WARNING
∙ Do not stop or park the vehicle over flam-mable materials such as dry grass, waste
paper or rags. They may ignite and cause
a fire.
∙ Safe parking procedures require that both the parking brake be set 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 shift lever has
been pushed as far forward as it can go
and cannot be moved without depressing
the foot brake pedal. ∙ Never leave the engine running while the
vehicle is unattended.
∙ To help avoid risk of injury or death through unintended operation of the ve-
hicle and/or its systems, do not leave
children, people who require the assis-
tance of others or pets unattended in
your vehicle. Additionally, the tempera-
ture inside a closed vehicle on a warm day
can quickly become high enough to cause
a significant risk of injury or death to
people and pets. 1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) po-
sition.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into traffic when parked on an incline, it
is a good practice to turn the wheels as
illustrated.
∙ HEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB
A:
Turn the wheels into the curb and move
the vehicle forward until the curb side
wheel gently touches the curb.
∙ HEADED UPHILL WITH CURB
B:
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
C:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away from
the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position.
WSD0050
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving5-133
WARNING
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned offwhile driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
harder to operate.
∙ When the power steering warning light illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the
steering. You will still have control of the
vehicle, but the steering will be harder to
operate. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assist while driving to operate
the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated repeat-
edly or continuously while parking or driving
at a very low speed, the power assist for the
steering wheel will be reduced. This is to pre-
vent overheating of the power steering sys-
tem and protect it from getting damaged.
While the power assist is reduced, steering
wheel operation will become heavy. When
the temperature of the power steering sys-
tem goes down, the power assist level will
return to normal. Avoid repeating such steer-
ing wheel operations that could cause the
power steering system to overheat. You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may indi-
cate the power steering system is not func-
tioning properly and may need servicing.
Have the power steering system checked. It is
recommended that you visit an INFINITI re-
tailer for this service.
When the power steering warning light illu-
minates with the engine running, there will be
no power assist for the steering, but you will
still have control of the vehicle. At this time,
greater steering effort is required to operate
the steering wheel, especially in sharp turns
and at low speeds.
For additional information, refer to “Power
steering warning light” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will
still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using en-
gine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can
stop the vehicle by depressing the brake
pedal. However, greater foot pressure on the
brake pedal will be required to stop the ve-
hicle and stopping distance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down
a slope or long grade. Overheated brakes
may reduce braking performance and could
result in loss of vehicle control.
POWER STEERING
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-134Starting and driving
WARNING
∙ While driving on a slippery surface, becareful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or acceler-
ating could cause the wheels to skid and
result in an accident.
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power assist for the
brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result,
your braking distance will be longer and the
vehicle may pull to one side during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal
to heat up the brakes. Do this until the brakes
return to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at
high speeds until the brakes function cor-
rectly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or rotors are replaced, in order to
assure the best brake performance. This procedure is described in the INFINITI
Service Manual. It is recommended that you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
(ABS)
WARNING
∙ The ABS is a sophisticated device, but it
cannot prevent accidents resulting from
careless or dangerous driving techniques.
It can help maintain vehicle control dur-
ing braking on slippery surfaces. Remem-
ber that stopping distances on slippery
surfaces will be longer than on normal
surfaces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if you
are using tire chains. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front of
you. Ultimately, the driver is responsible
for safety.
∙ Tire type and condition may also affect braking effectiveness.
– When replacing tires, install the speci- fied size of tires on all four wheels. – When installing a spare tire, make sure
that it is the proper size and type as
specified on the Tire and Loading In-
formation label. For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Tire and Loading In-
formation label” in the “Technical and
consumer information” section of this
manual.
– For additional information, refer to “Wheels and tires” in the “Do-it-
yourself” section of this manual.
The ABS controls the brakes so the wheels do
not lock during hard braking or when braking
on slippery surfaces. The system detects the
rotation speed at each wheel and varies the
brake fluid pressure to prevent each wheel
from locking and sliding. By preventing each
wheel from locking, the system helps the
driver maintain steering control and helps to
minimize swerving and spinning on slippery
surfaces.
Using the system
Depress the brake pedal and hold it down.
Depress the brake pedal with firm steady
pressure, but do not pump the brakes. The
Anti-lock Braking System will operate to pre-
vent the wheels from locking up. Steer the
vehicle to avoid obstacles.
Starting and driving5-135
∙ When replacing a wheel without TPMSsuch as the spare tire, TPMS will not
function and the low tire pressure warn-
ing light will flash for approximately
1 minute. The light will remain on after
1 minute. Have your tires replaced
and/or TPMS system reset as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for these services.
∙ Replacing tires with those not originally specified by INFINITI could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS.
∙ Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol tire sealant into the tires, as this may cause a
malfunction of the tire pressure 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 and away 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 P
(Park).
4. Turn off the engine. 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 ve- hicle and stand in a safe place, away
from traffic and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
∙ Make sure the parking brake is securelyapplied and the CVT is shifted 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 traffic is close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
A. Blocks
B. Flat tire
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blocks at 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.
LCE2142
6-4In 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 ve- hicle, position the two vehicles to bring
their batteries near each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.
2. Apply the parking brake. Move the shift lever to P (Park). Switch off all unneces-
sary electrical systems (lights, heater, air
conditioner, etc.).
3. Ensure the vent caps are level and tight. 4. Connect the jumper cables in the se-
quence illustrated (A,B,C,D).
CAUTION
∙ Always connect positive () to positive() and negative () to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine lift
bracket, etc.) — not to the battery.
∙ Make sure the jumper cables do not touch moving parts in the engine compartment
and that the cable clamps do not contact
any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and let it run for a few minutes. 6. Keep the engine speed of the booster
vehicle at about 2,000 rpm and start the
engine of the vehicle being jump started.
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 3 to
4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully dis- connect the negative cable and then the
positive cable.
LCE2223
6-12In case of emergency
CAUTION
∙ CVT models cannot be push-started ortow-started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
∙ Do not push start this vehicle. The three- way catalyst may be damaged.
WARNING
∙ Do not continue to drive if your vehicleoverheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
∙
To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator or coolant res-
ervoir cap while the engine is still 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 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 P (Park).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.
3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator before opening the hood. (If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off the engine.) Do not open the hood further
until no steam or coolant can be seen.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the engine,
stand clear to prevent getting burned.
5. Visually check drive belts for damage or looseness. Also check if the cooling fan is
running. The radiator hoses and radiator
should not leak water. If coolant is leak-
ing, the water pump belt is missing or
loose, or the cooling fan does not run,
stop the engine.
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.
6. After the engine cools down, check the coolant level in the engine coolant reser-
voir tank with the engine running. Add
coolant to the engine coolant reservoir
tank if necessary. Have your vehicle re-
paired. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-13
FLOOR MATS (if so equipped)
WARNING
To avoid potential pedal interference that
may result in a collision, injury or death:
∙ NEVER place a floor mat on top of an-other floor mat in the driver front posi-
tion or install them upside down or
backwards.
∙ Use only Genuine INFINITI floor mats or equivalent floor mats, specifically de-
signed for use in your vehicle model and
model year. ∙ Properly position the mats in the floor-
well using the floor mat positioning hook.
For additional information, refer to
"Floor mat installation" in this section.
∙ Make sure the floor mat does not inter- fere with pedal operation.
∙ Periodically check the floor mats to make sure they are properly installed.
∙ After cleaning the vehicle interior, check the floor mats to make sure they are
properly installed.
The use of Genuine INFINITI floor mats can
extend the life of your vehicle carpet and
make it easier to clean the interior. Mats
should be maintained with regular cleaning
and replaced if they become excessively
worn.Floor mat installation
Your vehicle is equipped with floor mat posi-
tioning hook(s). The number and shape of the
floor mat positioning hooks for each seating
position varies depending on the vehicle. When installing Genuine INFINITI floor mats,
follow the installation instructions provided
with the mat and the following:
1. With the ignition in the OFF position, the shift lever in P (Park) position and with
the parking brake fully applied, position
the floor mat in the floorwell so that the
floor mat grommet holes are aligned
with the hook(s).
2. Secure the grommet holes into the hook(s) and ensure that the floor mat is
properly positioned.
3. Make sure the floor mat does not inter- fere with pedal operation. With the igni-
tion still in the OFF position, the shift
lever in the P (Park) position and with the
parking brake applied, fully apply and
release all pedals. The floor mat must not
interfere with pedal operation or prevent
the pedal from returning to its normal
position.
It is recommended that you visit an INFINITI
retailer for details about installing the floor
mats in your vehicle.
LAI2002
Appearance and care7-5
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, applythe parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing. Move the shift lever to P (Park).
∙ Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
∙ If you must work with the engine running, 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 remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before work-
ing on your vehicle.
∙ Always wear eye protection whenever you work on your vehicle. ∙ 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.
∙ 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 only by a jack. If it is necessary
to work under the vehicle, support it with
safety stands.
∙ Keep smoking materials, flame and sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
∙ Because the fuel lines on gasoline engine models are under high pressure even
when the engine is off, it is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for ser-
vice of the fuel filter or fuel lines.
CAUTION
∙ Do not work under the hood while theengine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down. ∙ Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine oil,
engine coolant and/or other vehicle flu-
ids can damage the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for disposal
of vehicle fluid.
∙ Never leave the engine or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) related
component harnesses disconnected
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
∙ Never connect or disconnect the battery or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
This “Do-it-yourself” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine INFINITI service manual is also
available. For additional information, refer to
“Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order in-
formation” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
You should be aware that incomplete or im-
proper servicing may result in operating diffi-
culties or excessive emissions, and could af-
fect warranty coverage. If in doubt about any
servicing, it is recommended that you have it
done by an INFINITI retailer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself