TACHOMETER
The tachometer indicates engine speed in
revolutions per minute (rpm). Do not rev the
engine into the red zone
1.
CAUTION
When engine speed approaches the red
zone, reduce engine speed. Operating the
engine in the red zone may cause serious
engine damage.
ENGINE COOLANT
TEMPERATURE GAUGE
The gauge indicates the engine coolant tem-
perature. The engine coolant temperature is
within the normal range
1when the gauge
needle points within the zone shown in the
illustration.
The engine coolant temperature varies with
the outside air temperature and driving con-
ditions.
CAUTION
If the gauge indicates coolant temperature
near the hot (H) end of the normal range,
reduce vehicle speed to decrease tempera-
ture. If the gauge is over the normal range,
stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible. If
the engine is overheated, continued opera-
tion of the vehicle may seriously damage
the engine. For additional information, re-
fer to “If your vehicle overheats” in the “In
case of emergency” section of this manual
for immediate action required.
LIC2219LIC2220
2-6Instruments and controls
CAUTION
∙ The battery could run down if the climatecontrolled seat is operated while the en-
gine is not running.
∙ Do not use the climate controlled seat for extended periods or when no one is using
the seat.
∙ Do not put anything on the seat which insulates heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
seat cover, etc. Otherwise, the seat may
become overheated.
∙ Do not place anything hard or heavy on the seat or pierce it with a pin or similar
objects. This may result in damage to the
climate controlled seat.
∙ Any liquid spilled on the seat should be removed immediately with a dry cloth
∙ When cleaning the seat, never use gaso- line, benzine, thinner, or any similar
materials.
∙ If any malfunctions are found or the cli- mate controlled seat does not operate,
turn the switch off and have the system
checked. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service. The climate controlled seat warms up or
cools down the front seat by a built-in heater
or ventilates air into the seat. The climate
control switch is located on the center con-
sole.
The climate controlled seat can be operated
as follows:
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn the control knob
Ato the heat side
1or the cool side2. The indicator light
Bon the control knob will illuminate.
3. Adjust the desired intensity using the control knob.
4. When the vehicle’s interior is warmed or cooled, or before you leave the vehicle,
be sure to turn the control knob to the
OFF (center) position. The indicator light
Bon the control knob goes off with the
switch in the OFF (center) position.
WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use the
seat heater if you or the occupants cannot
monitor elevated seat temperatures or
have an inability to feel pain in body parts
that contact the seat. Use of the seat
heater by such people could result in serious
injury.
SSS0911
HEATED SEAT SWITCHES (if so
equipped)
2-46Instruments and controls
CAUTION
∙ The battery could run down if the seatheater is operated while the engine is not
running.
∙ Do not use the seat heater for extended periods or when no one is using the seat.
∙ Do not put anything on the seat which insulates heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
seat cover, etc. Otherwise, the seat may
become overheated.
∙ Do not place anything hard or heavy on the seat or pierce it with a pin or similar
object. This may result in damage to the
heater.
∙ Any liquid spilled on the heated seat should be removed immediately with a
dry cloth.
∙ When cleaning the seat, never use gaso- line, benzine, thinner, or any similar
materials.
∙ If any malfunctions are found or the heated seat does not operate, turn the
switch off and have the system checked.
It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service. The front seats are warmed by built-in heat-
ers. The switches are located on the center
console and can be operated independently
of each other.
1. Start the engine.
2. Turn the control knob
Ato the right1
and select the desired heat range.
∙ For high heat, turn the knob to the right
1.
∙ For low heat, turn the knob to the left
2.
∙ The indicator light
Bwill illuminate
when the heater is on.
3. To turn off the heater, return the knob to the OFF position
3. Make sure that the
indicator light turns off.
The heater is controlled by a control
module, automatically turning the heater
on and off.
The indicator light will remain on as long
as the switch is on.
When the seat is warmed, or before you
leave the vehicle, be sure to turn the
switch off.
WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use the
seat heater if you or the occupants cannot
monitor elevated seat temperatures or
have an inability to feel pain in body parts
that contact the seat. Use of the seat
heater by such people could result in serious
injury.
LIC3037
HEATED 2ND ROW SEAT SWITCHES
(if so equipped)
Instruments and controls2-47
CAUTION
∙ The battery could run down if the seatheater is operated while the engine is not
running.
∙ Do not use the seat heater for extended periods or when no one is using the seat.
∙ Do not put anything on the seat which insulates heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
seat cover, etc. Otherwise, the seat may
become overheated.
∙ Do not place anything hard or heavy on the seat or pierce it with a pin or similar
object. This may result in damage to the
heater.
∙ Any liquid spilled on the heated seat should be removed immediately with a
dry cloth.
∙ When cleaning the seat, never use gaso- line, benzine, thinner, or any similar
materials.
∙ If any malfunctions are found or the heated seat does not operate, turn the
switch off and have the system checked.
It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service. The rear seats are warmed by built-in heat-
ers. The switches are located on the rear of
the front center console and can be operated
independently of each other.
1. Start the engine.
2. Push the LO or HI position of the switch, as desired. The indicator light in the
switch will illuminate.
The heater is controlled by a thermostat,
automatically turning the heater on and
off. The indicator light will remain on as
long as the switch is on.
3. When the seat is warmed or before you leave the vehicle, be sure to turn the
switch off. The heated steering wheel system is de-
signed to operate only when the surface tem-
perature of the steering wheel is below 68°F
(20°C).
Push the heated steering wheel switch to
warm the steering wheel after the engine
starts. The indicator light will come on.
If the surface temperature of the steering
wheel is below 68°F (20°C), the system will
heat the steering wheel and cycle off and on
to maintain a temperature above 68°F
(20°C). The indicator light will remain on as
long as the system is on.
LIC0421
HEATED STEERING WHEEL SWITCH
TYPE A (if so equipped)
2-48Instruments and controls
CAUTION
∙ Do not use leaded gasoline. Depositsfrom leaded gasoline will seriously reduce
the three-way catalyst’s ability to help
reduce exhaust pollutants.
∙ Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunctions in the ignition, fuel injection, or electrical
systems can cause over rich fuel flow into
the three-way catalyst, causing it to
overheat. Do not keep driving if the en-
gine misfires, or if noticeable loss of per-
formance or other unusual operating
conditions are detected. Have the vehicle
inspected promptly. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
∙ Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel level. Running out of fuel could cause the
engine to misfire, damaging the three-
way catalyst.
∙ Do not race the engine while warming it up.
∙ Do not push or tow your vehicle to start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label.
(If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your tires
as soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined
with the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This se-
quence will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illumi-
nated, the system may not be able to detect
or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of rea-
sons, including the installation of replace-
ment or alternate tires or wheels on the ve-
hicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunc-
tion telltale after replacing one or more tires
or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels al-
low the TPMS to continue to function prop-
erly.
Starting and driving5-5
INFINITI is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under the
influence of alcohol. Every year thousands of
people are injured or killed in alcohol-related
accidents. Although the local laws vary on
what is considered to be legally intoxicated,
the fact is that alcohol affects all people dif-
ferently and most people underestimate the
effects of alcohol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix!
And that is true for drugs, too (over-the-
counter, prescription, and illegal drugs). Don’t
drive if your ability to operate your vehicle is
impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some other
physical condition.
DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your INFINITI is designed for both normal
and off-road use. However, avoid driving in
deep water or mud as your INFINITI is mainly
designed for leisure use, unlike a conventional
off-road vehicle.
Remember that 2-Wheel Drive (2WD) mod-
els are less capable than All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) models for rough road driving and
extrication when stuck in deep snow or mud,
or the like.Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
∙ Spinning the front wheels on slippery
surfaces may cause the AWD warning
message to display and the AWD system
to automatically switch from the AWD to
the 2WD mode. This could reduce the
traction. Be especially careful when tow-
ing a trailer (AWD models).
∙ Drive carefully when off the road and avoid dangerous areas. Every person
who drives or rides in this vehicle should
be seated with their seat belt fastened.
This will keep you and your passengers in
position when driving over rough terrain.
∙ Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead drive either straight up or straight down
the slopes. Off-road vehicles can tip over
sideways much more easily than they can
forward or backward.
∙ Many hills are too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them, you may stall. If you
drive down them, you may not be able to
control your speed. If you drive across
them, you may roll over. ∙ Do not shift gears while driving on down-
hill grades as this could cause loss of con-
trol of the vehicle.
∙ Stay alert when driving to the top of a hill. At the top there could be a drop-off
or other hazard that could cause an
accident.
∙ If your engine stalls or you cannot make it to the top of a steep hill, never attempt to
turn around. Your vehicle could tip or roll
over. Always back straight down in R
(Reverse) gear and apply brakes to con-
trol your speed.
∙ Heavy braking going down a hill could cause your brakes to overheat and fade,
resulting in loss of control and an acci-
dent. Apply brakes lightly and use a low
gear to control your speed.
∙ Unsecured cargo can be thrown around when driving over rough terrain. Prop-
erly secure all cargo so it will not be
thrown forward and cause injury to you
or your passengers.
∙ Secure heavy loads in the cargo area as far forward and as low as possible. Do not
equip the vehicle with tires larger than
specified in this manual. This could cause
your vehicle to roll over.
Starting and driving5-11
∙HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB
C:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away from
the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position.WARNING
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned offwhile driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
harder to operate.
∙ When the power steering warning light illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the
steering. You will still have control of the
vehicle, but the steering will be harder to
operate. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assist while driving to operate
the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated repeat-
edly or continuously while parking or driving
at a very low speed, the power assist for the
steering wheel will be reduced. This is to pre-
vent overheating of the power steering sys-
tem and protect it from getting damaged.
While the power assist is reduced, steering
wheel operation will become heavy. When
the temperature of the power steering sys-
tem goes down, the power assist level will
return to normal. Avoid repeating such steer-
ing wheel operations that could cause the
power steering system to overheat. You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may indi-
cate the power steering system is not func-
tioning properly and may need servicing.
Have the power steering system checked. It is
recommended that you visit an INFINITI re-
tailer for this service.
When the power steering warning light illu-
minates with the engine running, there will be
no power assist for the steering, but you will
still have control of the vehicle. At this time,
greater steering effort is required to operate
the steering wheel, especially in sharp turns
and at low speeds.
For additional information, refer to “Power
steering warning light” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
POWER STEERING
Starting and driving5-137
The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will
still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using en-
gine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can
stop the vehicle by depressing the brake
pedal. However, greater foot pressure on the
brake pedal will be required to stop the ve-
hicle and stopping distance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down
a slope or long grade. Overheated brakes
may reduce braking performance and could
result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
∙ While driving on a slippery surface, becareful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or acceler-
ating could cause the wheels to skid and
result in an accident.
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power assist for the
brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result,
your braking distance will be longer and the
vehicle may pull to one side during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal
to heat up the brakes. Do this until the brakes
return to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at
high speeds until the brakes function cor-
rectly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or rotors are replaced, in order to
assure the best brake performance. This procedure is described in the INFINITI
Service Manual. It is recommended that you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
(ABS)
WARNING
∙ The ABS is a sophisticated device, but it
cannot prevent accidents resulting from
careless or dangerous driving techniques.
It can help maintain vehicle control dur-
ing braking on slippery surfaces. Remem-
ber that stopping distances on slippery
surfaces will be longer than on normal
surfaces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if you
are using tire chains. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front of
you. Ultimately, the driver is responsible
for safety.
∙ Tire type and condition may also affect braking effectiveness.
– When replacing tires, install the speci- fied size of tires on all four wheels.
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-138Starting and driving