Page 345 of 436

Two-Wheel Drive (FWD) models
CAUTION
NEVER tow automatic transmission (DCT)
models with the front wheels on the
ground or with all four wheels on the
ground (forwards or backwards), as this
may cause serious and expensive damage
to the transmission. If it is necessary to tow
the vehicle with the rear wheels raised, al-
ways use towing dollies under the front
wheels.
Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) models
INFINITI recommends that towing dollies be
used under the front or rear wheels when
towing your vehicle or the vehicle be placed
on a flatbed tow truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
Never tow 4WD models with any of the
wheels on the ground. Doing so will cause
serious and expensive damage to the
drivetrain.
Vehicle recovery (freeing a stuck
vehicle)
WARNING
To avoid vehicle damage, serious personal
injury or death when recovering a stuck ve-
hicle:
•Contact a professional towing service to
recover the vehicle if you have any ques-
tions regarding the recovery procedure.
•Tow chains or cables must be attached
only to main structural members of the
vehicle.
•Do not use the vehicle tie downs to tow
or free a stuck vehicle.
•Only use devices specifically designed
for vehicle recovery and follow the
manufacturer's instructions.
•Always pull the recovery device straight
out from the front of the vehicle. Never
pull at an angle.
•Route recovery devices so they do not
touch any part of the vehicle except the
attachment point.
NCE450
4WD models
In case of emergency6-15
Page 346 of 436

•On vehicles with a push button ignition
switch: you must remove the start/stop
button and use the key (see " Push-
button ignition switch (if equipped)").
Otherwise the automatic transmission
may shift to position P (Park) when the
driver's or front passenger door are
opened, which could lead to damage to
the transmission.
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device designed
specifically for vehicle recovery. Always fol-
low the manufacturer’s instructions for the
recovery device.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
WARNING
•To avoid potential injury, stand clear of
a stuck vehicle.
•Do not spin your tires at high speed. This
could cause them to explode and result
in serious injury. Parts of your vehicle
could also overheat and be damaged.If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use the following procedure:
1. Turn off the Vehicle Dynamic Control
(VDC) system.
2. Make sure the area in front and behind the
vehicle is clear of obstructions.
3. Turn the steering wheel right and left to
clear an area around the front tires.
4. Slowly rock the vehicle forward and back-
ward.
•Shift back and forth between R (Reverse)
and D (Drive).
•Apply the accelerator as little as possible
to maintain the rocking motion.
•Release the accelerator pedal before shift-
ing between R (Reverse) and D (Drive).
•Do not spin the tires above 35 MPH
(55 km/h).
5. If the vehicle cannot be freed after a few
tries, contact a professional towing ser-
vice to remove the vehicle.
6-16In case of emergency
Page 347 of 436
7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior......................7-2
Washing..........................7-2
Waxing..........................7-2
Removing spots.....................7-3
Underbody........................7-3
Glass............................7-3
Wheels...........................7-3
Aluminum alloy wheels................7-3
Chrome parts......................7-3
Tire dressings......................7-3
Cleaning interior.......................7-4Air fresheners......................7-4
Floor mats (if equipped)................7-5
Seat belts.........................7-5
Cleaning the seat tracks................7-6
Genuine leather seat covers.............7-6
Corrosion protection....................7-7
Most common factors contributing to vehicle
corrosion.........................7-7
Environmental factors influence the rate of
corrosion.........................7-7
To protect your vehicle from corrosion......7-7
Page 348 of 436

In order to maintain the appearance of your
vehicle, it is important to take proper care of it.
To protect the paint surfaces, please wash
your vehicle as soon as you can:
•After a rainfall, to prevent possible dam-
age from acid rain.
•After driving on coastal roads.
•When contaminants such as soot, bird
droppings, tree sap, metal particles or
bugs get on the paint surface.
•When dust or mud builds up on the surface.
Whenever possible, park your vehicle inside a
garage or in a covered area to minimize the
chances of damaging the paint surface of
your vehicle.
When it is necessary to park outside, park in a
shady area or protect the vehicle with a body
cover.Be careful not to scratch the paint
surface when putting on or removing the
body cover.
WASHING
Wash dirt off with a wet sponge and plenty
of water. Clean the vehicle thoroughly using a
mild soap, a special vehicle soap or general
purpose dishwashing liquid mixed with clean,
lukewarm (never hot) water.
CAUTION
•Do not use car washes that use acid in
the detergent. Some car washes, espe-
cially brushless ones, use some acid for
cleaning. The acid may react with some
plastic vehicle components, causing
them to crack. This could affect their ap-
pearance, and also could cause them not
to function properly. Always check with
your car wash to confirm that acid is not
used.
•Do not wash the vehicle with strong
household soap, strong chemical deter-
gents, gasoline or solvents.
•Do not wash the vehicle in direct sun-
light or while the vehicle body is hot, as
the paint surface may become water-
spotted.
•Avoid using tight-napped or rough
cloths, such as washing mitts. Care must
be taken when removing caked-on dirt
or other foreign substances so the paint
surface is not scratched or damaged.
Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with plenty of
clean water.Inside edges, seams and folds on the doors,
hatches and hood are particularly vulnerable
to the effects of road salt. Therefore, these
areas must be cleaned regularly. Take care
that the drain holes in the lower edge of the
door are open. Spray water under the body
and in the wheel wells to loosen the dirt and
wash away road salt.
A damp chamois can be used to dry the ve-
hicle to avoid water spots.
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface and
helps maintain a new vehicle appearance.
After waxing, polishing is recommended to
remove built-up residue and to avoid a
weathered appearance.
An INFINITI retailer can assist you in choos-
ing the appropriate waxing products.
•Wax your vehicle only after a thorough
washing. Follow the instructions supplied
with the wax.
•Do not use a wax containing any abra-
sives, cutting compounds or cleaners that
may damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compounding or aggressive polish-
ing on a base coat/clear coat paint finish may
dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
CLEANING EXTERIOR
7-2Appearance and care
Page 349 of 436

REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust, in-
sects, and tree sap as quickly as possible from
the paint surface to avoid lasting damage or
staining. Special cleaning products are avail-
able at an INFINITI retailer or any automotive
accessory store.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in the winter,
it is necessary to clean the vehicle’s under-
body regularly in order to prevent dirt and salt
from building up and causing the acceleration
of corrosion on the underbody and suspen-
sion.
Before the winter and again in the spring, the
underseal must be checked and, if necessary,
re-treated.
GLASS
Use glass cleaner to remove smoke and dust
film from the glass surfaces. It is normal for
glass to become coated with a film after the
vehicle is parked in the hot sun. Glass cleaner
and a soft cloth will easily remove this film.
CAUTION
When cleaning the inside of the windows,
do not use sharp-edged tools, abrasive
cleaners or chlorine-based disinfectant
cleaners. They could damage the electrical
conductors, radio antenna elements or rear
window defroster elements.
WHEELS
•Wash the wheels when washing the ve-
hicle to maintain their appearance.
•Clean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
•Do not use abrasive cleaners when wash-
ing the wheels.
•Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. This may cause loss of pressure
or damage the tire bead.
•INFINITI recommends that the road
wheels be waxed to protect against road
salt in areas where it is used during winter.
ALUMINUM ALLOY WHEELS
Wash the wheels regularly with a sponge
dampened in a mild soap solution, especially
during winter in areas where road salt is used.The salt residue from road salt could discolor
the wheels if it is not washed off regularly.
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid stain-
ing or discoloring the wheels:
•Do not use a cleaner that uses strong
acid or alkali contents to clean the
wheels.
•Do not apply wheel cleaners to the
wheels when they are hot. The wheel
temperature should be the same as am-
bient temperature.
•Rinse the wheel to completely remove
the cleaner within 15 minutes after the
cleaner is applied.
CHROME PARTS
Clean all chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the finish.
TIRE DRESSINGS
INFINITI does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coating
to the tires to help reduce discoloration of the
rubber. If a tire dressing is applied to the tires,
it may react with the coating and form a
compound. This compound may come off the
tire while driving and stain the vehicle paint.
Appearance and care7-3
Page 350 of 436

If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
•Use a water-based tire dressing. The coat-
ing on the tire dissolves more easily than
with an oil-based tire dressing.
•Apply a light coat of tire dressing to help
prevent it from entering the tire tread/
grooves (where it would be difficult to re-
move).
•Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry
towel. Make sure the tire dressing is com-
pletely removed from the tire tread/
grooves.
•Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by tire dressing manufacturer.Occasionally remove loose dust from the in-
terior trim, plastic parts and seats using a
vacuum cleaner or soft bristled brush. Wipe
the vinyl and leather surfaces with a clean,
soft cloth dampened in mild soap solution,
then wipe clean with a dry, soft cloth.
Regular care and cleaning is required in order
to maintain the appearance of the leather.
Before using any fabric protector, read the
manufacturer’s recommendations. Some
fabric protectors contain chemicals that may
stain or bleach the seat material.
Use a soft cloth dampened only with water to
clean the meter and gauge lens covers.
WARNING
Do not use water or acidic cleaners (hot
steam cleaners) on the seat. This can dam-
age the seat or occupant classification sen-
sor. This can also affect the operation of
the air bag system and result in serious per-
sonal injury.
CAUTION
•Never use benzine, thinner or any similar
material on the interior surfaces or sur-
face damage may occur. Such damage is
not covered under the INFINITI war-
ranty.
•Small dirt particles can be abrasive
and damaging to leather surfaces and
should be removed promptly. Do not use
saddle soap, car waxes, polishes, oils,
cleaning fluids, solvents, detergents or
ammonia-based cleaners as they dam-
age the leather's natural finish.
•Never use fabric protectors unless rec-
ommended by the manufacturer.
•Do not use glass or plastic cleaner on
meter or gauge lens covers. It may dam-
age the lens covers.
AIR FRESHENERS
Most air fresheners use a solvent that could
affect the vehicle interior. If you use an air
freshener, take the following precautions:
CLEANING INTERIOR
7-4Appearance and care
Page 351 of 436

•Hanging-type air fresheners can cause
permanent discoloration when they con-
tact vehicle interior surfaces. Place the air
freshener in a location that allows it to
hang free and not contact an interior sur-
face.
•Liquid-type air fresheners typically clip on
the ventilators. These products can cause
immediate damage and discoloration
when spilled on interior surfaces.
Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s
instructions before using air fresheners.
FLOOR MATS (IF 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.
•It is recommended you use only genuine
INFINITI floor mats specifically de-
signed for use in your vehicle model. For
additional information, it is recom-
mended you contact an INFINITI re-
tailer.
•Properly position the mats in the floor-
well using the floor mat positioning aid.
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 positioning aid
This vehicle includes a front floor mat bracket
to act as a floor mat positioning aid. INFINITI
floor mats have been specially designed for
your vehicle model.
Position the mat by placing the floor mat
bracket hook through the floor mat grommet
hole while centring the mat in the foot area.
Periodically check that the mats are properly
positioned.
SEAT BELTS
The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping them
with a sponge dampened in a mild soap solu-
tion.
SAI0039Z
Example
Appearance and care7-5
Page 352 of 436

Allow the belts to dry completely in the shade
before using them. For additional informa-
tion, see "Seat belts".
WARNING
•Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in
the retractor.
•NEVER use bleach, dye or chemical sol-
vents to clean the seat belts, since these
materials may severely weaken the seat
belt webbing.
CLEANING THE SEAT TRACKS
CAUTION
Periodically clean the seat tracks to pre-
vent reduction of ability to move the seats.
Clean periodically with a high-powered
vacuum cleaner. Dirt and debris may re-
duce the ability to adjust the seat. A wet
cleansing agent may be used if necessary.
GENUINE LEATHER SEAT
COVERS
Automotive leather is typically finished with
coatings which protect the surface from the
sun's damaging rays as well as making it re-sistant to soiling. The finishes used in auto-
motive upholstery are unique; very different
to furniture, garment or shoe leathers.
Leather is extremely resilient and easy to
clean and maintain.
•Before cleaning leather upholstery,
vacuum it to remove dust.
•To clean leather, simply use a soft and
lint-free cloth dampened with lukewarm
water and mild soap. Do not soak the
leather.
•Use a gentle, circular motion. Do not run
the leather or apply extreme pressure
when cleaning.
•Wipe the leather again with another clean,
slightly damp cloth to remove soap resi-
due. Dry with a soft cloth.
Leather should be cleaned whenever it be-
comes soiled. Dust and dirt may harm leather
if allowed to work into the finish.
Never use alcohol, cleaning solvents, oils,
varnishes or polishes on your leather, and
avoid using unknown products as they dam-
age the finish. Only use leather care agents
approved by INFINITI.
Steaming or ironing is not recommended as it
may damage the leather.Leather is a natural product and has natural
surface properties such as unevenness in
structure, marks caused by injury, and subtle
color differences. These are characteristics of
leather and not material faults.
Leather cleaning kit (if equipped)
Spray onto the leather cleaning cloth, then
gently wipe the surface of leather. Use a dry
towel to absorb any excess moisture.
Please refer to the instruction manual pro-
vided with the leather cleaner kit.
Clean light-colored leather more frequently
because soiling on such surfaces is much
more visible.
You can obtain the leather cleaner kit from an
INFINITI retailer.
7-6Appearance and care