•After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could
roll away There is a risk of an accident
and injury. Therefore, quickly move your
foot from the brake pedal to the accel-
erator pedal. Never leave the vehicle
when it is held by hill start assist.
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake
pedal. This gives you enough time to move
your foot from the brake pedal to the accel-
erator pedal and depress it before the vehicle
begins to roll.
Hill start assist is not active if
•You are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient.
•On vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is in position N.
•The electric parking brake is applied.
•VDC is malfunctioning.
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
deicer through the key hole. If the lock be-
comes frozen, heat the key before inserting it
into the key hole, or use the INFINITI Intelli-
gent Key.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
temperature will drop below 32°F (0°C),
check the antifreeze to assure proper winter
protection. For additional information, see
"Engine cooling system".
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during ex-
tremely cold weather conditions, the battery
fluid may freeze and damage the battery. To
maintain maximum efficiency, the battery
should be checked regularly. For details, see
"Battery" of this manual.
DRAINING OF ENGINE COOLANT
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, including
the engine block. Refill before operating the
vehicle. For details, see "Changing engine
coolant" of this manual.
TIRE EQUIPMENT
1. SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide superior performance on dry
pavement. However, the performance of
these tires will be substantially reduced in
snowy and icy conditions. If you operate
your vehicle on snowy or icy roads,
INFINITI recommends the use of MUD &
SNOW or ALL SEASON TIRES on all four
wheels. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for the tire type, size,
speed rating and availability information.
2. For additional traction on icy roads, stud-
ded tires may be used. However, some
U.S. states and Canadian provinces pro-
hibit their use. Check local, state and pro-
vincial laws before installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow tires.
COLD WEATHER DRIVING
5-96Starting and driving
The hazard warning flasher switch1oper-
ates regardless of the ignition switch position
except when the battery is discharged.
The hazard warning flasher is used to warn
other drivers when you have to stop or park
under emergency conditions.
When the hazard warning flasher switch is
pushed, all turn signal lights will flash. To turn
off the hazard warning flasher, push the haz-
ard warning switch again.
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 un-
usual circumstances force you to drive
so slowly that your vehicle might be-
come a hazard to other traffic.
•Turn signals do not work when the haz-
ard warning flasher lights are on.
Some jurisdictions may prohibit the use of
the hazard warning flasher switch while
driving.If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
in this section.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
WARNING
•If the low tire pressure warning light il-
luminates or a tire pressure-related
warning is displayed by the vehicle in-
formation display while driving, avoid
sudden steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull off
the road to a safe location and stop the
vehicle as soon as possible. Driving with
under-inflated tires may permanently
damage the tires and increase the likeli-
hood of tire failure. Serious vehicle dam-
age could occur and may lead to an acci-
dent and could result in serious personal
injury. Check the tire pressure for all
four tires. Adjust the tire pressure to the
recommended COLD tire pressure
shown on the tire and loading informa-
tion label to turn the low tire pressure
warning light OFF. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with a replacement tire as
soon as possible.
NIC2621
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
SWITCHFLAT TIRE
6-2In case of emergency
NOTE
•The wheel lock bolt has an individual code.
A wheel lock key with other than the indi-
vidual code cannot remove the wheel lock
bolt. If you lose the wheel lock key, it is
recommended you contact an INFINITI re-
tailer for a duplicate with the original
wheel lock key code.
•Record the key number and keep it in a
safe place, not in the vehicle.
•When you ask for a service at an INFINITI
retailer, make sure to keep the lock key in
the vehicle. Otherwise, wheels cannot be
removed and the service cannot be per-
formed.For the jump-starting procedure, use only the
jump-starting connection point, consisting of
a positive terminal and an earth point, in the
engine compartment.
WARNING
•If done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a battery explosion, resulting in
severe injury or death. It could also dam-
age your vehicle.
•Explosive hydrogen gas is always pres-
ent in the vicinity of the battery. Keep all
sparks and flames away from the bat-
tery.
•Do not allow battery fluid to come into
contact with eyes, skin, clothes or
painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a cor-
rosive sulfuric acid which can cause se-
vere burns. If the fluid should come into
contact with anything, immediately
flush the contacted area with water.
•Keep the battery out of the reach of chil-
dren.
•The booster battery must be rated at
12 volts. Use of an improperly rated bat-
tery can damage your vehicle.
•Whenever working on or near a battery,
always wear suitable eye protectors (for
example, goggles or industrial safety
spectacles) and remove rings, metal
bands, or any other jewelry. Do not lean
over the battery when jump starting.
•Do not attempt to jump start a frozen
battery. It could explode and cause seri-
ous injury.
•Your vehicle has an automatic engine
cooling fan. It could come on at any time.
Keep hands and other objects away
from it.
JUMP STARTING
6-10In case of emergency
WARNING
Always follow the instructions below. Fail-
ure to do so could result in damage to the
charging system and cause personal injury.1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle,
position the two vehicles to bring their
batteries near each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.2. Check if the parking brake is applied.
If not, after connecting the vehicle with
the booster battery (after step 8), apply
the parking brake.
The vehicle has an electric parking brake,
for more information see, "Parking brake"
3. Press the P (Park) button.
4. Switch off all unnecessary electrical sys-
tems (headlights, hazard lights etc,).
5. Ensure that the ignition switch of the ve-
hicle being jump-started is in the OFF po-
sition.
6. Open the hood. For details, see "Hood".
7. Remove the vent caps (if equipped) on the
battery and cover the battery with an old
cloth.
8. Connect the jump leads in the sequence
(
1→2→3→4) as illustrated.
CAUTION
•Always connect positive+to positive
+and negative-to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine lift
bracket, etc.) – not to the battery's
negative
-.
NDI1595
In case of emergency6-11
•Be sure that the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
9. Start the engine of the other vehicle
Aand let it run for a few minutes. Keep the
engine speed at about 2,000 rpm.
10. Start the engine of your vehicle
Bin the
normal way.
CAUTION
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, place the ignition
switch in the OFF position and wait 10 sec-
onds before trying again.
11. After starting the engine of your vehicle,
carefully disconnect the negative lead
and then the positive lead (
4→3→2→1).
12.
Remove and dispose of the cloth that was
used to cover the ventilator holes as it may
be contaminated with corrosive acid.
13. Install the ventilator caps (if equipped).
14. Close the hood.NOTE
For models which incorporate the Idle Stop/
Start System:
•Ensure that the battery fitted is the special
battery that is enhanced with regard to the
charge-discharge capacity and life perfor-
mance. Avoid using any other battery for
the Idle Stop/Start System, as this may
cause early deterioration of the battery or
a malfunction of the Idle Stop/Start Sys-
tem. It is recommended that a Genuine
INFINITI battery is fitted. For more infor-
mation, it is recommended you contact an
INFINITI retailer.
•If the battery terminal is disconnected (for
battery replacement, etc.) and then recon-
nected, there may be some delay before
the Idle top/Start System reactivates.Do not attempt to start the engine by pushing
the vehicle.
CAUTION
•Automatic Transmission (AT) model
cannot be push-started or tow-started.
Attempting to do so may cause damage
to the transmission.
•Three-way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing. At-
tempting to do so may cause damage to
the three-way catalyst.
•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 vehicle.
PUSH STARTING
6-12In case of emergency
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
2.0L GASOLINE ENGINE
1. Engine coolant reservoir (P. 8-3)
2. Engine oil dipstick (P. 8-5)
3. Engine oil filler cap (P. 8-5)
4. Brake fluid reservoir (P. 8-7)5. Engine air cleaner filter (P. 8-13)
6. Battery (P. 8-9)
7. Fuse box (P. 8-17)
8. Window washer fluid reservoir (P. 8-8)
WARNING
The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a high-quality, year-round,
antifreeze coolant solution. The antifreeze
solution contains rust and corrosion inhibi-
tors, therefore additional cooling system
additives are not necessary.
•Never remove the radiator or coolant
reservoir cap when the engine is hot.
Wait until the engine and radiator cool
down. Serious burns could be caused by
high-pressure fluid escaping from the
radiator. For additional information on
precautions, refer to "If your vehicle
overheats"
•The engine coolant reservoir tank is
equipped with a pressure type cap. To
prevent engine damage, use only a
genuine INFINITI pressure cap.
CAUTION
•Never use any cooling system additives
such as radiator sealer. Additives may
clog the cooling system and cause dam-
age to the engine, transmission and/or
cooling system.NIC2833
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONSENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
Do-it-yourself8-3