•If both thewarning light andwarning light are lit continuously, VDC
is not available due to a malfunction.
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
(TCS)
The Traction Control System (TCS) is part of
VDC.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate VDC.
CHARACTERISTICS OF VDC
If theVDC warning light goes out before
beginning the journey, VDC is automatically
active.
If VDC intervenes, the
VDC warning
light flashes in the combination meter.
If VDC intervenes:
•Do not deactivate VDC under any circum-
stances.
•When pulling away, only depress the ac-
celerator pedal as far as is necessary.
•Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Deactivating/activating VDC
WARNING
If you deactivate VDC, VDC no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate VDC in the situations de-
scribed in the following section.
You can select between the following sta-
tuses of VDC:
•VDC is activated.
•VDC is deactivated.
It may be best to deactivate VDC in the fol-
lowing situations:
•When using snow chains.
•In deep snow.
•On sand or gravel. NOTE
Activate VDC as soon as the situations de-
scribed above no longer apply. VDC will oth-
erwise not be able to stabilize the vehicle if
the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
You can activate/deactivate VDC using the
vehicle information display. To activate/
deactivate VDC:
1. Start the engine
2. Press the
orbutton on the
steering wheel to select the [DriveAssist]
menu in the vehicle information display.
3. Press the
orbutton to select
VDC.
4. Press the
wheel. The current selection is displayed.
5. To activate/deactivate: press the
button again.
VDC is deactivated if the
warning
light in the combination meter lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
Characteristics when VDC is deactivated:
If VDC is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the
VDC warning light
flashes in the combination meter. In such
situations, VDC will not stabilize the vehicle.
Starting and driving5-95
If you deactivate VDC:
•VDC no longer intervenes in understeer or
oversteer situations.
•Engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action, so the tires cut through the
loose surface until the hit solid ground,
giving better traction.
•Traction control is still activated.
•VDC still provides support when you
brake.
EBD (ELECTRONIC BRAKE
FORCE DISTRIBUTION)
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to help improve han-
dling during braking.
WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the EBD [Inop-
erative See Operator's Manual] warning is
displayed in the vehicle information dis-
play. The
VDC warning light may also
light up.
If EBD is malfunctioning as a result of a
VDC malfunction, the rear wheels can lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving
style to the different handling characteris-
tics. Have the brake system checked. It is
recommended you see an INFINITI retailer.
STEER CONTROL
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting
a noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilisation.
This steering support is provided in particular
if:
•Both right wheels or both left wheels are
on a wet or slippery road surface when
you brake.
•The vehicle starts to skid.
WARNING
No steering support is provided from
STEER CONTROL, if:
•VDC is malfunctioning.
•The steering is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function.
WARNING
•Never rely solely on the Hill Start Assist
(HSA) system to prevent the vehicle
from moving backward on a hill. Always
drive carefully and attentively. 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 re-
sult in a loss of control of the vehicle and
possible serious injury or death.
•The Hill Start Assist system is not de-
signed 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 colli-
sion 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 de-
press the brake pedal to prevent the ve-
hicle from rolling backwards. Failure to
do so may result in a collision or serious
personal injury.
•After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could
HILL START ASSIST (HSA)
5-96Starting and driving
function and the low tire pressure warn-
ing light will flash for approximately 1
minute. The light will remain on after 1
minute. It is recommended you Contact
an INFINITI retailer as soon as possible
for tire replacement and/or system re-
setting.
•Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by INFINITI could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS.
•If you used Emergency Tire Sealant to
repair a minor tire puncture, the TPMS
sensor should be checked when repair-
ing or replacing the tire. It is recom-
mended you visit an INFINITI retailer for
this service.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
monitors tire pressure of all tires. When the
low tire pressure warning light is lit, and a tire
pressure-related warning (if equipped) ap-
pears in the vehicle information display, one
or more of your tires is significantly under-
inflated. If the vehicle is being driven with low
tire pressure, the TPMS will activate and
warn you of it by the low tire pressure warn-
ing light (in the meter panel). This system will
activate only when the vehicle is driven at
speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h). For more details about the TPMS, see "Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)" in the
"5. Starting and driving" section.
STOPPING VEHICLE
WARNING
•Be sure to apply the parking brake
firmly.
•Be sure that P (Park) is engaged.
•Never change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery area. This is
hazardous.
•Never change tires when the oncoming
traffic is close to your vehicle. Call for
professional road assistance.
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard indicator flasher lights.
3. Park on a level surface.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Press the P (Park) button.
6. Turn off the engine. 7. Open the hood and set up the triangle
reflector (if equipped):
•To warn other traffic.
•To signal professional road assistance
personnel that you need assistance.
8. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle and stand in a safe place, away from
other traffic and clear of the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-3
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"
in the "3. Pre-driving checks and adjust-
ments" section
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" in the "3. Pre-driving checks and adjust-
ments" section.
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.NDI1595
In case of emergency6-11
WARNING
•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 or coolant
reservoir cap while the engine is hot.
When the radiator or coolant reservoir
cap is removed, pressurized hot water
will spurt out, possibly causing serious
injury.
•Do not open the hood if steam is coming
out.
If the engine of your vehicle is overheating
(indicated by the engine coolant temperature
gauge) or if you feel a lack of engine power,
detect unusual noise, etc., proceed as fol-
lows:
1. Move and park the vehicle safely off the road and away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flasher lights.
3. Apply the parking brake.
4. Press the P (Park) button. DO NOT STOP THE ENGINE.
5. Open all windows. 6. Switch off the air conditioner system (if
equipped).
7. Set the heater or air conditioner tempera- ture control to maximum “HOT” and fan
speed control to maximum speed.
8. Exit the vehicle.
9. Visually inspect and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the radiator before
opening the hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the en-
gine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
10. Open the hood. For details, see "Hood" in the "3. Pre-driving checks and adjust-
ments" section.
11. Visually check if the cooling fan is run- ning.
12. Visually check the radiator and radiator hoses for leakage.
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.
13. After the engine cools down, check the coolant level in the engine coolant reser-
voir with the engine running. Do not
open the radiator cap (if equipped).
14. If the level is low, remove the engine coolant reservoir cap and add coolant
slowly into the reservoir. After refilling
the reservoir to the MAX level, install the
reservoir cap.
15. Close the hood.
Have your vehicle inspected or repaired. It is
recommended you visit an INFINITI retailer.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-13
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 ..............8-10
Maintenance free battery ..............8-10
Models with Idle Stop/Start System .......8-11
Battery replacement ................ .8-11
Reinitialisation procedure after battery
reconnection ..................... .8-12
Jump-starting .................... .8-12
Drive belt ......................... .8-12
Spark plugs ........................ .8-13
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 ................ .8-17
Passenger compartment ..............8-18
Intelligent Key battery replacement ........
.8-20
Checking
the battery ................ .8-20
Replacing the battery ............... .8-20
Lights ........................... .8-22
Exterior and interior lights ..............8-22
Replacement procedures ..............8-24
Wheels and tires ..................... .8-27
Tire Pressure ..................... .8-27
Tire inflation pressure ............... .8-29
Tire labeling ..................... .8-29
Types of tires ..................... .8-31
Tire chains ...................... .8-32
Tire wear and damage ............... .8-33
Tire rotation ..................... .8-34
Replacing wheels and tires .............8-34
Wheel balance .................... .8-35
CAUTION
•Be sure to remove any old gasket mate-
rial remaining on the sealing surface of
the engine. Failure to do so could lead to
an oil leak and engine damage.
•The dipstick must be inserted in place to
prevent oil spillage from the dipstick
hole when filling the engine with oil.
6. Coat the gasket on the new filter with clean engine oil.
7. Screw on the oil filter until a slight resis- tance is felt, then tighten an additional
2/3 turn.
Engine oil filter tightening torque: 19 ft-lb,
25 N•m
8. Start the engine and check for leakage around the oil filter. Correct as required.
9. Turn the engine off and wait more than 10 minutes. Check the oil level. Add en-
gine oil if necessary. It is recommended that you visit an INFINITI
retailer if checking or replacement is required.
CAUTION
•Use only Shell DCT-M1 or equivalent.
Do not mix with other fluids.
•Using automatic transmission fluid
other than Shell DCT-M1 may cause de-
terioration in driveability and automatic
transmission durability, and may dam-
age the automatic transmission. Dam-
age caused by the use of fluids other
than as recommended is not covered by
the warranty.
WARNING
•Use only new fluid. Old, inferior, or con-
taminated fluid may damage the brake
systems. The use of improper fluids can
damage the brake system and affect the
vehicle's stopping ability.
•Clean the filler cap before removing.
•Brake fluid is poisonous and should be
stored carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children.
CAUTION
•Do not spill the fluid on painted surfaces.
This will damage the paint. If fluid is
spilled, wash with water.
NDI1599
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID
(ATF) BRAKE FLUID
Do-it-yourself8-7
Check the fluid level in the reservoir. If the
brake fluid is below the MIN line
2, the brake
warning light will illuminate. Add brake fluid
up to the MAX line
1. Use Genuine INFINITI
brake fluid DOT4+ or equivalent. Never mix
different types of fluids. For additional infor-
mation on the recommended type of brake
fluid, refer "Recommended fluids/lubricants
and capacities" in the "9. Maintenance and
Schedules" section.
If the brake fluid must be added frequently,
the brake system should be thoroughly
checked. It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service. Fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir pe-
riodically. Add fluid when the low washer
fluid warning appears on the vehicle informa-
tion display.
To fill the windshield-washer fluid reservoir,
lift the cap off the reservoir and pour the
windshield-washer fluid into the reservoir
opening.
Add a washer solvent to the washer for bet-
ter cleaning. In the winter season, add a
windshield-washer antifreeze. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for the mixture
ratio.
Refill the reservoir more frequently when
driving conditions require an increased
amount of windshield-washer fluid.Recommended fluid is Genuine INFINITI
Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner &
Antifreeze or equivalent.CAUTION
•Do not substitute engine antifreeze
coolant for window washer solution.
This may result in damage to the paint.
•Do not fill the window washer reservoir
tank with washer fluid concentrates at
full strength. Some methyl alcohol
based washer fluid concentrates may
permanently stain the grille if spilled
while filling the window washer reser-
voir tank.
•Pre-mix washer fluid concentrates with
water to the manufacturer’s recom-
mended levels before pouring the fluid
into the window washer reservoir tank.
Do not use the window washer reservoir
tank to mix the washer fluid concentrate
and water.
NDI1601
WINDOW WASHER FLUID
8-8Do-it-yourself