Parking brake break-in .......................................... 5-121
Brake assist .................................................................... 5-122 Brake assist ............................................................... 5-122
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ......................... 5-122
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system ................. 5-123 Active trace control (if so equipped) ................ 5-124
Rise-up and build-up ............................................. 5-124
Brake force distribution ........................................ 5-124
Hill Start Assist system ............................................... 5-125 Cold weather driving ................................................... 5-126
Freeing a frozen door lock ................................. 5-126
Antifreeze ................................................................ 5-126
Battery ..................................................................... 5-126
Draining of coolant water .................................. 5-126
Tire equipment ....................................................... 5-126
Special winter equipment ................................... 5-126
Driving on snow or ice ......................................... 5-126
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ............... 5-127
Active noise cancellation .......................................... 5-128
5-4Starting and driving
WARNING
.Do not leave children or adults who
would normally require the support
of others alone in your vehicle. Pets
should not be left alone either. They
could accidentally injure themselves
or others through inadvertent opera-
tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot,
sunny days, temperatures in a closed
vehicle could quickly become high
enough to cause severe or possibly
fatal injuries to people or animals.
. Closely supervise children when they
are around cars to prevent them from
playing and becoming locked in the
trunk where they could be seriously
injured. Keep the car locked, with the
rear seatback and trunk lid securely
latched when not in use, and prevent
children’s access to car keys.
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
.Do not breathe exhaust gases; they
contain colorless and odorless carbon
monoxide. Carbon monoxide is dan-
gerous. It can cause unconsciousness
or death.
. If you suspect that exhaust fumes are
entering the vehicle, drive with all
windows fully open, and have the
vehicle inspected immediately.
. Do not run the engine in closed spaces
such as a garage.
. Do not park the vehicle with the
engine running for any extended
length of time.
. Keep the trunk lid closed while driv-
ing, otherwise exhaust gases could be
drawn into the passenger compart-
ment. If you must drive with the
trunk lid open, follow these precau-
tions:
1) Open all the windows.
2) Set the
air recirculation to
off and the fan control to high to
circulate the air. .
If electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass to a trailer
through the seal on the trunk lid or
the body, follow the manufacturer’s
recommendation to prevent carbon
monoxide entry into the vehicle.
. The exhaust system and body should
be inspected by a qualified mechanic
whenever:
— The vehicle is raised for service.
— You suspect that exhaust fumes are entering into the passenger
compartment.
— You notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system.
— You have had an accident invol- ving damage to the exhaust sys-
tem, underbody, or rear of the
vehicle.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING
AND DRIVING
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.
Please note that the TPMS is not a sub-
stitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is
the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct
tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately one
minute and then remain continuously illumi-
nated. This sequence will continue upon
subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the
malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not
Starting and driving5-5
3. When appropriate, slowly release theaccelerator pedal to gradually slow the
vehicle.
4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe location off the road and away from
traffic if possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradu- ally stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and either contact a roadside emergency
service to change the tire or see “Chan-
ging a flat tire” (P.6-4).
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS
AND DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alco-
hol or drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream
reduces coordination, delays reaction
time and impairs judgement. Driving
after drinking alcohol increases the like-
lihood of being involved in an accident
injuring yourself and others. Addition-
ally, if you are injured in an accident,
alcohol can increase the severity of the
injury.
INFINITI is committed to safe driving. How- ever, you must choose not to drive under the
influence of alcohol. Every year thousands of
people are injured or killed in alcohol-related
accidents. Although the local laws vary on
what is considered to be legally intoxicated,
the fact is that alcohol affects all people
differently and most people underestimate
the effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix!
And that is true for drugs, too (over-the-
counter, prescription, and illegal drugs).
Don’t drive if your ability to operate your
vehicle is impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some
other physical condition.
INTELLIGENT ALL-WHEEL
DRIVE (AWD) DRIVING SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS (AWD models)
WARNING
.
Do not drive beyond the performance
capability of the tires, even with
Intelligent AWD engaged. Accelerat-
ing quickly, sharp steering maneuvers
or sudden braking may cause loss of
control.
. Always use tires of the same type,
size, brand, construction (bias, bias-
belted or radial), and tread pattern on all four wheels. Install tire chains
on the rear wheels when driving on
slippery roads and drive carefully.
. This vehicle is not designed for off-
road (rough road) use. Do not drive
on sandy or muddy roads that tires
may get stuck in.
. For AWD equipped vehicles, do not
attempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any D (Drive) or R (Reverse) position
with the engine running. Doing so
may result in drivetrain damage or
unexpected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle damage
or personal injury.
. Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dy-
namometer, (such as the dynam-
ometers used by some states for
emissions testing), or similar equip-
ment even if the other two wheels are
raised off the ground. Make sure you
inform test facility personnel that
your vehicle is equipped with AWD
before it is placed on a dynamometer.
Using the wrong test equipment may
result in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage or
personal injury.
Starting and driving5-9
5-10Starting and driving
.When a wheel is off the ground due
to an unlevel surface, do not spin the
wheel excessively.WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in
an emergency. (The engine will stop
when the ignition switch is pushed 3
consecutive times or the ignition switch
is pushed and held for more than 2
seconds.) If the engine stops while the
vehicle is being driven, this could lead to
a crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the shift lever to the
P (Park) position.
SSD0659
OPERATING RANGE FOR EN-
GINE START FUNCTION
The Intelligent Key can only be used for
starting the engine when the Intelligent Key
is within the specified operating range.
When the Intelligent Key battery is almost
discharged or strong radio waves are pre-
sent near the operating location, the Intelli-
gent Key system’s operating range becomes
narrower and may not function properly.
If the Intelligent Key is within the operating
range, it is possible for anyone, even some-
one who does not carry the Intelligent Key,
to push the ignition switch to start the
engine.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-12Starting and driving
steering wheel, push the ignition switch. If
the steering lock release malfunction indi-
cator appears on the vehicle information
display, push the push-button ignition
switch again while lightly turning the steer-
ing wheel right and left. (See “Vehicle
information display” (P.2-20).)
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION
SWITCH POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position)
The ignition switch can only be locked in this
position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when it
is pushed to the ACC position while carrying
the Intelligent Key.
ACC (Accessories)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio, when the engine is not
running.
ACC has a battery saver feature that will
turn the ignition switch to the OFF position
after a period of time under the following
conditions:
.all doors are closed.
. shift lever is in P (Park).
The battery saver feature will be cancelled if
any of the following occur: .
any door is opened.
. shift lever is moved out of P (Park).
. ignition switch changes position.
ON (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the ignition system
and electrical accessories.
ON has a battery saver feature that will turn
the ignition switch to the OFF position, if the
vehicle is not running, after some time under
the following conditions:
.all doors are closed.
. shift lever is in P (Park).
The battery saver feature will be cancelled if
any of the following occur:
. any door is opened.
. shift lever is moved out of the P (Park)
position.
. ignition switch changes position.
OFF
The engine can be turned off in this position.
The ignition lock is designed so that the
ignition switch cannot be switched to the
LOCK position until the shift lever is moved
to the P (Park) position.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the push-
button ignition switch in ACC or ON
positions when the engine is not running
for an extended period. This can dis-
charge the battery.
EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF
To shut off the engine in an emergency
situation while driving, perform the follow-
ing procedure:
.Rapidly push the push-button ignition
switch 3 consecutive times in less than
1.5 seconds, or
. Push and hold the push-button ignition
switch for more than 2 seconds.
SSD0860
INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY DIS-
CHARGE
If the battery of the Intelligent Key is
discharged, or environmental conditions in-
terfere with the Intelligent Key operation,
start the engine according to the following
procedure:
1. Move the shift lever to the P (Park)position.
2. Firmly apply the foot brake.
3. Touch the ignition switch with the Intelligent Key as illustrated. (A chime
will sound.)
4. Push the ignition switch while depressing the brake pedal within 10 seconds after
the chime sounds. The engine will start.
After step 3 is performed, when the ignition
switch is pushed without depressing the
brake pedal, the ignition switch position will
change to ACC.
NOTE:
. When the ignition switch is pushed to
the ACC or ON position or the engine is
started by the above procedures, the
Intelligent Key battery discharge indi-
cator appears on the vehicle information
display even if the Intelligent Key is
inside the vehicle. This is not a malfunc-
tion. To turn off the Intelligent Key
battery discharge indicator, touch the
ignition switch with the Intelligent Key
again.
. If the Intelligent Key battery discharge
indicator appears, replace the battery as
soon as possible. (See “Intelligent Key
battery replacement” (P.8-25).)
. Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
. Check fluid levels such as engine oil,
coolant, brake fluid and window washer
fluid as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
. Check that all windows and lights are
clean.
. Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
. Lock all doors.
. Position seat and adjust head restraints.
. Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
. Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers
to do likewise.
. Check the operation of warning lights
when the ignition switch is pushed to the
ON position. (See “Warning lights, in-
dicator lights and audible reminders”
(P.2-10).)
Starting and driving5-13
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-14Starting and driving
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever to the P (Park) or N(Neutral) position. (P is recommended.)
The starter is designed not to operate
unless the shift lever is in either of the
above positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON position. Firmly depress the brake pedal
and push the ignition switch to start the
engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while
depressing the brake pedal with the
ignition switch in any position.
.If the engine is very hard to start inextremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator ped-
al a little (approximately 1/3 to the
floor) and while holding, crank the
engine. Release the accelerator pedal
when the engine starts.
.If the engine is very hard to start
because it is flooded, depress the
accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and hold it. Push the ignition
switch to the ON position to start
cranking the engine. After 5 or 6
seconds, stop cranking by pushing
the ignition switch to OFF. After
cranking the engine, release the accel-
erator pedal. Crank the engine withyour foot off the accelerator pedal
by
depressing the brake pedal and push-
ing the push-button ignition switch to
start the engine. If the engine starts,
but fails to run, repeat the above
procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, push the ignition switch to
OFF and wait 10 seconds before crank-
ing again, otherwise the starter could be
damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Do not race the
engine while warming it up. Drive at
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of 2 - 3 minutes before shut-
ting it off. Starting and stopping the
engine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
When racing the engine up to 4,000 rpm
(VK56VD engine) or 4,500 rpm
(VQ37VHR engine) or more under no
load condition, the engine will enter the fuel cut mode.
5. To stop the engine, shift the shift lever to the P (Park) position and push the
ignition switch to the OFF position.
In preparation for the next engine start,
the engine may have a slightly delayed
shutoff after pushing the ignition switch
to the OFF position, depending on the
driving conditions (VK56VD engine mod-
els).
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 electro-
nic 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.
STARTING THE ENGINE