5-130Starting 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 powersteering 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 the VDC system, see
“Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) sys-
tem” (P.5-134).
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 “Powersteering warning light” (P.2-16).)
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 driving5-131
5-132Starting 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, acceleratingor 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
5-138Starting and driving
WARNING
.Never rely solely on the hill start
assist system to prevent the vehicle
from moving backward on a hill.
Always drive carefully and atten-
tively. 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 vehicle 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
designed 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
prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards on a hill under all load or road
conditions. 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 personal injury.The hill start assist system automatically
keeps the brakes applied to help prevent the
vehicle from rolling backwards 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
automatically under the following condi-
tions:
.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 vehicle 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 transmission is shifted to the N
(Neutral) or P (Park) position or on a flat and
level road.
The chassis control is an electric control
module that includes the following func-
tions:
.Log-in function (See “Log-in function”
(P.3-15).)
.INFINITI Drive Mode Selector (See
“INFINITI Drive Mode Selector” (P.5-
22).)
.Active Lane Control (if so equipped) (See
“Active Lane Control” (P.5-26).)
.Active Trace Control (See “Active trace
control” (P.5-136).)
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM CHASSIS CONTROL
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
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
in this section to replace the tire with a spare
tire (if so equipped). For the vehicles with
run-flat tires, you can continue driving to a
safe location even if they are punctured. (See
“Run-flat tires” (P.6-4) and “Run-flat tires”
(P.8-39).)
This section also contains the information
about the vehicle jack-up procedures.
For the vehicles with emergency tire punc-
ture repair kit, see “Repairing a flat tire (for
models with emergency tire puncture repair
kit)” (P.6-9).
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake. Move the shift lever to the
P (Park) position.
4. Turn off the engine.
5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic, and
to signal professional road assistance
personnel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the
vehicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
.Make sure the parking brake is
securely applied and the automatic
transmission into P (Park).
.Never change tires when the vehicle
is on a slope, ice or slippery areas.
This is hazardous.
.Never change tires if oncoming traf-
fic is close to your vehicle. Wait for
professional road assistance.
MCE0001A
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocksat both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the
flat tire to prevent the vehicle from moving
when it is jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the vehicle
may move and result in personal injury.
In case of emergency6-5
6-10In case of emergency
Sealant provided with your vehicle.
Other tire sealants may damage the
valve stem seal which can cause the
tire to lose air pressure. It is recom-
mended you visit an INFINITI retailer
as soon as possible after using tire
repair sealant.
This vehicle does not have a spare tire. The
emergency tire puncture repair kit (Emer-
gency Tire Sealant) is supplied with the
vehicle instead of a spare tire. It can be used
to temporarily repair minor tire punctures.
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below.
CAUTION
.To avoid the emergency tire puncture
repair kit being damaged during sto-
rage or use:
— Only use the emergency tire
puncture repair kit on your vehi-
cle. Do not use it on other vehicles.
— Only use the kit to inflate the
tires of your vehicle and to check
the vehicle’s tire pressure.
— Only plug the compressor into a
12V DC car power point.— Keep the kit free of water and
dirt.
— Do not disassemble or modify the
kit.
— Do not drop the kit or allow hard
impacts to the kit.
.Do not use the emergency tire punc-
ture repair kit under the following
conditions. It is recommended you
visit an INFINITI retailer or profes-
sional road assistance.
— when the sealant has passed its
expiration date (shown on the
label attached to the bottle)
— when the cut or the puncture is
approximately 0.25 in (6 mm) or
longer
— when the tire sidewall is damaged
— when the vehicle has been driven
with extremely low tire pressure
— when the tire has come off the
inside or the outside of the wheel.
— when the tire wheel is damaged
— when two or more tires are flat
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the
parking brake.
4. Move the shift lever to the P (Park)
position.
5. Turn off the engine.
6. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and
to signal professional road assistance
personnel that you need assistance.
7. Have all passengers get out of the
vehicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
.Make sure the parking brake is
securely applied and the transmission
is shifted into P (Park).
.Never repair tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This
is hazardous.
.Never repair tires if oncoming traffic
is close to your vehicle. Wait for
professional road assistance.
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