CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shift mode). Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
∙ Cold engine idle speed is high, so use cau- tion when shifting into a forward or re-
verse gear before the engine has warmed
up.
∙ Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control.
∙ Never shift to either the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D (Drive)
position while the vehicle is reversing.
This could cause an accident or damage
the transmission.
∙ Except in an emergency, do not shift to the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
CAUTION
To avoid possible damage to your vehicle,
when stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depressing
the accelerator pedal. The foot brake
should be used for this purpose.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for
this transmission are shown on the following
pages. Follow these procedures for maxi-
mum vehicle performance and driving enjoy-
ment.
Engine power may be automatically reduced
to protect the CVT if the engine speed in-
creases quickly when driving on slippery
roads or while being tested on some dyna-
mometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the
shift lever out of the P (Park) position.
This Continuously Variable Transmis-
sion is designed so that the foot brake
pedal must be depressed before shifting
from P (Park) to any driving position while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other positions if the ignition switch is
placed in the LOCK, OFF or ACC posi-
tion while the ready light illuminates.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift lever to a driving po-
sition.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal and then gradually start the
vehicle in motion.
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shift mode). Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
∙ Cold engine idle speed is high, so use cau- tion when shifting into a forward or re-
verse gear before the engine has warmed
up.
∙ Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-19
∙In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving performance
and reduces the chance of vehicle dam-
age or loss of control.
∙ When this situation occurs, the Continu-
ously Variable Transmission (CVT) posi-
tion indicator light will blink and the
chime will sound.
∙ In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the engine
speed is too high. When the vehicle
speed decreases, the transmission auto-
matically shifts down and shifts to 1st
gear before the vehicle comes to a stop.
∙ CVT operation is limited to automatic drive mode when CVT fluid temperature
is extremely low even if manual shift
mode is selected. This is not a malfunc-
tion. When CVT fluid warms up, manual
mode can be selected.
∙ When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shift range may upshift in lower rpm
than usual. This is not a malfunction.
Shift lock release
If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
shift lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal de-
pressed and the shift lever button pressed. To
move the shift lever, perform the following
procedure:
1. Push the ignition switch to the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover us- ing a suitable tool. 4. Push down the shift lock release using a
suitable tool.
5. Press the shift lever button and move the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position
while holding down the shift lock release.
The vehicle may be moved to the desired
location. Replace the removed shift lock
release cover after the operation.
If the shift lever cannot be moved out of the P
(Park) position, have the Continuously Vari-
able Transmission system checked as soon as
possible. It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
WARNING
If the shift lever cannot be moved from the
P (Park) position while the engine is running
and the brake pedal is depressed, the stop
lights may not work. Malfunctioning stop
lights could cause an accident injuring your-
self and others.
Accelerator downshift
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the ac-
celerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, de-
pending on the vehicle speed.
LSD3339
5-22Starting and driving
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tempera-
ture protection mode. If the fluid temperature
becomes too high (for example, when climb-
ing steep grades in high temperatures with
heavy loads, such as when towing a trailer),
engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will be decreased automatically
to reduce the chance of transmission dam-
age. Vehicle speed can be controlled with the
accelerator pedal, but the engine and vehicle
speed may be limited.
Fail-safe
If the vehicle is driven under extreme condi-
tions, such as excessive wheel spinning and
subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe sys-
tem may be activated. The Malfunction Indi-
cator Light (MIL) may come on to indicate
the fail-safe mode is activated. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual. This will oc-
cur even if all electrical circuits are function-
ing properly. In this case, place the ignition
switch in the OFF position and wait for
10 seconds. Then place the ignition switch
back in the ON position. The vehicle should
return to its normal operating condition. If itdoes not return to its normal operating con-
dition, have the transmission checked and
repaired, if necessary. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs, ve-
hicle speed may be gradually reduced. The
reduced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance of a
collision. Be especially careful when driving.
If necessary, pull to the side of the road at a
safe place and allow the transmission to re-
turn to normal operation, or have it re-
paired if necessary.
WARNING
∙ Be sure the parking brake is fully released
before driving. Failure to do so can cause
brake failure and lead to an accident.
∙ Do not release the parking brake from outside the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the shift lever in place of the parking brake. When parking, be sure the
parking brake is fully engaged.
∙ To help avoid risk of injury or death through unintended operation of the ve-
hicle and/or its systems, do not leave
children, people who require the assis-
tance of others or pets unattended in
your vehicle. Additionally, the tempera-
ture inside a closed vehicle on a warm day
can quickly become high enough to cause
a significant risk of injury or death to
people and pets.
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving5-23
∙ On roads where there are sharply con-trasting objects, such as shadows, snow,
water, wheel ruts, seams or lines remain-
ing after road repairs. (The LDW system
could detect these items as lane markers.)
∙ On roads where the traveling lane merges or separates.
∙ When the vehicle’s traveling direction does not align with the lane marker.
∙ When traveling close to the vehicle in front of you, which obstructs the lane
camera unit detection range.
∙ When rain, snow, dirt or object adheres to the windshield in front of the lane
camera unit.
∙ When the headlights are not bright due to dirt on the lens or if the aiming is not
adjusted properly.
∙ When strong light enters the lane camera unit. (For example, the light directly
shines on the front of the vehicle at sun-
rise or sunset.)
∙ When a sudden change in brightness oc- curs. (For example, when the vehicle en-
ters or exits a tunnel or under a bridge.)SYSTEM TEMPORARILY
UNAVAILABLE
If the vehicle is parked in direct sunlight under
high temperature conditions (over approxi-
mately 104°F [40°C]) and then started, the
LDW system may be deactivated automati-
cally, the warning systems ON indicator on
the switch will flash and the following mes-
sage will appear in the vehicle information
display: “Unavailable: High Cabin Temp.”
When the interior temperature is reduced, the
LDW system will resume operating auto-
matically and the warning systems ON indi-
cator will stop flashing.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The lane camera unit1for the LDW system
is located behind the inside mirror. To keep
the proper operation of the LDW system and
prevent a system malfunction, be sure to ob-
serve the following:
∙ Always keep the windshield clean.
∙ Do not attach a sticker (including trans- parent material) or install an accessory
near the camera unit.
LSD3164
Starting and driving5-31
∙ Do not place reflective materials, such aswhite paper or a mirror, on the instrument
panel. The reflection of sunlight may ad-
versely affect the camera unit’s capability
of detecting the lane markers.
∙ Do not strike or damage the areas around the camera unit. Do not touch the camera
lens or remove the screw located on the
camera unit. If the camera unit is dam-
aged due to an accident, it is recom-
mended that you visit an INFINITI re-
tailer.
WARNING
Failure to follow the warnings and instruc-
tions for proper use of the LDP system
could result in serious injury or death.
The LDP system will operate when the ve-
hicle is driven at speeds of approximately
45 mph (70 km/h) and above, and only when
the lane markings are clearly visible on the
road. The LDP system warns the driver with a
warning indicator in the vehicle information
display and chime, and helps assist the driver
to return the vehicle to the center of the
traveling lane by applying the brakes to the
left or right wheels individually (for a short
period of time).
The LDP system monitors the lane markers
on the traveling lane using the camera unit
1
located above the inside mirror. When the
camera unit detects that the vehicle is travel-
ing close to either the left or the right of the
traveling lane, the Lane Departure Warning
indicator in the vehicle information display
blinks in orange and a warning chime sounds.
When the LDP system is on, it will automati-
cally apply the brakes for a short period of
time, using the function of the Vehicle Dy-
namic Control (VDC) system.
LSD2701
LANE DEPARTURE PREVENTION
(LDP) (if so equipped)
5-32Starting and driving
∙ Excessive noise will interfere with thewarning chime sound, and the chime may
not be heard.
The LDP system may or may not operate
properly under the following conditions:
∙ On roads where there are multiple paral- lel lane markers; lane markers that are
faded or not painted clearly; yellow
painted lane markers; non-standard lane
markers; or lane markers covered with
water, dirt, snow, etc.
∙ On roads where discontinued lane mark- ers are still detectable.
∙ On roads where there are sharp curves.
∙ On roads where there are sharply con- trasting objects, such as shadows, snow,
water, wheel ruts, seams or lines remain-
ing after road repairs. (The LDP system
could detect these items as lane
markers.)
∙ On roads where the traveling lane merges or separates.
∙ When the vehicle’s traveling direction does not align with the lane marker. ∙ When traveling close to the vehicle in
front of you, which obstructs the lane
camera unit detection range.
∙ When rain, snow or dirt adheres to the windshield in front of the lane camera
unit.
∙ When the headlights are not bright due to dirt on the lens or if the aiming is not
adjusted properly.
∙ When strong light enters the lane camera unit. (For example, the light directly
shines on the front of the vehicle at sun-
rise or sunset.)
∙ When a sudden change in brightness oc- curs. (For example, when the vehicle en-
ters or exits a tunnel or under a bridge.)
While the LDP system is operating, you may
hear a sound of brake operation. This is nor-
mal and indicates that the LDP system is
operating properly.SYSTEM TEMPORARILY
UNAVAILABLE
Condition A:
The warning and assist functions of the LDP
system are not designed to work under the
following conditions:
∙ When you operate the lane change signal and change the traveling lanes in the di-
rection of the signal. (The LDP system will
be deactivated for approximately 2 sec-
onds after the lane change signal is
turned off.)
∙ When the vehicle speed lowers to less than approximately 45 mph (70 km/h).
After the above conditions have finished and
the necessary operating conditions are satis-
fied, the warning and assist functions will
resume.
Condition B:
The assist function of the LDP system is not
designed to work under the following condi-
tions (warning is still functional): ∙ When the brake pedal is depressed.
∙ When the steering wheel is turned as far as necessary for the vehicle to change
lanes.
5-36Starting and driving
∙ When the vehicle is accelerated duringLDP system operation.
∙ When the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) approach warning occurs.
∙ When the hazard warning flashers are operated.
∙ When driving on a curve at high speed.
After the above conditions have finished and
the necessary operating conditions are satis-
fied, the LDP system application of the
brakes will resume.
Condition C:
If the following messages appear in the ve-
hicle information display, a chime will sound
and the LDP system will be turned off auto-
matically: ∙ “Unavailable: Road is slippery”: When the VDC system (except Traction
Control System (TCS) function) or ABS
operates.
∙ “Unavailable: VDC OFF”: When the VDC system is turned off.
∙ “Unavailable: Snow Mode Active”: When the Drive Mode Selector switch is
turned to the SNOW mode. Action to take:
When the above conditions no longer exist,
turn off the LDP system. Push the dynamic
driver assistance switch again to turn the
LDP system back on.
Temporary disabled status at high tempera-
ture:
If the vehicle is parked in direct sunlight under
high temperature conditions (over approxi-
mately 104°F [40°C]) and then the LDP sys-
tem is turned on, the LDP system may be
deactivated automatically and the following
message will appear on the vehicle informa-
tion display: “Unavailable: High Cabin Temp.”
When the interior temperature is reduced, the
system will resume operating automatically.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
The lane camera unit1for the LDP system
is located behind the inside mirror. To keep
the proper operation of the LDP system and
prevent a system malfunction, be sure to ob-
serve the following:
∙ Always keep the windshield clean.
∙ Do not attach a sticker (including trans- parent material) or install an accessory
near the camera unit.
LSD3164
Starting and driving5-37
∙ Do not place reflective materials, such aswhite paper or a mirror, on the instrument
panel. The reflection of sunlight may ad-
versely affect the camera unit’s capability
of detecting the lane markers.
∙ Do not strike or damage the areas around the camera unit. Do not touch the camera
lens or remove the screw located on the
camera unit. If the camera unit is dam-
aged due to an accident, it is recom-
mended that you visit an INFINITI re-
tailer.WARNING
Failure to follow the warnings and instruc-
tions for proper use of the BSW system
could result in serious injury or death.
∙ The BSW system is not a replacement forproper driving procedures and is not de-
signed to prevent contact with vehicles
or objects. When changing lanes, always
use the side and rear mirrors and turn and
look in the direction your vehicle will
move to ensure it is safe to change lanes.
Never rely solely on the BSW system.
The BSW system helps alert the driver of
other vehicles in adjacent lanes when chang-
ing lanes. The BSW system uses radar sensors
1in-
stalled near the rear bumper to detect other
vehicles in an adjacent lane.
LSD2221
BLIND SPOT WARNING (BSW)
5-38Starting and driving