2018 INFINITI Q50 ignition

BSW SYSTEM OPERATION
The BSW system operates above approxi-
mately 20 MPH (32 km/h).
If the radar sensors detect a vehicle in the
detection zone, the side indicator light
illuminates.
If the turn signal is then activated, the
system chimes (twice) and the side indicator
light flashes. The side indicator light con-
tinues to flash until the detected vehicle
leaves the detection zone.
NOTE:
.The side indicator lights illuminate for a
few seconds when the ignition switch is
placed in the ON position.
. The brightness of the side indicator
lights is adjusted automatically depend-
ing on the brightness of the ambient
light.
. If a vehicle comes into the detection zone
after the driver activates the turn
signal, then only the side indicator light
flashes and no chime sounds. (See “BSW
driving situations” (P.5-44).)
JVS0246X
HOW TO ENABLE/DISABLE THE
BSW SYSTEM
Perform the following steps to enable or
disable the BSW system.
1. Push the MENU button
and touch
[Driver Assistance] on the lower display.
2. Touch [Blind Spot Assist].
3. Touch [Blind Spot Warning] to enable or disable the system.
Setting the side indicator light
brightness
The brightness of the side indicator lights
can be changed using the following steps: 1. Push the MENU button
and touch
[Driver Assistance] on the lower display.
2. Touch [Blind Spot Assist].
3. Touch [+] or [-] in [Side Indicator Bright- ness] to select [Bright], [Standard] or
[Dark].
When the brightness setting is changed, the
side indicator lights illuminate for a few
seconds.
BSW SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations
for the BSW system. Failure to operate
the vehicle in accordance with these
system limitations could result in serious
injury or death.
. The BSW system cannot detect all
vehicles under all conditions.
. The radar sensors may not be able to
detect and activate BSW when cer-
tain objects are present such as:
— Pedestrians, bicycles, animals.
— Vehicles such as motorcycles, low height vehicles, or high ground
clearance vehicles.
Starting and driving5-43

5-92Starting and driving
system completely off.
When the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position, the system is also automati-
cally turned off.
To use the ICC system again, quickly push
and release the MAIN switch (vehicle-to-
vehicle distance control mode) or push and
hold it (conventional cruise control mode)
again to turn it on.
When the Distance Control Assist (DCA)
system is on, the conventional (fixed speed)
cruise control mode cannot be turned on
even though the MAIN switch is pushed and
held.
To turn on the conventional (fixed speed)
cruise control mode, turn off the DCA
system. See “Distance Control Assist
(DCA)” (P.5-94).
CAUTION
To avoid accidentally engaging cruise
control, make sure to turn the MAIN
switch off when not using the ICC
system.
JVS0843X
To set cruising speed,accelerate your
vehicle to the desired speed, push the SET/
COAST (-) switch and release it. (The color
of the cruise indicator changes to green and
set vehicle speed indicator comes on.) Take
your foot off the accelerator pedal. Your
vehicle will maintain the set speed.
. To pass another vehicle, depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle will return to the
previously set speed.
. The vehicle may not maintain the set
speed when going up or down steep hills.
If this happens, manually maintain vehi-
cle speed. To cancel the preset speed,
use any of the
following methods:
1. Push the CANCEL switch. The vehicle speed indicator will turn off.
2. Tap the brake pedal. The vehicle speed indicator will turn off.
3. Turn the MAIN switch off. Both the cruise indicator and vehicle speed indi-
cator will turn off.
To reset at a faster cruising speed, use one
of the following three methods:
1. Depress the accelerator pedal. When the vehicle attains the desired speed, push
and release the SET/COAST (-) switch.
2. Push and hold the RESUME/ACCELER- ATE (+) switch. When the vehicle attains
the desired speed, release the switch.
3. Push, then quickly release the RESUME/ ACCELERATE (+) switch. Each time you
do this, the set speed will increase by
about 1 MPH (1.6 km/h).
To reset at a slower cruising speed, use one
of the following three methods:
1. Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push
the SET/COAST (-) switch and release it.
2. Push and hold the SET/COAST (-) switch. Release the switch when the
vehicle slows down to the desired speed.

moves.
4. Push the ignition switch to the OFF position.ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
TYPE
WARNING
.If the engine is not running or is
turned off while driving, the power
assist for the steering will not work.
Steering will be harder to operate.
. When the power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine 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.
The electric power steering is designed to
provide power assist while driving to oper-
ate the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power assist
for the steering wheel will be reduced. This is
to prevent overheating of the electric power
steering and protect it from getting da-
maged. While the power assist is reduced,
steering wheel operation will become heavy.
When the temperature of the electric power
steering goes down, the power assist level
will return to normal. Avoid repeating such steering wheel operations that could cause
the electric power steering to overheat.
You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may
indicate the electric power steering is not
functioning properly and may need servicing.
It is recommended you have the electric
power steering 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 is
needed, especially in sharp turns and at low
speeds.
HYDRAULIC PUMP ELECTRIC
POWER STEERING TYPE
WARNING
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
Starting and driving5-127
POWER STEERING

5-128Starting and driving
the vehicle, but the steering will be much
harder to operate.
The hydraulic pump electric power steering
is designed to provide power assistance
while driving to operate the steering wheel
with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power assist
for the steering wheel will be reduced. This is
to prevent overheating of the hydraulic
pump electric power steering and protect it
from getting damaged. While the power
assist is reduced, steering wheel operation
will become heavy. If the steering wheel
operation is still performed, the power
steering may stop and the power steering
warning light will illuminate. Stop the engine
and place the ignition switch in the OFF
position. The temperature of the hydraulic
pump electric power steering will go down
and the power assist level will return to
normal after starting the engine. The power
steering warning light will go off. Avoid
repeating such steering wheel operations
that could cause the hydraulic pump electric
power steering to overheat.
You may hear a noise from the front of the
vehicle when the steering wheel is operated.
This is not a malfunction. If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may
indicate the hydraulic pump electric power
steering is not functioning properly and may
need servicing. It is recommended you have
the hydraulic pump electric power steering
checked by an INFINITI retailer.
When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, the
power assist for the steering will cease
operation but you will still have control of
the vehicle. At this time, greater steering
efforts are required to operate the steering
wheel, especially in sharp turns and at low
speeds.
DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING
TYPE
WARNING
.
When the power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine 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
engine off and restart the engine. If
the power steering warning light
continues to illuminate, have the
system checked. It is recommended
you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service. For VDC system, see “Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) system”
(P.5-132).

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

.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

The Idling Stop System activates to prevent
unnecessary fuel consumption, exhaust
emissions and noise.
.When you fully depress the brake pedal
to stop the vehicle, the engine is turned
off automatically.
. When you release the brake pedal to
begin moving again, the engine is turned
on automatically.
WARNING
The engine restarts if the vehicle moves
at approximately 1 MPH (2 km/h) or
more (on a downhill grade, etc.), while
the engine is turned off by the Idling
Stop System. Depress the brake pedal
immediately to stop the vehicle to pre-
vent an accident.
CAUTION
At the end of the journey the engine
must be stopped and ignition switch be
turned off. Lock the vehicle as normal.
Turning the ignition switch OFF will shut
down all electrical systems. Failure to do
this may result in a discharged battery. NOTE:
The Idling Stop System will not activate
under the following conditions:
.
when the engine is kept idling without
the vehicle being driven after the engine
is turned on.
. when the engine coolant temperature is
low.
. when the battery capacity is low.
. when the battery temperature is low or
extremely high.
. when the vehicle is moving.
. when a negative pressure booster de-
creases.
. when the engine hood is opened with the
engine running.
. when the engine is turned on with the
engine hood open.
. when the driver’s seat belt is not fas-
tened.
. when the driver’s door is open.
. when the steering wheel is operated.
. when the angle of steering wheel is not
straight.
. when the Idling Stop System indicator
blinks at a low speed.
. when the fan speed control is in any
position other than “OFF” (0) while the
air flow control is in the front defroster
position. .
when the front defroster switch is on.
. when the rear window defroster switch
is on.
. 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 fan speed of the air condi-
tioner is set to the maximum speed.
. when the Idling Stop OFF switch is
turned on.
. when the power consumption is large.
. when the vehicle is traveling at altitudes
higher than 8,203 ft (2,500 m).
. when the accelerator pedal is depressed.
. when the shift lever is in the R (Reverse)
position.
. when the brake pedal is not firmly
depressed.
. when stopping the vehicle on steep
sloping roads.
NOTE:
The engine will not restart even if the brake
pedal is released while the Idling Stop
System is activated when the shift lever is
in the P (Park) position.
Starting and driving5-137
IDLING STOP SYSTEM (if so equipped)