5-128Starting and driving
SD1006MA
WARNING
.Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
.Never leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
.Do not leave children unattended
inside the vehicle. They could un-
knowingly activate switches or con-
trols. Unattended children could
become involved in serious accidents..To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the
vehicle and/or its systems, do not
leave children, people who require the
assistance of others or pets unat-
tended in your vehicle. Additionally,
the temperature inside a closed ve-
hicle on a warm day can quickly
become high enough to cause a sig-
nificant risk of injury or death to
people and pets.
.Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be applied
and the transmission placed into P
(Park). Failure to do so could causethe vehicle to move unexpectedly or
roll away and result in an accident.
.Make sure the automatic transmis-
sion shift lever has been pushed as far
forward as it can go and cannot be
moved without depressing the foot
brake pedal.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park)
position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling
into the street when parked on a sloping
drive way, it is a good practice to turn the
wheels as illustrated.
.HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
Turn the wheels into the curb and
move the vehicle forward until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
.HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
Turn the wheels away from the curb
and move the vehicle back until the
curb side wheel gently touches the
curb.
.HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL,
NO CURB:
Turn the wheels toward the side of
the road so the vehicle will move away
from the center of the road if it
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
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
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.
INFINITI retailer.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.
CAUTION
.Do not continue to drive if your
vehicle overheats. Doing so could
cause engine damage or a vehicle fire.
.To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the
radiator cap is removed, pressurized
hot water will spurt out, possibly
causing serious injury.
.Do not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading),
or if you feel a lack of engine power, detect
abnormal noise, etc., take the following
steps:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road,
apply the parking brake and move the
shift lever to the P (Park) position.
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the climate control. Open all the
windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.
3. If engine overheating is caused by climb-
ing a long hill on a hot day, run the engine
In case of emergency6-21
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
6-22In case of emergency
at a fast idle (approximately 1,500 rpm)
until the temperature gauge indication
returns to normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the
radiator before opening the hood. (If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off the
engine.) Do not open the hood further
until no steam or coolant can be seen.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or
looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is
leaking or the cooling fan does not run,
stop the engine.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the
engine cooling fan. The engine coolingfan can start at any time.
7. After the engine cools down, check the
coolant level in the reservoir tank with
the engine running. Add coolant to the
reservoir tank if necessary. Have your
vehicle repaired. It is recommended you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.When towing your vehicle, all State (Pro-
vincial in Canada) and local regulations for
towing must be followed. Incorrect towing
equipment could damage your vehicle. Tow-
ing instructions are available from an
INFINITI retailer. Local service operators
are familiar with the applicable laws and
procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage to
your vehicle, INFINITI recommends that you
have a service operator tow your vehicle. It is
advisable to have the service operator care-
fully read the following precautions.
WARNING
.Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
.Never get under your vehicle after it
has been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
.When towing, make sure that the
transmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working con-
dition. If any unit is damaged, dollies
must be used.
.Always attach safety chains before
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
towing.
For information about towing your vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle (RV), see “Flat
towing” (P.10-21) of this manual.
SCE0967
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.
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: Place the igni-
tion switch in the ACC or ON posi-
tion, and secure the steering wheel in
a straight-ahead position with a rope
or similar device.
In case of emergency6-23
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ................................................ 8-3
Engine compartment check locations .......................... 8-4
VR30DDTT engine....................................................... 8-4
2.0L turbo gasoline engine........................................ 8-5
Engine cooling system (for VR30DDTT
engine models).................................................................... 8-6
Checking engine coolant level ................................. 8-7
Changing engine coolant............................................ 8-7
Engine cooling system (for 2.0L turbo gasoline
engine models).................................................................... 8-8
Checking engine coolant level................................... 8-8
Changing engine coolant............................................ 8-9
Intercooler cooling system (for VR30DDTT
engine models).................................................................... 8-9
Checking intercooler coolant level........................ 8-10
Changing intercooler coolant................................. 8-10
Engine oil........................................................................... 8-10
Checking engine oil level .......................................... 8-11
Changing engine oil and filter................................. 8-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF).......................... 8-13
Power steering fluid (models with hydraulic pump
electric power steering).................................................. 8-14
Brake fluid.......................................................................... 8-14
Window washer fluid...................................................... 8-15Battery................................................................................ 8-16
Main battery location.............................................. 8-17
Auxiliary battery location
(for 2.0L turbo gasoline engine models) ........... 8-17
Checking battery fluid level................................... 8-18
Jump starting............................................................. 8-19
Variable voltage control system ................................. 8-19
Drive belts ........................................................................ 8-20
Spark plugs........................................................................ 8-21
Replacing spark plugs.............................................. 8-21
Air cleaner.......................................................................... 8-21
Windshield wiper blades ............................................... 8-22
Cleaning....................................................................... 8-22
Replacing..................................................................... 8-22
Brakes................................................................................. 8-23
Self-adjusting brakes............................................... 8-23
Brake pad wear warning........................................ 8-23
Fuses................................................................................... 8-23
Engine compartment.............................................. 8-24
Passenger compartment ........................................ 8-25
Intelligent Key battery replacement........................... 8-26
Lights.................................................................................. 8-29
Headlights.................................................................. 8-30
Exterior and interior lights.................................... 8-30