2019 INFINITI Q50 engine overheat

2-8Instruments and controls
JVI0638X
TACHOMETER
The tachometer indicates engine speed in
revolutions per minute (RPM).Do not rev
the engine into the red zone
.
The scale length and the red zone vary with
the engine model.
CAUTION
When engine speed approaches the red
zone, shift to a higher gear or reduce
engine speed. Operating the engine in
the red zone may cause serious engine
damage.
JVI0639X
ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERA-
TURE GAUGE
The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature.
The engine coolant temperature is within the
normal range when the gauge needle points
within the zone
shown in the illustration.
The engine coolant temperature varies with
the outside air temperature and driving
conditions.
CAUTION
If the gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature is near the hot (H) end of
the normal range, reduce vehicle speed
to decrease the temperature. If the
gauge is over the normal range, stop
the vehicle as soon as safely possible and
let the engine idle. If the engine is
overheated, continued operation of the
vehicle may seriously damage the engine.
See “If your vehicle overheats” (P.6-16)
for immediate action required.

SIC4336
The vehicle should be driven with the Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) system on for most
driving conditions.
If the vehicle is stuck in mud or snow, the
VDC system reduces the engine output to
reduce wheel spin. The engine speed will be
reduced even if the accelerator is depressed
to the floor. If maximum engine power is
needed to free a stuck vehicle, turn the VDC
system off.
To turn off the VDC system, push the VDC
OFF switch. The
indicator light will
illuminate.
Push the VDC OFF switch again or restart
the engine to turn on the system. (See
“Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system” (P.5-133).)
WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use the
seat heater if you or the occupants
cannot monitor elevated seat tempera-
tures or have an inability to feel pain in
those body parts in contact with the
seat. Use of the seat heater by such
people could result in serious injury.
CAUTION
.
The battery could run down if the
seat heater is operated while the
engine is not running.
. Do not use the seat heater for
extended periods or when no one is
using the seat.
. Do not put anything on the seat
which insulates heat, such as a blan-
ket, cushion, seat cover, etc. Other-
wise, the seat may become
overheated.
. Do not place anything hard or heavy
on the seat or pierce it with a pin or
similar object. This may result in
damage to the heater.
Instruments and controls2-43
VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL
(VDC) OFF SWITCH HEATED SEATS (if so equipped)

WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to come
into contact with the heated steering
wheel if you or the occupants cannot
monitor elevated steering wheel tem-
peratures or have an inability to feel pain
in those body parts in contact. Use of the
heated steering wheel by such people
could result in serious injuries.
CAUTION
.The battery could run down if the
steering wheel heater is operated
while the engine is not running.
. Do not use the steering wheel heater
for extended periods of time as it may
cause burns and overheating.
. Any liquid spilled on the steering
wheel should be removed immedi-
ately with a dry cloth.
. When cleaning the steering wheel,
never use gasoline, thinner, or any
similar materials.
. If any malfunctions are found or the
steering wheel heater does not oper-
ate, turn the switch off and have the system checked. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for
this service.
Push the CLIMATE button and touch
[Steering Heater] on the lower display to
turn on or off the steering wheel heating
manually. The steering wheel heating will
turn off automatically 30 minutes after it
has been turned on. When the steering
wheel heating is turned on, the indicator
above [Steering Heater] will turn on.
If the surface temperature of the steering
wheel is above the temperature within which
the system is designed to operate, the
system will not heat the steering wheel. This
is not a malfunction.
Automatic steering wheel heating can be
turned on or off from the climate control
settings screen. For details, see the INFINITI
InTouch
TMOwner’s Manual.
SIC4316
In the storage box
Instruments and controls2-45
HEATED STEERING WHEEL (if so
equipped) POWER OUTLETS

2-46Instruments and controls
JVI1298X
In the console box
The power outlets are located in the storage
box and in the console box.
CAUTION
. The outlet and plug may be hot
during or immediately after use.
. Do not use with accessories that
exceed a 12 volt, 120W (10A) power
draw. Do not use double adapters or
more than one electrical accessory.
. Use power outlet with the engine
running to avoid discharging the
vehicle battery. .
Avoid using power outlet when the
air conditioner, headlights or rear
window defroster is on.
. This power outlet is not designed for
use with a cigarette lighter unit.
. Push the plug in as far as it will go. If
good contact is not made, the plug
may overheat or the internal tem-
perature fuse may blow.
. Before inserting or disconnecting a
plug, be sure the electrical accessory
being used is turned OFF.
. When not in use, be sure to close the
cap. Do not allow water or any liquid
to contact the outlet.
CUP HOLDERS
CAUTION
.Avoid abrupt starting and braking
when the cup holder is being used to
prevent spilling the drink. If the liquid
is hot, it can scald you or your
passenger.
. Use only soft cups in the cup holder.
Hard objects can injure you in an
accident.
STORAGE

THREE-WAY CATALYST
The three-way catalyst is an emission con-
trol device installed in the exhaust system.
Exhaust gases in the three-way catalyst are
burned at high temperatures to help reduce
pollutants.
WARNING
.The exhaust gas and the exhaust
system are very hot. Keep people,
animals or flammable materials away
from the exhaust system compo-
nents.
. Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
CAUTION
.Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously reduce
the three-way catalyst’s ability to
help reduce exhaust pollutants.
. Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep
driving if the engine misfires, or if
noticeable loss of performance or
other unusual operating conditions
are detected. Have the vehicle in-
spected promptly. It is recommended
you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
. Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damaging
the three-way catalyst.
. Do not race the engine while warming
it up.
. Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.) As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale when one or more of
your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
For models with run-flat tires, if the vehicle
is being driven with one or more flat tires,
the low tire pressure warning light will
illuminate continuously and a chime will
sound for 10 seconds. The flat tire warning
will also appear in the vehicle information
display. The chime will only sound at the first
indication of a flat tire, and the warning light
will illuminate continuously. When the flat
tire warning is activated, it is recommended
you have the system reset and the tire
checked and replaced if necessary by an
INFINITI retailer. Even if the tire is inflated
to the specified COLD tire pressure, the
warning light will continue to illuminate until
the system is reset by an INFINITI retailer.
Your vehicle can be driven for a limited time
on a flat tire. See “Run-flat tires” (P.8-40).
Starting and driving5-5

5-128Starting and driving
moves.
4. Push the ignition switch to the OFF position.ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
TYPE
WARNING
.If the engine is not running or is
turned off while 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 run-
ning, the power assist for the steer-
ing will cease operation. You will still
have control of the vehicle but the
steering will be harder to operate.
The electric power steering is designed to
provide power assist while driving to oper-
ate the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power assist
for the steering wheel will be reduced. This is
to prevent overheating of the electric power
steering and protect it from getting da-
maged. While the power assist is reduced,
steering wheel operation will become heavy.
When the temperature of the electric power
steering goes down, the power assist level
will return to normal. Avoid repeating such steering wheel operations that could cause
the electric power steering 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
indicate the electric power steering is not
functioning properly and may need servicing.
It is recommended you have the electric
power steering checked by an INFINITI
retailer. (See “Power steering warning light”
(P.2-14).)
When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, the
power assist for the steering will cease
operation. You will still have control of the
vehicle. However, greater steering effort is
needed, especially in sharp turns and at low
speeds.
HYDRAULIC PUMP ELECTRIC
POWER STEERING TYPE
WARNING
When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, the
power assist for the steering will cease
operation. You will still have control of
POWER STEERING

the vehicle, but the steering will be much
harder to operate.
The hydraulic pump electric power steering
is designed to provide power assistance
while driving to operate the steering wheel
with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated re-
peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed, the power assist
for the steering wheel will be reduced. This is
to prevent overheating of the hydraulic
pump electric power steering and protect it
from getting damaged. While the power
assist is reduced, steering wheel operation
will become heavy. If the steering wheel
operation is still performed, the power
steering may stop and the power steering
warning light will illuminate. Stop the engine
and place the ignition switch in the OFF
position. The temperature of the hydraulic
pump electric power steering will go down
and the power assist level will return to
normal after starting the engine. The power
steering warning light will go off. Avoid
repeating such steering wheel operations
that could cause the hydraulic pump electric
power steering to overheat.
You may hear a noise from the front of the
vehicle when the steering wheel is operated.
This is not a malfunction. If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may
indicate the hydraulic pump electric power
steering is not functioning properly and may
need servicing. It is recommended you have
the hydraulic pump electric power steering
checked by an INFINITI retailer.
When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, the
power assist for the steering will cease
operation but you will still have control of
the vehicle. At this time, greater steering
efforts are required to operate the steering
wheel, especially in sharp turns and at low
speeds.
DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING
TYPE
WARNING
.
When the power steering warning
light illuminates with the engine run-
ning, the power assist for the steer-
ing will cease operation. You will still
have control of the vehicle, but the
steering will be harder to operate.
. If wheels or tires other than the
INFINITI recommended ones are
used, Direct Adaptive Steering may
not operate properly and the power steering warning light may illumi-
nate.
. Do not modify the vehicle’s suspen-
sion. If suspension parts such as
shock absorbers, struts, springs, sta-
bilizer bars, bushings and wheels are
not INFINITI recommended for your
vehicle or are extremely deteriorated,
Direct Adaptive Steering may not
operate properly and the power
steering warning light may illumi-
nate.
. Do not modify the vehicle’s steering.
If steering parts are not INFINITI
recommended for your vehicle or are
extremely deteriorated, Direct Adap-
tive Steering may not operate prop-
erly and the power steering warning
light may illuminate.
. If the VDC warning light illuminates,
the power steering warning light may
also illuminate at the same time. Stop
the vehicle in a safe location, turn the
engine off and restart the engine. If
the power steering warning light
continues to illuminate, have the
system checked. It is recommended
you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service. For VDC system, see “Vehicle
Dynamic Control (VDC) system”
(P.5-133).
Starting and driving5-129

5-130Starting and driving
CAUTION
.Do not place the ignition switch is in
the ON position while the steering
wheel or a tire is removed.
. Do not turn the steering wheel as
much as possible while the ignition
switch is in any position other than
the ON position.
. Installing an accessory on the steer-
ing wheel, or changing the steering
wheel, may reduce the steering per-
formance.
Direct Adaptive Steering is designed to
control the steering force and steering angle
according to the vehicle speed and amount
of turning of the steering wheel.
The steering characteristic can be selected
using the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector. See
“INFINITI Drive Mode Selector” (P.5-22).
If the VDC system is turned off, the setting
of steering becomes standard mode.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may
indicate that Direct Adaptive Steering is not
functioning properly and may need servicing.
It is recommended you have the system
checked by an INFINITI retailer. (See “Power steering warning light” (P.2-14).)
When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, the
power assist for the steering will cease
operation. You will still have control of the
vehicle. However, greater steering effort will
be needed, especially in sharp turns and at
low speeds.
If Direct Adaptive Steering is malfunction-
ing, the steering wheel may turn slightly even
when driving on a straight road.
Under the following conditions, the steering
wheel may turn slightly even when driving on
a straight road. This is due to a protection
mechanism for Direct Adaptive Steering. The
steering wheel will return to the normal
position after the protection mechanism is
deactivated.
Condition A
.
When the engine is stalled or likely to be
stalled
. When the steering wheel is held in the full
lock position or when the front tire
touches an obstruction.
. When the battery is discharged
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and stop operating the steering wheel. Then
drive the vehicle for a short period of time. Condition B
.
When the steering wheel is operated
repeatedly or continuously while parking
or driving at a very low speed. In this
case, the power assist for the steering
wheel will be reduced.
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and wait for a period of time, without
operating the steering wheel, until the
temperature of Direct Adaptive Steering
cools down. Avoid repeated steering wheel
operations that could cause Direct Adaptive
Steering to overheat.
When the vehicle is tested on the 2-wheel
dynamometer, the power steering warning
light may illuminate. To turn off the power
steering warning light, stop the vehicle in a
safe location, turn the engine off, restart the
engine, and then drive the vehicle for a
period of time.
The following conditions do not indicate a
malfunction of Direct Adaptive Steering.
. You may notice wider steering play when
the ignition switch is in the OFF or ACC
position compared to when it is in the
ON position.
. After the engine is started, the steering
wheel may turn slightly even when
driving on a straight road. To return to
the normal position, drive the vehicle on