CAUTION
∙ Continuously Variable Transmission(CVT) models cannot be push-started or
tow-started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
∙ Do not push start this vehicle. The three- way catalyst may be damaged. If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading
and the illumination of the engine oil pressure
message), or if you feel a lack of engine
power, detect abnormal noise, etc. take the
following steps.
WARNING
To avoid the danger of being scalded, never
remove the radiator cap while the engine is
still hot. When the radiator cap is removed,
pressurized hot water will spurt out, possi-
bly causing serious injury.
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.
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.
∙ If coolant is leaking, or the cooling fan does not run, stop the engine.
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
8 Maintenance and do-it-yourself
Maintenance requirements.......................8-2
General maintenance .............................8-2
Explanation of general maintenance
items .........................................8-2
Maintenance precautions .........................8-5
Engine compartment check locations ..............8-6
Engine cooling system ........................... 8-8
Checking engine coolant level ................. 8-8
Changing engine coolant ......................8-9
Engine oil ........................................8-9
Checking engine oil level .......................8-9
Changing engine oil ......................... 8-10
Changing engine oil filter ....................8-12
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid . . 8-13
Power steering fluid ............................ 8-13
Brake fluid ..................................... 8-14
Windshield-washer fluid ........................ 8-14
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ............8-14
Battery ........................................ 8-16
Jump starting ............................... 8-18
Drive belt ...................................... 8-18
Spark plugs .................................... 8-19
Replacing spark plugs ....................... 8-19Air cleaner
..................................... 8-20
Air conditioner filter ......................... 8-20
Windshield wiper blades ........................ 8-21
Cleaning .................................... 8-21
Replacing ................................... 8-21
Parking brake and brake pedal ..................8-22
Checking parking brake ......................8-22
Checking brake pedal ........................ 8-23
Brake booster ............................... 8-23
Fuses .......................................... 8-24
Engine compartment ........................ 8-24
Passenger compartment .....................8-25
Battery replacement ............................ 8-25
INFINITI Intelligent Key ......................8-26
Lights ......................................... 8-28
Headlights .................................. 8-28
Fog
lights ................................... 8-28
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-29
Wheels and tires ............................... 8-31
Tire pressure ................................ 8-31
Types of tires ............................... 8-34
Tire chains .................................. 8-35
Changing wheels and tires ...................8-35
vehicle is held securely on a fairly steep hill
when only the parking brake is applied.
Seat beltsCheck that all parts of the seat belt
system (for example, buckles, anchors, ad-
justers and retractors) operate properly and
smoothly, and are installed securely. Check
the belt webbing for cuts, fraying, wear or
damage.
Steering wheel Check for changes in the
steering condition, such as excessive play,
hard steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes Make sure that all
warning lights and chimes are operating
properly.
Windshield defogger Check that the air
comes out of the defogger outlets properly
and in good quantity when operating the
heater or air conditioner.
Windshield wiper and washer* Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly and
that the wipers do not streak.
Under the hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically (for example, each time
you check the engine oil or refuel). Battery* (except for maintenance free bat-
teries)
Check the fluid level in each cell. The
fluid should be at the bottom of the filler
opening. Vehicles operated in high tempera-
tures or under severe conditions require fre-
quent checks of the battery fluid level.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as:
1. Installation or extended use of elec-
tronic accessories that consume battery
power when the engine is not running
(Phone chargers, GPS, DVD players,
etc.).
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or
only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to be
charged to maintain battery health.
Brake (and clutch) fluid level(s)* For Manual
Transmission (M/T) model; make sure that
the brake and clutch fluid levels are between
the MAX and MIN lines on the reservoirs.
Except for Manual Transmission (M/T)
model; make sure that the brake fluid level is
between the MAX and MIN lines on the res-
ervoir. Engine coolant level*
Check the coolant level
when the engine is cold. Make sure that the
coolant level is between the MAX and MIN
lines on the reservoir.
Engine drive belt(s)* Make sure the drive
belt(s) is not frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level* Check the level after parking
the vehicle (on level ground) and turning off
the engine.
Fluid leaks Check under the vehicle for fuel,
oil, water or other fluid leaks after the vehicle
has been parked for a while. Water dripping
from the air conditioner after use is normal. If
you should notice any leaks or if fuel fumes
are evident, check for the cause and have it
corrected immediately.
Power steering fluid level* and lines Check
the level when the fluid is cold with the engine
off. Check the lines for proper attachment,
leaks, cracks, etc.
Windshield-washer fluid* Check that there is
adequate fluid in the reservoir.
8-4Maintenance and do-it-yourself
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.
∙ The fuel filter or fuel lines should be ser- viced. It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer because the fuel lines
are under high pressure even when the
engine is off.
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 related component
harnesses disconnected while the igni-
tion 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 “Maintenance and do-it-yourself” sec-
tion gives instructions 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 warranty coverage. If in doubt about any
servicing, it is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-5
VQ35DE engine
1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine coolant reservoir
3. Drive belt location
4. Fuse box
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Brake fluid reservoir
7. Air cleaner
8. Fuse box
9. Fuse/Fusible link box
10 Fuse/Fusible link box
11. Battery
12. Engine oil dipstick
13. Radiator cap
14. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
LDI2498
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
8-6Maintenance and do-it-yourself
VQ35DD engine
1. Power steering fluid reservoir
2. Engine coolant reservoir
3. Drive belt location
4. Fuse box
5. Engine oil filler cap
6. Brake fluid reservoir
7. Air cleaner
8. Fuse box
9. Fuse/Fusible link box
10 Fuse/Fusible link box
11. Battery
12. Engine oil dipstick
13. Radiator cap
14. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
LDI3012
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-7
WARNING
∙ Never remove the radiator or coolantreservoir 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 ra-
diator. Wait until the engine and radiator
cool down.
∙ Engine coolant is poisonous and should be stored carefully in marked containers
out of the reach of children.
∙ If the engine was stopped soon when the engine is still hot, the cooling fan may
operate for approximately one minute
after the engine was stopped to cool the
components in the engine compartment.
While the cooling fan is operating, be
sure that hands and other items do not
get caught in it.
The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a high-quality, year-round, anti-
freeze coolant solution. The antifreeze solu-
tion contains rust and corrosion inhibitors,
therefore additional engine cooling system
additives are not necessary.
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.
∙ When adding or replacing coolant, be sure to use only Genuine NISSAN Engine
Coolant or equivalent in its quality with
the proper mixture ratio. Examples of the
mixture ratio of coolant and water are
shown below:
Outside
tempera- ture
down to Engine coolant
(concentrated) Demineralized
or distilled water
°C °F
-15 5 30% 70%
-35 -30 50% 50%
The radiator is equipped with a pressure cap.
To prevent engine damage, use only a Genu-
ine NISSAN radiator cap or its equivalent
when replacement is required.
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant level in the reservoir when
the engine is cold. If the coolant level is below
the MIN level
1, add coolant to the MAX
level
2. If the reservoir is empty, check the
coolant level in the radiator when the engine
is cold. If there is insufficient coolant in the
radiator, fill the radiator with coolant up to
the filler opening and also add it to the reser-
voir up to the MAX level
2.
The engine coolant reservoir is a pressurized
tank. When installing the cap, tighten it until
a clicking sound is heard.
LDI2519
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM
8-8Maintenance and do-it-yourself
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, it is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
For additional information on the location of
the engine coolant reservoir, refer to "Engine
compartment check locations" in this section.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
An INFINITI retailer can change the engine
coolant. The service procedure can be found
in the INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheating.
WARNING
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded,never change the coolant when the en-
gine is hot.
∙ Never remove the radiator or engine coolant reservoir cap when the engine is
hot. Serious burns could be caused by
high pressure fluid escaping from the
radiator.
∙ Avoid direct skin contact with used cool- ant. If skin contact is made, wash thor-
oughly with soap or hand cleaner as soon
as possible. ∙ Keep coolant out of the reach of children
and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
2. Start the engine and let it idle until it reaches operating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than
10 minutes for the oil to drain back into
the oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Reinsert it all the way.
VQ35DE
LDI2087
ENGINE OIL
Maintenance and do-it-yourself8-9