluid pressure to prevent each wheel from
locking and sliding. By preventing each
Starting and driving5-131
BRAKE ASSIST

5-132Starting and driving
wheel from locking, the system helps the
driver maintain steering control and helps to
minimize swerving and spinning on slippery
surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
Depress the brake pedal with firm steady
pressure, but do not pump the brakes. The
ABS will operate to prevent the wheels from
locking up. Steer the vehicle to avoid
obstacles.
WARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Doing so
may result in increased stopping dis-
tances.
Self-test feature
The ABS includes electronic sensors, electric
pumps, hydraulic solenoids and a computer.
The computer has a built-in diagnostic
feature that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle at a
low speed in forward or reverse. When the
self-test occurs, you may hear a “clunk”
noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake
pedal. This is normal and does not indicate a
malfunction. If the computer senses a mal-function, it switches the ABS off and
illuminates the ABS warning light on the
instrument panel. The brake system then
operates normally, but without anti-lock
assistance.
If the ABS warning light illuminates during
the self-test or while driving, have the
vehicle checked. It is recommended you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
Normal operation
The ABS operates at speeds above 3 to 6
MPH (5 to 10 km/h).
When the ABS senses that one or more
wheels are close to locking up, the actuator
rapidly applies and releases hydraulic pres-
sure. This action is similar to pumping the
brakes very quickly. You may feel a pulsation
in the brake pedal and hear a noise from
under the hood or feel a vibration from the
actuator when it is operating. This is normal
and indicates that the ABS is operating
properly. However, the pulsation may indi-
cate that road conditions are hazardous and
extra care is required while driving.
The Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system
uses various sensors to monitor driver inputs
and vehicle motion. Under certain driving
conditions, the VDC system helps to perform
the following functions.
.
Controls brake pressure to reduce wheel
slip on one slipping drive wheel so power
is transferred to a non slipping drive
wheel on the same axle.
. Controls brake pressure and engine out-
put to reduce drive wheel slip based on
vehicle speed (traction control function).
. Controls brake pressure at individual
wheels and engine output to help the
driver maintain control of the vehicle in
the following conditions:
— understeer (vehicle tends to not follow the steered path despite increased
steering input)
— oversteer (vehicle tends to spin due to certain road or driving conditions).
The VDC system can help the driver to
maintain control of the vehicle, but it cannot
prevent loss of vehicle control in all driving
situations.
When the VDC system operates, the VDC
warning light
in the instrument panel
flashes so note the following:
. The road may be slippery or the system
may determine some action is required to
help keep the vehicle on the steered path.
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL
(VDC) SYSTEM

.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 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.2-18).
The computer has a built-in diagnostic feature that tests the system each time you
start the engine 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 malfunction.
VDC operation is reduced when the INFINITI
Drive Mode Selector is used to select the
SPORT+ mode (if so equipped). The VDC
system may not operate in the same circum-
stances when compared to operation in the
standard mode. To help prevent accidents
drive carefully, avoid careless or dangerous
driving techniques and be especially careful
when driving and cornering on slippery
surfaces.
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 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.
Starting and driving5-133

5-134Starting and driving
.When driving on extremely inclined
surfaces such as higher banked cor-
ners, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the VDC warning
light
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 VDC warning light
may
illuminate. This is not a malfunction.
Restart the engine after driving onto
a stable surface.
. If wheels or tires other than the
INFINITI recommended ones are
used, the VDC system may not oper-
ate properly and the VDC warning
light
may illuminate.
. The VDC system is not a substitute
for winter tires or tire chains on a
snow covered road. 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 SPORT mode is selected by the
INFINITI Drive Mode Selector, the amount
of brake control provided by the active trace
control is reduced.
When the PERSONAL mode is selected, the
active trace control can be set to ON
(enabled) or OFF (disabled). See “INFINITI
Drive Mode Selector” (P.5-22).
When the VDC OFF switch is used to turn
off the VDC system, the active trace control
is also turned off.
ACTIVE TRACE CONTROL

5-138Starting and driving
NOTE:
It may take some time until the Idling Stop
System activates under the following con-
ditions:
.when the battery is discharged.
. when the outside temperature is low or
high.
. when the battery is replaced or the
battery terminal is disconnected for
extended periods and then reconnected.
NOTE:
When the Idling Stop System indicator light
illuminates, the engine starts running auto-
matically under at least one of the following
conditions:
. The brake pedal is released with the shift
lever in the D (Drive) or N (Neutral)
position.
. The shift lever is placed in the D (Drive)
or R (Reverse) position from the N
(Neutral) or P (Park) position.
. The driver’s seat belt is unfastened, or
the driver’s door is open.
. The battery voltage becomes low (due to
electrical load from other vehicle sys-
tems like headlights, heaters, etc., or
auxiliary devices connected to the 12
volt socket inside the vehicle).
. The vehicle speed is above about 1 MPH
(2 km/h). .
The front defroster is operated.
. The rear window defroster is operated.
. When the temperature inside the vehicle
is lower than approximately 68°F
(20°C).
. When the temperature inside the vehicle
is higher than approximately 86°F
(30°C). (When the air conditioner is
off, the Idling Stop System will operate.)
. When the front defroster is turned on.
(The engine may not starts depending
on the outside temperature.)
. When more than 3 minutes have elapsed
since the Idling Stop System was active.
. When the accelerator pedal is depressed.
. When the steering wheel is operated.
(The steering wheel operation may be-
come heavy, but this is not a malfunc-
tion.)
. When the battery capacity is low.
. When the power consumption is high.
. When the shift lever is placed in the R
(Reverse) position.
NOTE:
The following condition will prevent the
Idling Stop System from automatically re-
starting the engine. Starting the engine
with the ignition switch operation is then
necessary: .
The hood is open.
Use this system while waiting at stoplight,
etc. When the vehicle is stopped for long
periods of time, turn off the engine.
When the engine is stopped by the Idling
Stop System, heating, cooling and dehumi-
difying functions will be deactivated. To
avoid the air conditioning functions from
being deactivated, turn off the Idling Stop
mode by pushing the Idling Stop OFF switch.
RETROGRADE MOVEMENT
CONTROL FUNCTION
This system is designed to reduce the retro-
grade movement that occurs while the
driver’s foot changes from depressing the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal when
moving the vehicle while the Idling Stop
System is active on a hilly road.
IDLING STOP SYSTEM DISPLAY
The status of the Idling Stop System can be
checked in the vehicle information display.

automatically stopping during the same
journey.
. Whenever the Idling Stop System is
deactivated the indicator light
on the
Idling Stop OFF switch illuminates. In
this condition the Idling Stop System
cannot prevent unnecessary fuel con-
sumption, exhaust emissions, or noise
during your journey.
. If the Idling Stop System is malfunction-
ing, the indicator light
on the Idling
Stop OFF switch illuminates.
NOTE:
The Idling Stop System ON or OFF message
is displayed for a few seconds in the vehicle
information display when the Idling Stop
OFF switch is pushed. See “Idling Stop
System ON or OFF” (P.5-139).
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
deicer through the key hole. If the lock
becomes frozen, heat the key before insert-
ing it into the key hole or use the Intelligent
Key system.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
outside temperature will drop below 32°F
(0°C), check antifreeze to assure proper
winter protection. For additional informa-
tion, see “Engine cooling system (for
VR30DDTT engine models)” (P.8-6), “En-
gine cooling system (for 2.0L turbo gasoline
engine models)” (P.8-8) or “Intercooler cool-
ing system (for VR30DDTT engine models)”
(P.8-9).
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the bat-
tery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly. For
additional information, see “Battery” (P.8-
16).
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, includ-
ing the engine block. Refill before operating
the vehicle. For details, see “Engine cooling
system (for VR30DDTT engine models)”
(P.8-6) or “Engine cooling system (for 2.0L
turbo gasoline engine models)” (P.8-8).
TIRE EQUIPMENT
SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide superior performance on dry pave-
ment. However, the performance of these
tires will be substantially reduced in snowy
and icy conditions. If you operate your
vehicle on snowy or icy roads, INFINITI
recommends the use of MUD & SNOW or
ALL SEASON tires on all four wheels. It is
recommended you consult an INFINITI re-
tailer for the tire type, size, speed rating and
availability information.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some U.S.
states and Canadian provinces prohibit their
use. Check local, state and provincial laws
before installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow tires.
Tire chains may be used. For details, see
“Tire chains” (P.8-40) of this manual.
Starting and driving5-141
COLD WEATHER DRIVING