2018 INFINITI QX60 STARTING AND DRIVING

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) 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.
∙ Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control.
∙ 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.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your vehicle,
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 purpose.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for
this transmission are shown on the following
pages. Follow these procedures for maxi-
mum vehicle performance and driving enjoy-
ment.
Engine power may be automatically reduced
to protect the CVT if the engine speed in-
creases quickly when driving on slippery
roads or while being tested on some dyna-
mometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the
shift lever out of the P (Park) position. This Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion is designed so that the foot brake
pedal must be depressed before shifting
from P (Park) to any driving position
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other positions if the ignition switch is
placed in the LOCK, OFF or ACC posi-
tion while the ready light illuminates.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift lever to a driving po-
sition.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal and then gradually start the
vehicle in motion.
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) 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.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-19

∙ 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.
∙ Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control.
∙ 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.
CAUTION
∙ To avoid possible damage to your vehicle,when stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal. The foot brake
should be used for this purpose.
∙ 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.Shifting
Press the button while depressing the
brake pedal
Press the button to shift
Shift without pressing the button
After starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal, press the shift lever button and
move the shift lever from the P (Park) position
to any of the desired shift positions.
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 vehicle
to move unexpectedly or roll away and re-
sult in serious personal injury or property
damage.
CAUTION
Use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position
only when the vehicle is completely
stopped.
P (Park)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the P
(Park) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use the P (Park) shift lever position when the
vehicle is parked or when starting the engine.
Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped.
The brake pedal must be depressed and the
shift lever button pressed to move the shift
lever from N (Neutral) or any drive position
to P (Park). Apply the parking brake. When
parking on a hill, apply the parking brake first,
then move the shift lever to the P (Park)
position.
LSD2358
5-20Starting and driving

R (Reverse)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the R
(Reverse) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
Use the R (Reverse) position to back up. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped before
selecting the R (Reverse) position. The brake
pedal must be depressed and the shift lever
button pressed to move the shift lever 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 the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal forward driv-
ing.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is in the manual shift
gate, the transmission is ready for the manual
shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected
manually by moving the shift lever up or
down. To cancel manual shift mode, return the shift lever to the D (Drive) position. The
transmission returns to automatic driving
mode.
When the shift lever is shifted from D (Drive)
to the manual shift gate with the vehicle
stopped or while driving, the transmission
enters the manual shift mode. Shift ranges
can be selected manually. In the manual shift
mode, the shift range is displayed on the
position indicator in the meter. When shifting
the shift lever to the manual shift gate, the
position indicator displays 1 (1st) up to 7 (7th)
depending on vehicle speed.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as fol-
lows:
1⇔
2⇔ 3⇔ 4⇔ 5⇔ 6⇔ 7
7 (7th)
Use this position for all normal forward driv-
ing at highway speeds.
6 (6th) and 5 (5th)
Use this position when driving up long slopes,
or for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
4 (4th), 3 (3rd) and 2 (2nd)
Use these positions for hill climbing or engine
braking on downhill grades. 1 (1st)
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or when driving slowly, or for maxi-
mum engine braking on steep downhill
grades.
∙ Remember not to drive at high speeds for extended periods of time in lower than
7th gear. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up
Move the shift lever to the + (up) side. (Shifts
to higher range.)
When shifting down
Move the shift lever to the (down) side.
(Shifts to lower range.)
∙ The transmission will automatically downshift the gears. (For example, if you
select the 3rd range, the transmission will
shift down between the 3rd and 1st
gears.)
∙ Moving the shift lever rapidly to the same side twice will shift the ranges in succes-
sion.
When canceling the manual shift mode
Return the shift lever to the D (Drive) position
to return the transmission to the normal driv-
ing mode.
Starting and driving5-21

∙In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving performance
and reduces the chance of vehicle dam-
age or loss of control.
∙ When this situation occurs, the Continu-
ously Variable Transmission (CVT) posi-
tion indicator light will blink and the
chime will sound.
∙ In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the engine
speed is too high. When the vehicle
speed decreases, the transmission auto-
matically shifts down and shifts to 1st
gear before the vehicle comes to a stop.
∙ CVT operation is limited to automatic drive mode when CVT fluid temperature
is extremely low even if manual shift
mode is selected. This is not a malfunc-
tion. When CVT fluid warms up, manual
mode can be selected.
∙ When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shift range may upshift in lower rpm
than usual. This is not a malfunction.
Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed and the shift lever button pressed. To
move the shift lever, perform the following
procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover us- ing a suitable tool. 4. Push down the shift lock release using a
suitable tool.
5. Press the shift lever button and move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position
while holding down the shift lock release.
The vehicle may be moved to the desired
location. Replace the removed shift lock
release cover after the operation.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of the P
(Park) position, have the Continuously Vari-
able Transmission system checked as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
WARNING
If the shift lever cannot be moved from the
P (Park) position while the engine is running
and the brake pedal is depressed, the stop
lights may not work. Malfunctioning stop
lights could cause an accident injuring your-
self and others.
Accelerator downshift
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the ac-
celerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, de-
pending on the vehicle speed.
LSD2360
5-22Starting and driving

High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tempera-
ture protection mode. If the fluid temperature
becomes too high (for example, when climb-
ing steep grades in high temperatures with
heavy loads, such as when towing a trailer),
engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will be decreased automatically
to reduce the chance of transmission dam-
age. Vehicle speed can be controlled with the
accelerator pedal, but the engine and vehicle
speed may be limited.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
Continuously Variable Transmission will not
be shifted into the selected driving position.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme condi-
tions, such as excessive wheel spinning and
subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe sys-
tem may be activated. The Malfunction Indi-
cator Light (MIL) may come on to indicate
the fail-safe mode is activated. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual. This will oc-
cur even if all electrical circuits are function-
ing properly. In this case, place the ignitionswitch in the OFF position and wait for
10 seconds. Then place the ignition switch
back in the ON position. The vehicle should
return to its normal operating condition. If it
does not return to its normal operating con-
dition, have the transmission checked and
repaired, if necessary. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs, ve-
hicle speed may be gradually reduced. The
reduced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance of a
collision. Be especially careful when driving.
If necessary, pull to the side of the road at a
safe place and allow the transmission to re-
turn to normal operation, or have it re-
paired if necessary.
WARNING
∙ Be sure the parking brake is fully released
before driving. Failure to do so can cause
brake failure and lead to an accident.
∙ Do not release the parking brake from outside the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the shift lever in place of the parking brake. When parking, be sure the
parking brake is fully engaged.
∙ 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.
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-23

To engage:Firmly depress the parking brake.
To release: 1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) po- sition.
3. Firmly depress the parking brake pedal and it will release.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warn- ing light goes out. Four driving modes can be selected by using
the Drive Mode Selector switch: STAN-
DARD, SPORT, ECO and SNOW.
NOTE:
∙ When the Drive Mode Selector switch
selects a mode, the mode may not switch
quickly. This is not a malfunction.
∙ Select the STANDARD mode center for
normal driving.
STANDARD MODE
STANDARD MODE is recommended for
normal driving. Turn the Drive Mode Selector
switch to the center position. “STD” appears
in the vehicle information display for 2 sec-
onds.
SPORT MODE
The SPORT mode adjusts the engine and
transmission to enhance performance. Turn
the Drive Mode Selector switch to the
SPORT position. “SPORT” appears in the ve-
hicle information display for 2 seconds.
NOTE:
In the SPORT mode, fuel economy may be
reduced.
SNOW MODE
SNOW mode is used on snowy roads or slip-
pery areas. When the SNOW mode is acti-
vated, engine output is controlled to avoid
wheel spin. Turn the SNOW mode off for
normal driving. Turn the Drive Mode Selector
switch to the SNOW position. “SNOW” ap-
pears in the vehicle information display for
2 seconds.
LSD0158
Drive Mode Selector switch
LSD2671
INFINITI DRIVE MODE SELECTOR
5-24Starting and driving

ECO MODE
The ECO mode adjusts the engine and trans-
mission to enhance fuel economy.
NOTE:
Selecting this drive mode will not necessarily
improve fuel economy as many driving fac-
tors influence its effectiveness.
Operation
Turn the Drive Mode Selector switch to the
ECO position. “ECO” appears in the vehicle
information display for 2 seconds and the
ECO drive indicator light illuminates on the
instrument panel.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed
within the range of economy drive, the ECO
drive indicator light illuminates in green.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed
above the range of economy drive, the color
of the ECO drive indicator light changes to
orange. For ECO pedal system equipped
models, refer to “ECO pedal system” in this
section.
The ECO drive indicator light will not illumi-
nate in the following cases:∙ When the shift lever is in the R (Reverse) position. ∙ When the vehicle speed is below 3 mph
(4.8 km/h) or over 90 mph (144 km/h).
∙ When the Intelligent Cruise Control sys- tem (if so equipped) is operated.
ECO pedal system (if so equipped)
The ECO pedal system helps assist the driver
to improve fuel economy by increasing the
reaction force of the accelerator pedal. When
the ECO drive indicator light is blinking or
turns off, the ECO pedal system increases
the reaction force of the accelerator pedal.
ECO drive indicator Illuminates or
blinks when
Illuminates
(green) When the pedal
is depressed
within range of economy drive
Blinks
(green) When the pedal
is depressed
likely over the range of
economy drive
When the ECO drive indicator illuminates in
green, the accelerator reaction force is nor-
mal. When the ECO drive indicator light is
blinking or turns off, the ECO pedal system
increases the reaction force of the accelera-
tor pedal.
The ECO pedal system may not vary accel-
erator reaction force under the following
conditions:
∙ When the shift lever is in the N (Neutral) or R (Reverse) position.
∙ When Intelligent Cruise Control (if so equipped) is being operated.
If the ECO pedal system malfunctions, it will
cancel automatically. The ECO pedal system
will not vary the reaction force of the accel-
erator pedal.
When the Drive Mode Selector switch is ro-
tated from the ECO mode to another mode
(STANDARD, SPORT or SNOW) while the
ECO pedal system is operating, the ECO
pedal system continues to operate until the
pedal is released.
If the accelerator pedal is depressed quickly,
the ECO pedal system will not increase the
reaction force of the acceleration pedal. The
ECO pedal system is not designed to prevent
the vehicle from accelerating.
Starting and driving5-25

Adjusting the ECO pedal system reaction
force
The ECO pedal system reaction force can be
adjusted. The reaction force setting will be
maintained until the setting is changed even if
the engine is turned off.Setting ECO pedal reaction force1. Press the SETTING
1button and select
“Drive Mode Enhancement” on the dis-
play using the INFINITI controller. Then
press the ENTER
2button.
2. Press the ENTER
2button and select
“ECO Pedal OFF” on the display. Use the
INFINITI controller to select “OFF” or
“Soft” or “Standard” in the display. Then
press the ENTER
2button. When the
ECO pedal system is turned off, the ac-
celerator will operate normally.
LSD2672LSD2695
5-26Starting and driving