9-4Maintenance and schedules
equipped) hold securely in all latched posi-
tions.
Steering wheel:Check for changes in the
steering conditions, such as excessive free
play, hard steering or strange noises.
Warning lights and chimes: Make sure that
all warning lights and chimes are operating
properly.
Windshield defroster: Check that the air
comes out of the defroster outlets properly
and in sufficient quantity when operating
the heater or air conditioner.
Windshield wiper and washer*: Check that
the wipers and washer operate properly and
that the wipers do not streak.
Under the hood and vehicle
The maintenance items listed here should be
checked periodically (for example, each time
you check the engine oil or refuel).
Battery*: Check the fluid level in each cell. It
should be between the MAX and MIN lines.
Vehicles operated in high temperatures or
under severe condition require frequent
checks of the battery fluid level.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as: 1.
Installation or extended use of electro-
nic accessories that consume battery
power when the engine is not running
(Phone chargers, GPS, DVD players,
etc.)
2. Vehicle is not driven regularly and/or
only driven short distances.
In these cases, the battery may need to be
charged to maintain battery health.
Brake fluid level*: Make sure that the brake
fluid level is between the MAX and MIN lines
on the reservoir.
Engine coolant level*: Check the coolant
level when the engine is cold.
Engine drive belt*: Make sure that no belt is
frayed, worn, cracked or oily.
Engine oil level*: Check the level after
parking the vehicle on a level spot and
turning off the engine. Wait more than 15
minutes for the oil to drain back into the oil
pan.
Exhaust system: Make sure there are no
loose supports, cracks or holes. If the sound
of the exhaust seems unusual or there is a
smell of exhaust fumes, immediately have
the exhaust system inspected. It is recom-
mended you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service. (See “Precautions when starting and
driving” (P.5-4) for exhaust gas (carbon
monoxide).) Fluid leaks:
Check under the vehicle for fuel,
oil, water or other fluid leaks after the
vehicle has been parked for a while. Water
dripping from the air conditioner after use is
normal. If you should notice any leaks or if
gasoline fumes are evident, check for the
cause and have it corrected immediately.
Power steering fluid level* and lines: Check
the level when the fluid is cold, with the
engine off. Check the lines for proper
attachment, leaks, cracks, etc.
Radiator and hoses: Check the front of the
radiator and clean off any dirt, insects,
leaves, etc., that may have accumulated.
Make sure the hoses have no cracks, defor-
mation, rot or loose connections.
Underbody: The underbody is frequently
exposed to corrosive substances such as
those used on icy roads or to control dust. It
is very important to remove these sub-
stances, otherwise rust will form on the
floor pan, frame, fuel lines and around the
exhaust system. At the end of winter, the
underbody should be thoroughly flushed
with plain water, being careful to clean
those areas where mud and dirt may accu-
mulate. For additional information, see
“Cleaning exterior” (P.7-2).
Windshield washer fluid*: Check that there
is adequate fluid in the reservoir.
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
prevent 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,
vehicle tire pressure, trailer light opera-
tion, 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
towing before driving the vehicle.
. Determine the overall height of the
vehicle and trailer so the required clear-
ance 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
prevent load shift while driving.
. Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or
lock to prevent the coupler from inad-
vertently becoming unlatched.
. Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or
stops.
. Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
. Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed. Some states or provinces have
specific speed limits for vehicles that are
towing trailers. Obey the local speed
limits.
. 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 possi-
ble, have someone guide you when you
are backing 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 lever 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. Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) models:
Make sure that the 4WD shift switch is
engaged in the AUTO, 4HI or 4LO
position and the Automatic Transmission
(AT) park warning light is turned off.
7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
Technical and consumer information10-27
10-28Technical and consumer information
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailerare 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
provides “engine braking” and reduces
the need to brake as frequently.
. If the engine coolant temperature rises to
a high temperature, see “If your vehicle
overheats” (P.6-14).
. Trailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
. Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s
first 500 miles (800 km).
. Have your vehicle serviced more often
than at intervals specified in the recom-
mended maintenance schedule shown in
the “9. Maintenance and schedules”
section. .
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
being passed by larger vehicles, be pre-
pared 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 apply 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 earlier 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. .
Use the TOW mode or 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
reduced braking efficiency.
. Increase your following distance to allow
for 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.
. While towing a trailer, do not use the
following systems (if so equipped):
— the Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system
— the Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) system
— the Blind Spot Warning (BSW) system
— the Blind Spot Intervention
®(BSI)
system
— the Back-up Collision Intervention (BCI) system
— the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system
— the Distance Control Assist (DCA) system
11 Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ................... 5-123
Adaptive front lighting system (AFS) ............ 2-43
Advanced air bag system ................................... 1-57
Aiming controlAdaptive front lighting system (AFS) ...... 2-43
Headlights ........................................................ 2-42
Air bag system
Advanced air bag system ............................ 1-57
Front passenger air bag and
status light ....................................................... 1-59
Front-seat mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag system ..................... 1-64
Roof-mounted curtain side-impact and
rollover supplemental air bag system ...... 1-64
Air bag warning labels ....................................... 1-67
Air bag warning light .............................. 1-68, 2-16
Air cleaner housing filter ................................... 8-14
Air conditioner Air conditioner service ................................. 4-36
Air conditioner specification label ......... 10-13
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations ............ 4-36, 10-7
Automatic air conditioner .......................... 4-28
Automatic climate control .......................... 4-27
DUAL mode setting ...................................... 4-31
In-cabin microfilter ........................................ 4-36
Alarm, How to stop alarm (see vehicle
security system) ................................................... 2-33 Alcohol, drugs and driving ................................ 5-10
Antenna .................................................................. 4-36
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ................... 5-123
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
warning light ......................................................... 2-12
Appearance care
Exterior appearance care ............................... 7-2
Interior appearance care ................................ 7-5
Armrest ................................................................... 1-10
Around View
®Monitor ........................................ 4-3
Audible reminders ................................................ 2-19
Auto closure .......................................................... 3-25
Autolight system .................................................. 2-38
Automatic
Automatic air conditioner .......................... 4-28
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) ......... 8-8
Climate control ............................................... 4-27
Door locks .......................................................... 3-6
Drive positioner .............................................. 3-39
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-18
Seat positioner ............................................... 3-39
Average speed ...................................................... 2-29
Avoiding collision and rollover ........................... 5-8
B
Back door (See liftgate) ..................................... 3-21
Back-up Collision Intervention
(BCI) system .......................................................... 5-52 Battery .................................................................... 8-11
Battery saver system ........................ 2-42, 2-68
Intelligent Key ................................................. 8-21
Variable voltage control system ............... 8-13
Before starting the engine ................................ 5-15
Belts (See drive belts) ......................................... 8-13
Blind Spot Intervention
®(BSI) system ......... 5-40
Blind Spot Warning (BSW) system ................ 5-31
Booster seats ........................................................ 1-47
Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ............. 5-123
Brake booster ................................................. 8-17
Brake fluid ......................................................... 8-9
Brake system ................................................ 5-122
Parking brake operation .............................. 5-22
Warning light .................................................. 2-13
Break-in schedule ............................................. 5-109
Brightness control Instrument panel ........................................... 2-44
Bulb check/instrument panel ........................... 2-12
Bulb replacement ................................................. 8-23
C
Cabin air filter ....................................................... 4-36
Camera aiding sonar function ......................... 4-16
Capacities and
recommended fluids/lubricants ....................... 10-2
Car phone or CB radio ....................................... 4-37
Cargo floor box .................................................... 2-63
Standard maintenance .................................... 9-7
Maintenance schedules ........................................ 9-6
Malfunction indicator light (MIL) ..................... 2-17
Map lights .............................................................. 2-70
Master warning light .......................................... 2-16
Mechanical key (Intelligent Key system) .......... 3-3
Memory storage, Automatic
drive positioner .................................................... 3-39
Meter Trip computer ................................................. 2-29
Meters and gauges ................................................ 2-6 Instrument brightness control .................. 2-44
Mirror
Inside mirror ................................................... 3-30
Outside mirrors .............................................. 3-36
Smart Rearview Mirror ................................ 3-31
Vanity mirror ................................................... 3-38
Monitor Around View
®Monitor .................................. 4-3
Moonroof ............................................................... 2-66
Moving Object Detection (MOD) ................... 4-21
N
New vehicle break-in ....................................... 5-109
O
Odometer .................................................................. 2-7
Off-road recovery .................................................. 5-9 Oil
Capacities and
recommended fluids/lubricants ................. 10-2
Changing engine oil and filter ...................... 8-6
Checking engine oil level ............................... 8-6
Engine oil ........................................................... 8-6
Engine oil pressure gauge ............................. 2-9
Engine oil viscosity ........................................ 10-7
Operation, operational indicators ................... 2-22
Outside air temperature .................................... 2-31
Outside mirrors .................................................... 3-36
Overheat, If your vehicle overheats ............... 6-14
Owner’s Manual/Service Manual
order information ............................................. 10-34
P
Panic alarm ............................................................ 3-16
Parking
Brake break-in .............................................. 5-122
Parking brake operation .............................. 5-22
Parking on hills ............................................ 5-120
Phone Car phone or CB radio ................................. 4-37
Pocket ..................................................................... 2-61
Power Front seat adjustment ................................... 1-4
Moonroof ......................................................... 2-67
Power door lock ............................................... 3-4
Power outlet ................................................... 2-54
Power steering fluid ....................................... 8-8
Power steering system .............................. 5-122 Power windows ............................................. 2-64
Precautions Braking precautions .................................... 5-122
Child restraints ............................................... 1-30
Cruise control ................................................ 5-60
Driving safety ................................................. 5-10
Maintenance ..................................................... 8-2
On-pavement and off-road driving ........... 5-8
Seat belt usage .............................................. 1-17
Supplemental restraint system .................. 1-51
When starting and driving ............................ 5-4
Predictive Forward Collision
Warning (PFCW) ............................................... 5-101
Push starting ......................................................... 6-13
Push-button ignition switch ............................. 5-12R
Radio
Car phone or CB radio ................................. 4-37
Rain-sensing auto wiper system ..................... 2-36
Rapid air pressure loss .......................................... 5-9
Readiness for inspection/maintenance
(I/M) test ............................................................ 10-33
Rear door alert ..................................................... 2-52
Rear door lock, Child safety rear door lock .... 3-6
Rear personal lights ............................................ 2-70
Rear ventilators .................................................... 4-26
Rear window wiper and washer switch ....... 2-37
Rear window wiper blades ............................... 8-16
Recorders, Event data .................................... 10-34
11-5