7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior.................................7-2
Washing ......................................7-2
Waxing .......................................7-2
Removing spots ...............................7-3
Underbody ....................................7-3
Glass .........................................7-3
Aluminum alloy wheels ........................7-3
Chrome parts .................................7-3
Tire dressings .................................7-3
Cleaning interior .................................7-4
Leather cleaning kit (if so equipped) ............7-4Air fresheners
.................................7-5
Power moonroof (if so equipped) ..............7-5
Floor mats (if so equipped) ....................7-5
Seat belts .....................................7-6
Cleaning the seat tracks .......................7-7
Corrosion protection .............................7-7
Most common factors contributing to
vehicle corrosion ..............................7-7
Environmental factors influence the rate
of corrosion ...................................7-7
Protect your vehicle from corrosion ............7-7
∙ Properly position the mats in the floor-well using the floor mat positioning hook.
For additional information, refer to
"Floor mat installation" in this section.
∙ Make sure the floor mat does not inter- fere with pedal operation.
∙ Periodically check the floor mats to make sure they are properly installed.
∙ After cleaning the vehicle interior, check the floor mats to make sure they are
properly installed.
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 installation
Your vehicle is equipped with floor mat re-
tainer clips. The number and shape of the
floor mat retainer clips for each seating posi-
tion varies depending on the vehicle. When installing Genuine INFINITI floor mats,
follow the installation instructions provided
with the mat and the following:
1. With the ignition in the OFF position, the shift lever in P (Park) position and with
the parking brake fully applied, position
the floor mat in the floorwell so that the
floor mat grommet holes are aligned
with the retainer clips.
2. Secure the grommet holes into the clips and ensure that the floor mat is properly
positioned.
3. Make sure the floor mat does not inter- fere with pedal operation. With the igni-
tion still in the OFF position, the shift
lever in the P (Park) position and with the
parking brake applied, fully apply and
release all pedals. The floor mat must not
interfere with pedal operation or prevent
the pedal from returning to its normal
position.
It is recommended that you visit an INFINITI
retailer for details about installing the floor
mats in your vehicle. The illustration shows the location of the
floor mat retainer clips.
SEAT BELTS
The seat belts can be cleaned by wiping them
with a sponge dampened in a mild soap solu-
tion. Allow the belts to dry completely in the
shade before using them. For additional in-
formation, refer to “Seat belt maintenance” in
the “Safety—Seats, seat belts and supple-
mental restraint system” section of this
manual.
Retainer clips
LAI2095
7-6Appearance and care
WARNING
Do not allow wet seat belts to roll up in the
retractor. NEVER use bleach, dye or chemi-
cal solvents 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 reduce
the ability to adjust the seat. A wet cleansing
agent may be used if necessary.
MOST COMMON FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO VEHICLE
CORROSION
Most vehicle corrosion is caused by:
∙ The accumulation of moisture-retaining dirt and debris in body panel sections,
cavities, and other areas.
∙ Damage to paint and other protective coatings caused by gravel and stone
chips or minor traffic collisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
INFLUENCE THE RATE OF
CORROSION
Moisture
Accumulation of sand, dirt and water on the
vehicle body underside can accelerate corro-
sion. Wet floor coverings will not dry com-
pletely inside the vehicle and should be re-
moved for drying to avoid floor panel
corrosion.
Relative humidity
Corrosion will be accelerated in areas of high
relative humidity, especially those areas where the temperatures stay above freezing
and where atmospheric pollution exists and
road salt is used.
Temperature
High temperatures accelerate the rate of cor-
rosion to those parts which are not well ven-
tilated.
Air pollution
Industrial pollution, the presence of salt in the
air in coastal areas, or heavy road salt use
accelerates the corrosion process. Road salt
also accelerates the disintegration of paint
surfaces.
PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE FROM
CORROSION
∙ Wash and wax your vehicle often to keep
the vehicle clean.
∙ Always check for minor damage to the paint and repair it as soon as possible.
∙ Keep drain holes at the bottom of the doors open to avoid water accumulation.
∙ Check the underbody for accumulation of sand, dirt or salt. If present, wash with
water as soon as possible.
CORROSION PROTECTION
Appearance and care7-7
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions.........................8-2
Engine compartment check locations ..............8-3
Engine cooling system ........................... 8-4
Checking engine coolant level ..................8-5
Changing engine coolant ......................8-5
Engine oil ........................................8-6
Checking engine oil level .......................8-6
Changing engine oil ...........................8-7
Changing engine oil filter ..................... 8-8
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) fluid ....8-9
Brake fluid ..................................... 8-10
Windshield-washer fluid ........................ 8-10
Windshield-washer fluid reservoir ............8-10
Battery ......................................... 8-11
Jump starting ............................... 8-12
Variable voltage control system .................8-13
Drive belt ...................................... 8-13
Spark plugs .................................... 8-14
Replacing spark plugs ....................... 8-14
Air cleaner ..................................... 8-15In-cabin microfilter
.......................... 8-15
Windshield wiper blades ........................ 8-16
Cleaning .................................... 8-16
Replacing ................................... 8-16
Brakes ......................................... 8-18
Fuses .......................................... 8-19
Engine compartment ........................ 8-19
Passenger compartment .....................8-20
Battery replacement ............................ 8-21
INFINITI Intelligent Key ......................8-22
Lights ......................................... 8-23
Headlights .................................. 8-23
Fog lights (if so equipped) ...................8-23
Exterior and interior lights ...................8-24
Wheels and tires ............................... 8-26
Tire pressure ................................ 8-26
Tire labeling ................................. 8-30
Types of tires ............................... 8-32
Tire chains .................................. 8-35
Changing wheels
and tires................... 8-36
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.
∙ Because the fuel lines on gasoline engine models are under high pressure even
when the engine is off, it is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for ser-
vice of the fuel filter or fuel lines.
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 (CVT) related
component harnesses disconnected
while the ignition 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 “Do-it-yourself” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A Genuine INFINITI service manual is also
available. For additional information, refer to
“Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order in-
formation” in the “Technical and consumer
information” section of this manual.
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 have it
done by an INFINITI retailer.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself
KR20DDET engine
1. Engine coolant reservoir
2. Drive belt location
3. Air filter
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Battery
6. Fuse/Fusible link box
7. Windshield-washer fluid reservoir
8. Engine oil filler cap
9. Engine oil dipstick
LDI3173
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS
Do-it-yourself8-3
CAUTION
∙ Do not ground accessories directly to thebattery terminal. Doing so will bypass the
variable voltage control system and the
vehicle battery may not charge
completely.
∙ Use electrical accessories with the engine running to avoid discharging the vehicle
battery.
Your vehicle is equipped with a variable volt-
age control system. This system measures
the amount of electrical discharge from the
battery and controls voltage generated by
the generator. The current sensor
Ais located near the
battery along the negative battery cable. If
you add electrical accessories to your vehicle,
be sure to ground them to a suitable body
ground such as the frame or engine block
area.
1. Automatic tensioner pulley
2. Generator pulley
3. Water pump pulley
4. Air conditioner compressor pulley
5. Crankshaft pulley
WARNING
Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF or
LOCK position before servicing drive belt.
The engine could rotate unexpectedly.
LDI3164WDI0638
VARIABLE VOLTAGE CONTROL
SYSTEM DRIVE BELT
Do-it-yourself8-13
1. Visually inspect the belt for signs of un-usual wear, cuts, or fraying. If the belt is
in poor condition, have it replaced. It is
recommended that you visit an INFINITI
retailer for this service.
2. Have the belt checked regularly for con- dition.
REPLACING SPARK PLUGS
Iridium-tipped spark plugs
It is not necessary to replace iridium-tipped
Aspark plugs as frequently as conventional
type spark plugs because they last much lon-
ger. Follow the maintenance log shown in the
"Maintenance and schedules" section of this
manual. Do not service iridium-tipped spark
plugs by cleaning or regapping.
∙ Always replace spark plugs with recom-
mended or equivalent ones.
WARNING
Be sure the engine and ignition switch are
off and that the parking brake is engaged
securely.
CAUTION
Be sure to use the correct socket to remove
the spark plugs. An incorrect socket can
damage the spark plugs.
If replacement is required, it is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
SDI1895
SPARK PLUGS
8-14Do-it-yourself