6-18In case of emergency
JVE0433X
Front
JVE0434X
Rear
VEHICLE RECOVERY (freeing a
stuck vehicle)
WARNING
.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.
Pulling a stuck vehicle
If your vehicle is stuck in sand, snow, mud,
etc., use a tow strap or other device
designed specifically for vehicle recovery.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions for the recovery device.
Attach the tow strap to the towing hook.
CAUTION
.Tow chains or cables must be at-
tached only to the main structural
members of the vehicle or the towing
hooks. Otherwise, the vehicle body
will be damaged. .
Use the towing hook only to free a
vehicle stuck in sand, snow, mud, etc.
Never tow the vehicle for a long
distance using only the towing hook.
. The towing hook is under tremendous
force when used to free a stuck
vehicle. Never pull the hook at an
angle.
. Always pull the cable straight out
from the front or rear of the vehicle.
. Pulling devices should be routed so
they do not touch any part of the
suspension, steering, brake or cooling
systems.
. Pulling devices such as ropes or
canvas straps are not recommended
for use in vehicle towing or recovery.
Rocking a stuck vehicle
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 backward.
.Shift back and forth between R (Re-verse) and D (Drive).
.Apply the accelerator as little as
possible to maintain the rocking mo-
tion.
.Release the accelerator pedal before shifting between R and D.
.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
service to remove the vehicle.
In case of emergency6-19
7 Appearance and care
Cleaning exterior ................................................................ 7-2Washing ........................................................................\
.. 7-2
Waxing ........................................................................\
.... 7-3
Removing spots ............................................................ 7-3
Underbody ...................................................................... 7-3
Glass ........................................................................\
........ 7-3
Wheels ........................................................................\
..... 7-3
Chrome parts ................................................................ 7-4
Tire dressing ................................................................. 7-4
Cleaning interior ................................................................. 7-5
Air fresheners ................................................................ 7-5 Suede material (LIMITED models) ........................ 7-5
Open pore matte finish wood trim
(LIMITED models) ...................................................... 7-6
Floor mats .................................................................... 7-6
Seat belts ...................................................................... 7-7
Corrosion protection ....................................................... 7-8
Most common factors contributing to
vehicle corrosion ........................................................ 7-8
Environmental factors influence the rate
of corrosion ................................................................. 7-8
To protect your vehicle from corrosion .............. 7-8
WAXING
Regular waxing protects the paint surface
and helps retain new vehicle appearance.
Polishing is recommended to remove built-
up wax residue and to avoid a weathered
appearance before reapplying wax.
An INFINITI retailer can assist you in choos-
ing the proper product.
.Wax your vehicle only after a thorough
washing. Follow the instructions sup-
plied with the wax.
. Do not use a wax containing any abra-
sives, cutting compounds or cleaners
that may damage the vehicle finish.
Machine compound or aggressive polishing
on a base coat/clear coat paint finish may
dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
REMOVING SPOTS
Remove tar and oil spots, industrial dust,
insects, and tree sap as quickly as possible
from the paint surface to avoid lasting
damage or staining. Special cleaning pro-
ducts are available at an INFINITI retailer or
any automotive accessory stores.
UNDERBODY
In areas where road salt is used in winter, the
underbody must be cleaned regularly. This
will prevent dirt and salt from building up
and causing the acceleration of corrosion on
the underbody and suspension. Before the
winter period 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 win-
dows, do not use sharp-edged tools,
abrasive cleaners or chlorine-based dis-
infectant cleaners. They could damage
the electrical conductors, radio antenna
elements or rear window defroster ele-
ments.
WHEELS
Wash the wheels when washing the vehicle
to maintain their appearance.
. Clean the inner side of the wheels when
the wheel is changed or the underside of
the vehicle is washed.
. Inspect wheel rims regularly for dents or
corrosion. Such damage may cause loss
of pressure or poor seal at the tire bead.
. INFINITI recommends that the road
wheels be waxed to protect against road
salt in areas where it is used during
winter.
CAUTION
Do not use abrasive cleaners when
washing the wheels.
Aluminum alloy wheels
Wash regularly with a sponge dampened in a
mild soap solution, especially during winter
months in areas where road salt is used. Salt
could discolor the wheels if not removed.
Appearance and care7-3
7-4Appearance and care
CAUTION
Follow the directions below to avoid
staining 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
ambient temperature.
. Rinse the wheel to completely re-
move the cleaner within 15 minutes
after the cleaner is applied.
Bright wheels (if so equipped)
The bright wheels use a different coating
process than typical aluminum alloy wheel
and they are not plated wheels. These
wheels are clear-coated and require the
following special cleaning. They should be
regularly washed with a soft sponge soaked
in a lot of water. After washing with water,
wipe clean with a dry, soft cloth and dry
completely. When there is chemical or tire
wax, or dirt such as an antifreeze agent on
the surface, wash them with water as soon
as possible.
CAUTION
.The surfaces of the wheels use a
different coating process than typical
aluminum alloy wheels. Do not use
aluminum alloy wheel cleaners or
abrasive cleaners to clean the wheels.
Using such cleaners could damage the
wheel surfaces.
. Do not use an automatic car wash if
the vehicle is equipped with bright
wheels. The wheel coating may be
damaged.
. Do not use a brush to wash the
wheels if the vehicle is equipped with
bright wheels. The wheel coating may
be damaged.
CHROME PARTS
Clean chrome parts regularly with a non-
abrasive chrome polish to maintain the
finish.
TIRE DRESSING
INFINITI does not recommend the use of tire
dressings. Tire manufacturers apply a coat-
ing 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.
If you choose to use a tire dressing, take the
following precautions:
.
Use a water-based tire dressing. The
coating on the tire dissolves more easily
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
remove).
. Wipe off excess tire dressing using a dry
towel. Make sure the tire dressing is
completely removed from the tire tread/
grooves.
. Allow the tire dressing to dry as recom-
mended by tire dressing manufacturer.
8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ............................................... 8-2
Engine compartment check locations ......................... 8-3VK56VD engine model .............................................. 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 and filter .................................. 8-6
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) .......................... 8-8
Power steering fluid ......................................................... 8-8
Brake fluid ........................................................................\
... 8-9 Brake fluid .................................................................. 8-10
Window washer fluid ................................................... 8-10
Battery ........................................................................\
....... 8-11 Jump starting ............................................................. 8-13
Variable voltage control system ................................. 8-13
Drive belts ........................................................................\
. 8-13
Spark plugs ....................................................................... 8-14 Replacing spark plugs .............................................. 8-14
Air cleaner ........................................................................\
. 8-15 Windshield wiper blades .............................................. 8-16
Cleaning ..................................................................... 8-16
Replacing ................................................................... 8-16
Rear window wiper blades .......................................... 8-17
Brakes ........................................................................\
........ 8-17 Self-adjusting brakes ............................................. 8-17
Brake pad wear warning ....................................... 8-17
Brake booster ........................................................... 8-17
Fuses ........................................................................\
.......... 8-18 Engine compartment .............................................. 8-18
Passenger compartment ...................................... 8-20
Intelligent Key battery replacement ......................... 8-21
Lights ........................................................................\
......... 8-23
Headlights ................................................................ 8-24
Exterior and interior lights ................................... 8-24
Wheels and tires ............................................................. 8-27
Tire pressure ............................................................. 8-27
Tire labeling .............................................................. 8-31
Types of tires ........................................................... 8-33
Tire chains ................................................................. 8-33
Changing wheels and tires .................................. 8-34
SDI2032
Vanity mirror lightIf you have a flat tire, see “Flat tire” (P.6-3).
TIRE PRESSURE
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)
This vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). It
monitors tire pressure of all tires except the
spare. When the low tire pressure warning
light is lit and the CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
warning appears in the vehicle information
display, one or more of your tires is sig-
nificantly under-inflated.
The TPMS will activate only when the
vehicle is driven at speeds above 16 MPH
(25 km/h). Also, this system may not detect
a sudden drop in tire pressure (for example, a
flat tire while driving).
For more details, see “Low tire pressure
warning light” (P.2-15), “Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS)” (P.5-5) and “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ” (P.6-
3).
Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure of the tires (in-
cluding the spare) often and always
prior to long distance trips. The
recommended tire pressure specifica-
tions are shown on the Tire and Loading Information label under the
“Cold Tire Pressure” heading. The Tire
and Loading Information label is
affixed to the driver side center pillar.
Tire pressures should be checked
regularly because:
.
Most tires naturally lose air over
time.
. Tires can lose air suddenly when
driven over potholes or other ob-
jects or if the vehicle strikes a curb
while parking.
The tire pressures should be checked
when the tires are cold. The tires are
considered COLD after the vehicle
has been parked for 3 or more hours,
or driven less than 1 mile (1.6 km) at
moderate speeds.
TPMS with Tire Inflation Indicator
provides visual and audible signals
outside the vehicle for inflating the
tires to the recommended COLD tire
pressure. (See “TPMS with Tire Infla-
tion Indicator” (P.5-7) about the
TPMS with Tire Inflation Indicator.)
Incorrect tire pressure, including un-
der inflation, may adversely affect
Do-it-yourself8-27
WHEELS AND TIRES
8-28Do-it-yourself
tire life and vehicle handling.
WARNING
.Improperly inflated tires can fail
suddenly and cause an accident.
. The Gross Vehicle Weight rat-
ing (GVWR) is located on the F.
M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certifica-
tion label. The vehicle weight
capacity is indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information label.
Do not load your vehicle beyond
this capacity. Overloading your
vehicle may result in reduced
tire life, unsafe operating con-
ditions due to premature tire
failure, or unfavorable handling
characteristics and could also
lead to a serious accident.
Loading beyond the specified
capacity may also result in fail-
ure of other vehicle compo-
nents.
. Before taking a long trip, or
whenever you heavily load your
vehicle, use a tire pressure gauge to ensure that the tire
pressures are at the specified
level.
. For additional information re-
garding tires, refer to “Impor-
tant Tire Safety Information”
(US) or “Tire Safety Informa-
tion” (Canada) in the Warranty
Information Booklet.