Follow these easy-to-use Fuel Efficient Driv-
ing Tips to help you achieve the most fuel
economy from your vehicle.
1.Use Smooth Accelerator and Brake Pedal
Application
•Avoid rapid starts and stops.
•Use smooth, gentle accelerator and
brake application whenever possible.
•Maintain constant speed while com-
muting and coast whenever possible.
2.Maintain Constant Speed
•Look ahead to try and anticipate and
minimize stops.
•Synchronizing your speed with traffic
lights allows you to reduce your num-
ber of stops.
•Maintaining a steady speed can mini-
mize red light stops and improve fuel
efficiency.
3.Use Air Conditioning (A/C) at Higher
Vehicle Speeds
•Below 40 MPH (64 km/h), it is more
efficient to open windows to cool the
vehicle due to reduced engine load.
•Above 40 MPH (64 km/h), it is more
efficient to use A/C to cool the vehicle
due to increased aerodynamic drag.
•Recirculating the cool air in the cabin
when the A/C is on reduces cooling
load.
4.
Drive at Economical Speeds and Distances
•Observing the speed limit and not ex-
ceeding 60 MPH (97 km/h) (where le-
gally allowed) can improve fuel effi-
ciency due to reduced aerodynamic
drag.
•Maintaining a safe following distance
behind other vehicles reduces unneces-
sary braking.
•Safely monitoring traffic to anticipate
changes in speed permits reduced brak-
ing and smooth acceleration changes.
•Select a gear range suitable to road
conditions.
5.Use Cruise Control
•Using cruise control during highway
driving helps maintain a steady speed.
•Cruise control is particularly effective in
providing fuel savings when driving on
flat terrains.
Utilize a map or navigation system to deter-
mine the best route to save time.6.Avoid Idling
•Shutting off your engine when safe for
stops exceeding 30 seconds saves fuel
and reduces emissions.
7.Buy an Automated Pass for Toll Roads
•Automated passes permit drivers to
use special lanes to maintain cruising
speed through the toll and avoid stop-
ping and starting.
8.Winter Warm Up
•Limit idling time to minimize impact to
fuel economy.
•Vehicles typically need no more than
30 seconds of idling at start-up to ef-
fectively circulate the engine oil before
driving.
•Your vehicle will reach its ideal operat-
ing temperature more quickly while
driving versus idling.
9.Keeping your Vehicle Cool
•Park your vehicle in a covered parking
area or in the shade whenever possible.
•When entering a hot vehicle, opening
the windows will help to reduce the
inside temperature faster, resulting in
reduced demand on your A/C system.
FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVING TIPS
Starting and driving5-85
•Keep your engine tuned up.
•Follow the recommended scheduled
maintenance.
•Keep the tires inflated to the correct pres-
sure. Low tire pressure increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
•Keep all the wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
•Use the recommended viscosity engine oil.
For additional information, see "Recom-
mended fluids/lubricants and capacities"
WARNING
•Do not drive beyond the performance
capability of the tires, even with 4WD
engaged. Accelerating quickly, sharp
steering maneuvers or sudden braking
may cause loss of control.
•Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels.
•This vehicle is not designed for off-road
(rough road) use. Do not drive on sandy
or muddy roads that tires may get stuck
in.
•For 4WD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to any
drive or reverse position with the engine
running. Doing so may result in drive-
train damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in serious
vehicle damage or personal injury.
•Do not attempt to test a 4WD equipped
vehicle on a 2-wheel dynamometer
(such as the dynamometers used by
some states for emissions testing) or
similar equipment even if the other two
wheels are raised off the ground. Make
sure that you inform the test facility
personnel that your vehicle is equipped
with 4WD before it is placed on a dyna-
mometer. Using the wrong test equip-
ment may result in drivetrain damage or
unexpected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle damage or
personal injury.
•When a wheel is off the ground due to an
uneven surface, do not spin the wheel
excessively.
INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) (IF
EQUIPPED)
5-86Starting and driving
6. To lift the vehicle, securely hold and turn
the ratchet handle
1clockwise as shown.
7. Carefully raise the vehicle until the tire
clears the ground.
8. Remove the wheel bolts, then remove the
wheel with the flat tire.
WARNING
The wheel is heavy. Be sure that your feet
are clear of the wheel and use gloves as
necessary to avoid injury.
Installing the wheel
WARNING
•A temporary use spare wheel and tire is
designed for emergency use.
•Never use wheel bolts other than those
provided with your vehicle. Incorrect
wheel bolts or improperly tightened
wheel bolts may cause the wheel to be-
come loose or come off. This could cause
an accident.
•Never use oil or grease on the wheel
bolts. This may cause the wheel bolts to
become loose.
ATighten
BLoosen
1. Clean any mud or dirt from the surface
between the wheel and the hub.
2. Carefully fit the wheel and tighten the
wheel bolts with your fingers. Check that
all the wheel bolts contact the wheel sur-
face horizontally and on the bevelled side.
Models with wheel lock bolt (if equipped):
Insert the wheel lock key into the wheel
lock bolt and tighten into the wheel finger
tight.
3. With the wheel wrench, tighten the wheel
bolts alternately and evenly in the se-
quence as illustrated (
1-5) until they
are tight.
NCE449NCE435
6-8In case of emergency
REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, in-
sects, and tree sap as quickly as possible from
the paint surface to avoid lasting damage or
staining. Special cleaning products are avail-
able at an INFINITI retailer or any automotive
accessory store.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in the winter,
it is necessary to clean the vehicle’s under-
body regularly in order to prevent dirt and salt
from building up and causing the acceleration
of corrosion on the underbody and suspen-
sion.
Before the winter and again in the spring, the
underseal must be checked and, if necessary,
re-treated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust
film from the glass surfaces. It is normal for
glass to become coated with a film after the
vehicle is parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner
and a soft cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the windows,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the electrical
conductors, radio antenna elements or rear
window defroster elements.
WHEELS
•Wash the wheels when washing the ve-
hicle to maintain their appearance.
•Clean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
•Do not use abrasive cleaners when wash-
ing the wheels.
•Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. This may cause loss of pressure
or damage the tire bead.
•INFINITI recommends that the road
wheels be waxed to protect against road
salt in areas where it is used during winter.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge
dampened in a mild soap solution, especially
during winter in areas where road salt is used.The salt residue from road salt could discolor
the wheels if it is not washed off regularly.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid stain-
ing or discoloring the wheels:
•Do not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
•Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as am-
bient temperature.
•Rinse the wheel to completely remove
the cleaner within 15 minutes after the
cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
INFINITI does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating
to the tires to help reduce discoloration of the
rubber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires,
it may react with the coating and form a
compound. This compound may come off the
tire while driving and stain the vehicle paint.
Appearance and care7-3
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
•Use a water-based tire dressing. The coat-
ing on the tire dissolves more easily than
with an oil-based tire dressing.
•Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help
prevent it from entering the tire tread/
grooves (where it would be difficult to re-
move).
•Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry
towel. Make sure the tire dressing is com-
pletely removed from the tire tread/
grooves.
•Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by tire dressing manufacturer.Occasionally remove loose dust from the in-
terior trim, plastic parts and seats using a
vacuum cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe
the vinyl and leather surfaces with a clean,
soft cloth dampened in mild soap solution,
then wipe clean with a dry, soft cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in order
to maintain the appearance of the leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the
manufacturer’s recommendations. Some
fabric protectors contain chemicals that may
stain or bleach the seat material.
Use a soft cloth dampened only with water to
clean the meter and gauge lens covers.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can dam-
age the seat or occupant classification sen-
sor. This can also affect the operation of
the air bag system and result in serious per-
sonal injury.
CAUTION
•Never use benzine, thinner or any similar
material on the interior surfaces or sur-
face damage may occur. Such damage is
not covered under the INFINITI war-
ranty.
•Small dirt particles can be abrasive
and damaging to leather surfaces and
should be removed promptly. Do not use
saddle soap, car waxes, polishes, oils,
cleaning fluids, solvents, detergents or
ammonia-based cleaners as they dam-
age the leather's natural finish.
•Never use fabric protectors unless rec-
ommended by the manufacturer.
•Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on
meter or gauge lens covers. It may dam-
age the lens covers.
AIR FRESHENERS
Most air fresheners use a solvent that could
affect the vehicle interior. If you use an air
freshener, take the following precautions:
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
Allow the belts to dry completely in the shade
before using them. For additional informa-
tion, see "Seat belts".
WARNING
•Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in
the retractor.
•NEVER use bleach, dye or chemical sol-
vents to clean the seat belts, since these
materials may severely weaken the seat
belt webbing.
CLEANING THE SEAT TRACKS
CAUTION
Periodically clean the seat tracks to pre-
vent reduction of ability to move the seats.
Clean periodically with a high-powered
vacuum cleaner. Dirt and debris may re-
duce the ability to adjust the seat. A wet
cleansing agent may be used if necessary.
GENUINE LEATHER SEAT
COVERS
Automotive leather is typically finished with
coatings which protect the surface from the
sun's damaging rays as well as making it re-sistant to soiling. The finishes used in auto-
motive upholstery are unique; very different
to furniture, garment or shoe leathers.
Leather is extremely resilient and easy to
clean and maintain.
•Before cleaning leather upholstery,
vacuum it to remove dust.
•To clean leather, simply use a soft and
lint-free cloth dampened with lukewarm
water and mild soap. Do not soak the
leather.
•Use a gentle, circular motion. Do not run
the leather or apply extreme pressure
when cleaning.
•Wipe the leather again with another clean,
slightly damp cloth to remove soap resi-
due. Dry with a soft cloth.
Leather should be cleaned whenever it be-
comes soiled. Dust and dirt may harm leather
if allowed to work into the finish.
Never use alcohol, cleaning solvents, oils,
varnishes or polishes on your leather, and
avoid using unknown products as they dam-
age the finish. Only use leather care agents
approved by INFINITI.
Steaming or ironing is not recommended as it
may damage the leather.Leather is a natural product and has natural
surface properties such as unevenness in
structure, marks caused by injury, and subtle
color differences. These are characteristics of
leather and not material faults.
Leather cleaning kit (if equipped)
Spray onto the leather cleaning cloth, then
gently wipe the surface of leather. Use a dry
towel to absorb any excess moisture.
Please refer to the instruction manual pro-
vided with the leather cleaner kit.
Clean light-colored leather more frequently
because soiling on such surfaces is much
more visible.
You can obtain the leather cleaner kit from an
INFINITI retailer.
7-6Appearance and care
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions.................8-2
Engine compartment check locations.........8-3
2.0L Gasoline engine.................8-3
Engine cooling system...................8-3
Checking engine coolant level............8-4
Changing engine coolant...............8-4
Engine oil...........................8-5
Checking engine oil level...............8-5
Changing engine oil..................8-5
Changing engine oil filter...............8-6
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)..........8-7
Brake fluid..........................8-7
Window washer fluid...................8-8
Battery............................8-9
Accessing Vehicle battery...............8-9
Maintenance free battery..............8-10
Models with Idle Stop/Start System.......8-10
Battery replacement.................8-10
Reinitialisation procedure after battery
reconnection......................8-12
Jump-starting.....................8-12
Drive belt..........................8-12
Spark plugs.........................8-12
Air cleaner filter......................8-13
Wiper blades........................8-13Cleaning.........................8-13
Replacing front window wiper blades......8-14
Replacing rear window wiper blade.......8-16
Brakes............................8-17
Self-adjusting brakes.................8-17
Fuses.............................8-17
Before replacing a fuse...............8-17
Engine compartment.................8-18
Passenger compartment..............8-19
Intelligent Key battery replacement........
.8-20
Checking the battery.................8-21
Replacing the battery.................8-21
Lights............................8-23
Exterior and interior lights..............8-23
Replacement procedures..............8-25
Wheels and tires......................8-27
Tire Pressure......................8-27
Tire inflation pressure................8-30
Tire labeling......................8-30
Types of tires.....................8-32
Tire chains.......................8-33
Tire wear and damage................8-33
Tire rotation......................8-34
Replacing wheels and tires.............8-34
Wheel balance.....................8-36
When performing any inspection or mainte-
nance work on your vehicle, always take care
to prevent serious accidental injury to your-
self or damage to the vehicle. The following
are general precautions which should be
closely observed.
WARNING
•Park the vehicle on a level surface, apply
the parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing. Press the P (Park) button.
•Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF
position when performing any parts re-
placement or repairs.
•Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Always turn off the engine
and wait until it cools down.
•If you must work with the engine run-
ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair and
tools away from moving fans, belts and
any other moving parts.
•It is advisable to secure or remove any
loose clothing and any jewelry, such as
rings, watches, etc. before working on
your vehicle.
•If you must run the engine in an enclosed
space such as a garage, be sure there is
proper ventilation for exhaust gases to
escape.
•Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported by a jack.
•Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from fuel and the battery.
•Never connect or disconnect either the
battery or any transistorized compo-
nent connector while the ignition switch
is in the ON position.
•On gasoline engine models with the
Multiport Fuel Injection system, the fuel
filter and fuel lines should be serviced by
an INFINITI retailer or qualified work-
shop because the fuel lines are under
high pressure even when the engine is
turned off.
•Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition switch is in the OFF position
and the engine is not running. To avoid
injury, always disconnect the negative
battery cable before working near the
fan.
•Always wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle.
•Never leave the engine or the transmis-
sion related component harness connec-
tor disconnected while the ignition
switch is in the ON position.
•Avoid direct contact with used engine oil
and coolant. Improperly disposed engine
oil, engine coolant, and/or other vehicle
fluids can hurt the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for disposal
of vehicle fluids.
This “ 8. Do-it-yourself” section provides in-
structions regarding only those items which
are relatively easy for an owner to perform.
You should be aware that incomplete or im-
proper servicing may result in operating diffi-
culties or excessive emissions, and could af-
fect your warranty coverage.If in doubt
about any servicing, it is recommended you
have it done by an INFINITI retailer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself