Sway control device
Sudden maneuvers, wind gusts, and buffet-
ing caused by other vehicles can affect trailer
handling. Sway control devices may be used
to help control these affects. If you choose to
use one, contact a reputable trailer hitch sup-
plier to make sure the sway control device will
work with the vehicle, hitch, trailer and the
trailer’s brake system. Follow the instructions
provided by the manufacturer for installing
and using the sway control device.
Class I hitch
Class I trailer hitch equipment (receiver, ball
mount and hitch ball) can be used to tow
trailers of a maximum weight of 2,000 lbs.
(907 kg).
Class II hitch
Class II trailer hitch equipment (receiver, ball
mount and hitch ball) can be used to tow
trailers of a maximum weight of 3,500 lbs.
(1,587 kg).
Class III hitch
Class III trailer hitch equipment (receiver, ball
mount and hitch ball) can be used to tow
trailers of a maximum weight of 5,000 lbs.
(2,268 kg).
Tire pressures
∙ When towing a trailer, inflate thevehicle tires to the recommended
cold tire pressure indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information la-
bel.
∙ Trailer tire condition, size, load rat- ing and proper inflation pressure
should be in accordance with the
trailer and tire manufacturer’s
specifications.
Safety chains
Always use suitable safety chains between
your vehicle and the trailer. The safety chains
should be crossed and should be attached to
the hitch, not to the vehicle bumper or axle.
The safety chains can be attached to the
bumper if the hitch ball is mounted to the
bumper. Be sure to leave enough slack in the
chains to permit turning corners.
Trailer lights
CAUTION
When splicing into the vehicle electrical
system, a commercially available power-
type module/converter must be used to
provide power for all trailer lighting. This
unit uses the vehicle battery as a direct
power source for all trailer lights while us-
ing the vehicle tail light, stop light and turn
signal circuits as a signal source. The
module/converter must draw no more than
15 milliamps from the stop and tail lamp
circuits. Using a module/converter that ex-
ceeds these power requirements may dam-
age the vehicle’s electrical system. See a
reputable trailer retailer to obtain the
proper equipment and to have it installed.
Trailer lights should comply with federal
and/or local regulations. For assistance in
hooking up trailer lights, contact an INFINITI
retailer or reputable trailer retailer. Vehicles
equipped with the optional trailer tow pack-
age are equipped with a 7-pin trailer harness
connector. If your trailer is equipped with a
flat 4-pin connector, an adapter will be
needed to connect the trailer lights to the
vehicle. Adapters are available at auto parts
stores and hitch retailers.
Technical and consumer information10-23
Trailer brakes
When towing a trailer load of 3,500 lbs.
(1,587 kg) or more, trailers with a brake sys-
tem MUST be used.However, most states
require a separate braking system on trailers
with a loaded weight above a specific
amount. Make sure the trailer meets the local
regulations and the regulations where you
plan to tow.
Several types of braking systems are avail-
able.
Surge Brakes - The surge brake actuator is
mounted on the trailer tongue with a hydrau-
lic line running to each trailer wheel. Surge
brakes are activated by the trailer pushing
against the hitch ball when the tow vehicle is
braking. Hydraulic surge brakes are common
on rental trailers and some boat trailers. In
this type of system, there is no hydraulic or
electric connection for brake operation be-
tween the tow vehicle and the trailer. Electric Trailer Brakes -
Electric braking sys-
tems are activated by an electronic signal
sent from a trailer brake controller (special
brake-sensing module). For additional infor-
mation, refer to “Electric trailer brake control-
ler” in this section.
Have a professional supplier of towing
equipment make sure the trailer brakes are
properly installed and demonstrate proper
brake function testing.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system di-
rectly to the vehicle brake system.
Electric trailer brake controller
(if so equipped)
Trailers equipped with electric brakes may
require the installation of an aftermarket
trailer brake controller.
Your vehicle may be equipped with a connec-
tor and jumper harness that is specifically
designed to be used when installing an after-
market brake controller.
To install the electric trailer brake controller
jumper harness, perform the following procedure:
1. Open the driver door. Move the seat to the rearmost position.
Jumper Harness
LTI0117
10-24Technical and consumer information
Pre-towing tips
∙ Be certain your vehicle maintains a levelposition when a loaded and/or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle
if it has an abnormal nose-up or nose-
down condition; check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspension
or other possible causes of either condi-
tion.
∙ Always secure items in the trailer to pre- vent load shift while driving.
∙ Keep the cargo load as low as possible in the trailer to keep the trailer center of
gravity low.
∙ Load the trailer so approximately 60% of the trailer load is in the front half and
40% is in the back half. Also make sure
the load is balanced side to side.
∙ Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure, ve- hicle tire pressure, trailer light operation,
and trailer wheel lug nuts every time you
attach a trailer to the vehicle.
∙ Be certain your rearview mirrors conform to all federal, state or local regulations. If
not, install any mirrors required for tow-
ing before driving the vehicle. ∙ Determine the overall height of the ve-
hicle and trailer so the required clearance
is known.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding of
the vehicle’s behavior, you should practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area
which is free from traffic. Steering stability
and braking performance will be somewhat
different than under normal driving condi-
tions.
∙ Always secure items in the trailer to pre- vent load shift while driving.
∙ Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or lock to prevent the coupler from inadver-
tently becoming unlatched.
∙ Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
∙ Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
∙ Always drive your vehicle at a moderate speed. ∙ When backing up, hold the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand. Move your
hand in the direction in which you want
the trailer to go. Make small corrections
and back up slowly. If possible, have
someone guide you when you are back-
ing up.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle and
trailer when parking. Parking on a slope is not
recommended; however, if you must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shift selector to the
P (Park) position before blocking the
wheels and applying the parking brake,
transmission damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill side of the vehicle and trailer
wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly release the brake pedal until the
blocks absorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park).
6. Turn off the engine.
10-26Technical and consumer information
To drive away:1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks.
∙ While going downhill, the weight of the trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may
decrease overall stability. Therefore, to
maintain adequate control, reduce your
speed and shift to a lower gear. Avoid
long or repeated use of the brakes when
descending a hill, as this reduces their
effectiveness and could cause overheat-
ing. Shifting to a lower gear instead pro-
vides “engine braking” and reduces the
need to brake as frequently.
∙ If the engine coolant temperature rises to a high temperature, refer to “If your ve-
hicle overheats” in the “In case of emer-
gency” section of this manual. ∙ Trailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
∙ Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s first 500 miles (805 km).
∙ For the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do tow, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h).
∙ Have your vehicle serviced more often than at intervals specified in the recom-
mended maintenance schedule in the
“Maintenance and schedules” section of
this manual.
∙ When making a turn, your trailer wheels will be closer to the inside of the turn than
your vehicle wheels. To compensate for
this, make a larger than normal turning
radius during the turn.
∙ Crosswinds and rough roads will ad- versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When be-
ing passed by larger vehicles, be prepared
for possible changes in crosswinds that
could affect vehicle handling.
Do the following if the trailer begins to sway: 1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to allow the vehicle to coast and steer as straight ahead as the road conditions
allow. This combination will help stabilize
the vehicle
– Do not correct trailer sway by steering or applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently ap- ply the brakes and pull to the side of the
road in a safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is balanced as described in this section.
∙ Be careful when passing other vehicles. Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than normal
passing. Remember, the length of the
trailer must also pass the other vehicle
before you can safely change lanes.
∙ Downshift the transmission to a lower gear for engine braking when driving
down steep or long hills. This will help
slow the vehicle without applying the
brakes.
∙ Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in re-
duced braking efficiency.
Technical and consumer information10-27
∙ Increase your following distance to allowfor greater stopping distances while
towing a trailer. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
∙ INFINITI recommends that the cruise control not be used while towing a trailer.
∙ Some states or provinces have specific regulations and speed limits for vehicles
that are towing trailers. Obey the local
speed limits.
∙ Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts
after 50 miles (80 km) of travel and at
every break.
∙ When launching a boat, don’t allow the water level to go over the exhaust tail
pipe or rear bumper.
∙ Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights before backing the trailer into the
water or the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission
oil/fluid should be changed more frequently.
For additional information, refer to the “Do-
it-yourself” section of this manual.FLAT TOWING FOR ALL–WHEEL
DRIVE VEHICLE (if so equipped)
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is sometimes called flat towing.
This method is sometimes used when towing
a vehicle behind a recreational vehicle, such
as a motor home.
CAUTION
∙ Failure to follow these guidelines can re- sult in severe transmission damage.
∙ Never flat tow your All-wheel drive (AWD) vehicle.
∙ DO NOT tow your All-wheel drive (AWD) vehicle with any wheels on the ground.
Doing so may cause serious and expen-
sive damage to the powertrain.
∙ For emergency towing procedures refer to “Towing recommended by INFINITI” in
the “In case of emergency” section of this
manual.
FLAT TOWING FOR FRONT
WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE
(if so equipped)
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is sometimes called flat towing.
This method is sometimes used when towing
a vehicle behind a recreational vehicle, such
as a motor home.
CAUTION
∙ Failure to follow these guidelines can re-sult in severe transmission damage.
∙ Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al- ways tow forward, never backward.
∙ Never tow your front wheel drive vehicle with the front tires on the ground. Doing
so may cause serious and expensive dam-
age to the powertrain.
∙ DO NOT tow your front wheel drive con- tinuously variable transmission vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground (flat
towing). Doing so WILL DAMAGE inter-
nal transmission parts due to lack of
transmission lubrication.
∙ For emergency towing procedures refer to “Towing recommended by INFINITI” in
the “In case of emergency” section of this
manual.
10-28Technical and consumer information
Continuously Variable Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with a continu-
ously variable transmission, an appropriate
vehicle dollyMUSTbe placed under the
towed vehicle’s drive wheels. Alwaysfollow
the dolly manufacturer’s recommendations
when using their product. DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform
to federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The rela-
tive performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service prac-
tices and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions onspecified government test surfaces of as-
phalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance to
the generation of heat, and its ability to dis-
sipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tempera-
ture can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information10-29
Automatic drive positioner....3-37,3-39
Frontseats..................1-2
Heated seats ................2-46
Seats/floor mats ..............7-5,7-6
Security indicator light ............2-14
Security system (INFINITI vehicle immobilizer system),
engine start ..........2-34,3-4,5-16
Security systems Vehicle security system ..........2-32
Self-adjusting brakes .............8-19
Service manual order form .........10-33
Servicing air conditioner ...........4-53
Spark plug replacement ............8-16
Spark plugs ...................8-16
Specifications .................10-8
Speedometer ...................2-5
Speedometer and odometer ..........2-4
SRS warning label ...............1-68
Stability control ................5-137
Standard maintenance .............9-8
Starting Before starting the engine ........5-17
Jump starting ............6-11,8-15
Precautions when starting
anddriving..............5-4,5-10
Push starting ................6-13
Starting the engine ............5-17
Starting the engine ..............5-17
Startupdisplay.................2-17
Steering Heated steering wheel ..........2-49
Power steering fluid ............8-9
Power steering system .........5-134
Steering wheel .................3-31
Stoplight....................8-25 Storage.....................2-56
Storagebin...................2-61
Storagetray ..................2-57
Sunglasses case
................2-59
Sunglasses holder ...............2-59
Sunroof ..................2-67,7-5
Sunroof (see Moonroof) ...........2-66
Sun visors ....................3-32
Supplemental air bag warning labels ....1-68
Supplemental air bag warning
light....................1-69,2-12
Supplemental front impact
airbagsystem.................1-57
Supplemental restraint system Informationandwarninglabels.....1-68
Precautions on supplemental
restraint system ..............1-50
Supplemental restraint system
(Supplemental air bag system) ........1-50
Switch Autolight switch ..............2-40
Automatic power window switch ....2-65
Fog light switch ..............2-45
Hazard warning flasher switch ......6-2
Headlight and turn signal switch ....2-39
Headlight control switch .........2-40
Instrument brightness control ......2-44
Power door lock switch ..........3-6
Power inverter switch ...........2-52
Rear window and outside mirror
defroster switch ..............2-39
Rear window wiper and washer
switches ...................2-38
Turn signal switch .............2-45 T
Tachometer ...................
2
-6
Temperature gauge Engine coolant temperature gauge ....2-6
Theft (INFINITI vehicle immobilizer system),
engine start ..........2-34,3-4,5-16
Three-way catalyst ...............5-4
Tire Flat tire ....................6-3
Spare tire ...............6-5,8-38
Tire and Loading Information label . .10-12
Tire chains ................. 8-34
Tirepressure ............8-27,8-27
Tirerotation ................8-35
Types of tires ................8-33
Uniform tire quality grading ......10-29
Wheels and tires ..............8-27
Wheel/tire size ...............10-9
Tire pressure Low tire pressure warning light .....2-10
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS) ......................5-5
Top tether strap child restraint .......1-32
Towing 4-wheel drive models ...........6-16
Flattowing................10-28
Towing load/specification .......10-21
Towtrucktowing............. 6-14
Trailertowing...............10-17
Towing a trailer ................10-17
11-6