SSD1024
INFINITI Drive Mode Selector
Four driving modes can be selected by using
the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector, STAN-
DARD, SPORT, ECO and SNOW. Select the
STANDARD mode for normal driving.
NOTE:
When the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector
selects a mode, the mode may not switch
quickly. This is not a malfunction.
STANDARD MODE
Recommended for normal driving. Turn the
INFINITI Drive Mode Selector to the
position. “STANDARD” appears on the ve-
hicle information display for 2 seconds.
SPORT MODE
Adjusts the engine and transmission points
to enhance performance. If the vehicle is
equipped with the active trace control
system, the amount of brake control pro-
vided by active trace control is reduced. (See
“Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system”
(P.5-122).) Turn the INFINITI Drive Mode
Selector to the SPORT position. “SPORT”
appears on the vehicle information display
for 2 seconds.
NOTE:
In the SPORT mode, fuel economy may be
reduced.
SNOW MODE
Used on snowy roads or slippery areas.
When the SNOW mode is activated, engine
output is controlled to avoid wheel spin.
Turn the SNOW mode off for normal driving.
Turn the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector to
the SNOW position. “SNOW” appears on
the vehicle information display for 2 sec-
onds.
ECO MODE
Adjusts engine and transmission points to
enhance fuel economy.
NOTE:
Selecting this drive mode will not necessa-
rily improve fuel economy as many driving
factors influence its effectiveness.
Operation
Turn the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector to
the ECO position. “ECO” appears on the
vehicle information display for 2 seconds
and the ECO drive indicator light illuminates
on the instrument panel.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed
within the range of economy drive, the ECO
drive indicator light illuminates in green.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed
above the range of economy drive, the color
of the ECO drive indicator light changes to
orange. For ECO pedal system equipped
models see “ECO pedal system” (P.5-20).
The ECO drive indicator light will not
illuminate in the following cases:
. When the shift lever is in the R (Reverse)
position.
. When the vehicle speed is below 3 MPH
(4.8 km/h) or over 90 MPH (144 km/h).
. When the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)
system is operated.
Starting and driving5-19
INFINITI DRIVE MODE SELECTOR
5-118Starting 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 INFINITI Direct Re-
sponse Hybrid
®System in the READY
to drive mode 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 cause
the 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
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
5-124Starting and driving
ing 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.
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.
When staring the vehicle on a steep uphill
grade, wait one second after shifting the
shift lever into the driving position.
HILL START ASSIST SYSTEM
6-4In case of emergency
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road andaway 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 INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid
®System.
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.
6-12In case of emergency
NOTE:
If it is not possible to turn the hybrid system
ON by following this procedure, it is
recommended that you contact an INFINITI
retailer immediately.Do not attempt to start the engine by
pushing.
CAUTION
.
Automatic transmission models can-
not 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.
. Hybrid models cannot be push-
started or tow-started. Attempting
to do so may cause electrical or
transmission damage.
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 turn the INFINITI Direct Re-
sponse Hybrid
®System off.
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.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
3. If engine overheating is caused by climb-ing a long hill on a hot day, run the engine
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
hybrid system.) 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. 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 hybrid
system.
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 cooling
fan 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
In case of emergency6-13
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
6-14In case of emergency
towing.
For information about towing your vehicle
behind a recreational vehicle (RV), see “Flat
towing” (P.10-16).
SCE0788
Two-wheel drive 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. The vehicle should only
be loaded onto a flat bed using a winch.
WARNING
If your vehicle needs to be towed, do it
with the rear wheels raised. If the rear wheels are on the ground when towing,
the electric motor may generate electri-
city. This may damage the INFINITI
Direct Response Hybrid
®System com-
ponents and cause a fire.
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: Push the ignition
switch to the ACC or ON position,
and secure the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position with a rope
or similar device. For models with a
steering wheel lock mechanism:
Never secure the steering wheel by
selecting the LOCK position. This
may damage the steering lock me-
chanism.
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious perso-
nal injury or death when recovering a
stuck vehicle:
.Contact a professional towing ser-
vice to recover the vehicle if you have
any questions regarding the recovery
procedure. .
Tow chains or cables must be at-
tached only to main structural mem-
bers of the vehicle.
. Do not use the vehicle tie-downs to
tow or free a stuck vehicle.
. Only use devices specifically designed
for vehicle recovery and follow the
manufacturer’s instructions.
. Always pull the recovery device
straight out from the front of the
vehicle. Never pull at an angle.
. Route recovery devices so they do
not touch any part of the vehicle
except the attachment point.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device
designed specifically for vehicle recovery.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to clear an area around the front tires. 4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and
backward.
.Shift back and forth between R (Re-verse) and D (Drive).
.Apply the accelerator as little aspossible to maintain the rocking mo-
tion.
.Release the accelerator pedal before
shifting between R and D.
.Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH(55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few tries, contact a professional towing
service to remove the vehicle.
WARNING
.Stand clear of a stuck vehicle.
. Do not spin your tires at high speed.
This could cause them to explode and
result in serious injury. Parts of your
vehicle could also overheat and be
damaged.
In case of emergency6-15