2018 INFINITI QX30 engine

DRIVING WITH AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
Driving precautions
•Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neutral)
to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M (Manual
shift mode). Always depress the brake
pedal until shifting is completed. Failure
to do so could cause you to lose control
and have an accident.
•Cold engine idle speed is high, so use cau-
tion when shifting into a forward or re-
verse gear before the engine has warmed
up.
•Never shift to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D (Drive)
position while the vehicle is reversing.
This could cause an accident or damage
the transmission.
•Except in an emergency, do not shift to
the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
WARNING
•Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. this may cause a loss of control.
CAUTION
•To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle; when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this pur-
pose.
•Except in an emergency, do not shift to
the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the brake pedal before shifting the shift lever
to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or Manual shift
mode.
2. Keep the brake pedal depressed and push the shift lever to shift into a driving gear.
3. Release the parking brake and brake, then gradually put the vehicle in motion by
pressing the accelerator pedal.
The automatic transmission is designed so
that the brake pedal MUSTbe depressed
before shifting from P (Park) to any drive
position while the ignition switch is ON.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-20Starting and driving

Shifting
P Park position with parking lock
R Reverse
N Neutral
D DriveTransmission position display:
NOTE
If the transmission position display in the ve-
hicle information display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether
the desired transmission position IS en-
gaged. Ideally, you should select transmis-
sion position D and automatic drive program
EorS.
The shift lever indicator
1located in the
lower part of the vehicle information display
shows the current position of the transmis-
sion.
It shows the P,R,N,D modes when the trans-
mission is in auto mode or the shift position
when the transmission is in manual mode.
WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shift lever is
in any position while the engine is not run-
ning. Failure to do so could cause the ve-
hicle to move unexpectedly or roll away
and result in serious personal injury or
property damage.
CAUTION
Use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position
only when the vehicle is completely
stopped.NSD585NSD649
Starting and driving5-21

P (Park):
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the P
(Park) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use this position when the vehicle is parked
or when starting the engine. Always make
sure that the vehicle is completely stopped
before pressing button
1to engage the P
(Park) position. For maximum safety, the
brake pedal must be depressed before en-
gaging the P (Park) position. Use this position
together with the parking brake. When park-
ing on a hill, first depress the brake pedal,
apply the parking brake and then engage the
P (Park) position. The parking lock should not
be used as a brake when parking. In order to secure the vehicle, always apply the electric
parking brake in addition to the parking lock.
In the event of a malfunction of the vehicle's
electronics, the transmission may lock in po-
sition P (Park). Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately. It is recommended you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
Park position P is automatically engaged if:
•You switch off the engine using the key
and remove the key.
•You open the driver's door when the ve-
hicle is stationary or driving at very low
speed and the transmission is in position D
(Drive) or R (Reverse).
R (Reverse):
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the R
(Reverse) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use this position to back up the vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped
before selecting the R (Reverse) position. The
brake pedal must be depressed and the shift
lever button pushed in to move the shift le-
ver from P (Park), N (Neutral) or any drive
position to R (Reverse). N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You
may shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled
engine while driving the vehicle.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driv-
ing.
The automatic transmission changes gear
automatically. All forward gears are avail-
able.
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the in-
dividual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D (Drive). Shifting is de-
termined by:
•The selected drive program.
•The position of the accelerator pedal.
•The road speed.
Accelerator pedal position:
Your style of driving influences how the au-
tomatic transmission shifts gear:
•little throttle: early upshifts
•more throttle: late upshifts
NSD586
5-22Starting and driving

Holding the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients
WARNING
If the transmission overheats, the elec-
tronic management system is automati-
cally deactivated. This interrupts the
power transmission from the engine to the
wheels. The vehicle may, for example, roll
backwards on gradients. There is a risk of
an accident. Never hold the vehicle station-
ary on uphill gradients by depressing the
accelerator.
The transmission may overheat if you hold
the vehicle stationary on uphill gradients by
depressing the accelerator pedal. If the trans-
mission overheats, a warning tone sounds
and the [Stop Vehicle Shift to P Leave Engine
Running] display message appears in the ve-
hicle information display. You will only be able
to continue your journey once the transmis-
sion has cooled down and the display mes-
sage in the vehicle information display has
disappeared. Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator. In-
stead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients by:•Depressing the brake pedal.
•Engaging the electric parking brake.
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
•Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
•Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Drive mode switch
The drive mode switch allows you to choose
between drive programs with different driv-
ing characteristics.
Press drive mode switch
1. The selected
drive program appears in the vehicle informa-
tion display.
The automatic transmission switches to drive
program E each time the engine is started.
E (Economy): comfortable, economical driv- ing
S (Sport): sporty driving style
M (Manual): manual gear shifting
For more details of the manual drive program
see "Manual drive program" later in this sec-
tion.
NSD587
Starting and driving5-23

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
1Left steering wheel gearshift paddle
(shifts down)
2Right steering wheel gearshift paddle
(shifts up)
In drive program M, you can change gear
yourself using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
If you pull the left or right steering wheel
gearshift paddle when in automatic drive
program E or S, the automatic transmission
shifts into drive program M for a limited time.
Depending on which gearshift paddle is
pulled, the automatic transmission immedi-
ately shifts into the next gear down or up.
Automatic drive programs
Drive program E is characterized by the fol-
lowing:
•Comfort-oriented engine settings.
•Optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
•The vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the ac-
celerator pedal is depressed fully.
•Increased sensitivity. This improves han-
dling on slippery road surfaces, for ex-
ample.
•The automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Drive program S is characterized by the fol-
lowing:
•Sporty engine settings.
•The automatic transmission shifting up
later.
•As a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption
possibly being higher.
Manual drive program
In manual drive program M, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. For this, the transmission
must be in position D (Drive). The gear cur-
rently selected and engaged is shown in the
vehicle information display
Manual drive program M differs from drive
programs E and S with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Using manual gears:
3 To use the engine's braking effect
2 To use the braking effect of the engine on downhill gradients and for driving on steep
mountain roads, in mountainous terrain or
in arduous conditions.
1 To use the braking effect of the engine on extremely steep downhill gradients and on
long downhill stretches.
NSD584
5-24Starting and driving

Activating the manual drive program:
•Permanently: Press the drive mode switch
1repeatedly until M appears in the ve-
hicle information display. Manual drive
program M remains active until drive pro-
gram E or S is engaged.
•Temporarily: Pull the right or left steering
wheel gearshift paddle (see "Steering
wheel gearshift paddles" later in this sec-
tion). Manual drive program M is tempo-
rarily active. Depending on which gearshift
paddle is pulled, the automatic transmis-
sion immediately shifts into the next gear
down or up. When manual drive program M is activated
via the steering wheel gearshift paddles, the
temporarily active manual drive program M
will be deactivated automatically after a lim-
ited time, if the driving situation permits. The
automatic transmission switches to the pre-
viously activated drive program E or S. When
driving on downhill gradients, the temporarily
active manual drive program M will only be
deactivated if the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed while the vehicle is rolling downhill.
Upshifting:
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (see "Steering wheel gearshift
paddles" earlier in this section). The auto-
matic transmission shifts up to the next gear.
In order to prevent engine damage the auto-
matic transmission automatically shifts up if
the maximum engine speed on the currently
engaged gear is reached and you depress the
accelerator pedal.
Gearshift recommendation:
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The
recommended gear is shown in the vehicle
information display.
Shift to recommended gear1according to
gearshift recommendation
2when shown in
the vehicle information display.
Downshifiting:
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (see "Steering wheel gearshift
paddles" earlier in this section). The auto-
matic transmission shifts down to the next
gear.
If you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts down.
NSD587NSD589
Starting and driving5-25

For maximum acceleration, pull the left-hand
steering wheel gearshift paddle until the
transmission selects the optimum gear for
the current speed.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine dam-
age by not shifting down.Kickdown:
You can also use kickdown for maximum ac-
celeration in manual drive program M
•Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point The transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine
speed.
•Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
During kickdown, you cannot shift gears us-
ing the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
If you apply full throttle, the automatic trans-
mission shifts up to the next gear when the maximum engine speed is reached. This pre-
vents the engine from overrevving.
Deactivating the temporary manual drive
program:
Pull and hold the right steering wheel gear-
shift paddle until the automatic transmission
shifts into the last active automatic drive pro-
gram E or S.
When manual drive program M is deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission in auto-
matic drive program E or S may shift from the
current gear into a higher or lower gear. This
is dependent on the position of the accelera-
tor pedal, speed and load.
Problems with the transmission:
Problem Possible causes/consequences and solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting
gear The transmission is losing oil.
Have the transmission checked immediately. It is recommended you visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
The acceleration abil-
ity is deteriorating
The transmission no
longer shifts into all
of the gears Reverse
gear can no longer be
engaged The transmission is in emergency mode.
•Stop.•Shift the transmission to position P (Park).•Switch off the engine.•Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.•Shift the transmission to position D (Drive).•Have the transmission checked immediately. It is recommended you visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
5-26Starting and driving

Before driving, check that the brake warning
lightgoes out. For additional informa-
tion, see "Warning lights, indicator lights and
audible reminders" in the "2. Instruments and
controls" section.
The electric parking brake can only be re-
leased when the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
APPLYING AUTOMATICALLY
(VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION)
The electric parking brake is automatically
applied when:
•Intelligent cruise control (if equipped)
brings the vehicle to a standstill.
or
•Intelligent Parking Assist (if equipped) is
keeping the vehicle stationary.
The red
indicator light lights up in the
combination meter.
The electric parking brake is not automati-
cally applied if the engine is switched off by
the Idle Stop/Start function.
RELEASING AUTOMATICALLY
The electric parking brake can only be re-
leased automatically in vehicles with auto-
matic transmission.
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
released automatically when all of the fol-
lowing conditions are fulfilled:
•The engine is running.
•The transmission is in position D (Drive) or
R (Reverse).
•The seat belt is fastened.
•You depress the accelerator pedal.
If the transmission is in position R, the lift
gate must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
•The driver's door is closed
•You have shifted out of transmission posi-
tion P (Park) or you have previously driven
faster than 2 MPH (3 km/h).
Ensure that you do not depress the accelera-
tor pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the
parking brake will be released and the vehicle
will start to move.
EMERGENCY BRAKING
The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
While driving, push handle
1of the electric
parking brake. The vehicle is braked as long as
you keep handle
1of the electric parking
brake pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle
1is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
•A warning tone sounds.
•The [Please Release Parking Brake] mes-
sage appears.
•The redindicator light in the combi-
nation meter flashes.
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is applied.
5-28Starting and driving