•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. •
Do not grip the inside or spokes of the
steering wheel when driving off-road.
The steering wheel could move suddenly
and injure your hands. Instead drive with
your fingers and thumbs on the outside
of the rim.
• Before operating the vehicle, ensure that
the driver and all passengers have their
seat belts fastened.
• Always drive with the floor mats in place
as the floor may become hot.
• Lower your speed when encountering
strong crosswinds. With a higher center
of gravity, your INFINITI is more af-
fected by strong side winds. Slower
speeds ensure better vehicle control.
• Do not drive beyond the performance ca-
pability of the tires, even with AWD
engaged.
• For AWD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise two wheels off the ground
and shift the transmission to any drive or
reverse position with the engine running.
Doing so may result in drivetrain damage
or unexpected vehicle movement which
could result in serious vehicle damage or
personal injury. •
Do not attempt to test an AWD
equipped vehicle on a 2-wheel dyna-
mometer (such as the dynamometers
used by some states for emissions test-
ing) or similar equipment even if the
other two wheels are raised off the
ground. Make sure you inform test facil-
ity personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with AWD before it is placed
on a dynamometer. Using the wrong test
equipment may result in drivetrain dam-
age or unexpected vehicle movement
which could result in serious vehicle dam-
age or personal injury.
• When a wheel is off the ground due to an
unlevel surface, do not spin the wheel
excessively.
• Accelerating quickly, sharp steering ma-
neuvers or sudden braking may cause
loss of control.
• If at all possible, avoid sharp turning ma-
neuvers, particularly at high speeds.
Your INFINITI vehicle has a higher center
of gravity than a passenger car. The ve-
hicle is not designed for cornering at the
same speeds as passenger cars. Failure
to operate this vehicle correctly could re-
sult in loss of control and/or a rollover
accident.
Starting and driving5-11
INFINITI VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The INFINITI Vehicle Immobilizer System will
not allow the engine to start without the use
of the registered key.
If the engine fails to start using the registered
key, it may be due to interference caused by
another registered key, an automated toll
road device or automated payment device on
the key ring. Restart the engine using the
following procedures:
1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON posi-tion for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position and wait approximately 5
seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the de- vice (which may have caused the interfer-
ence) separate from the registered key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, INFINITI
recommends placing the registered key on a
separate key ring to avoid interference from
other devices. • Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
• Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool- ant, brake fluid, and windshield-washer
fluid as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
• Check that all windows and lights are clean.
• Visually inspect tires for their appearance and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
• Check that all doors are closed.
• Position seat and adjust head restraints/headrests.
• Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
• Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to do likewise.
• Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is placed in the ON
position. For additional information, see
“Warning lights, indicator lights and audible
reminders” (P. 2-9) 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Press the Park button to place the vehicle
in P (Park) or move the shift lever to N
(Neutral). P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift lever is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion. Depress the brake pedal and push
the ignition switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push and
release the ignition switch while depress-
ing the brake pedal with the ignition
switch in any position.
• If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator pedal a
little (approximately 1/3 to the floor)
and while holding, crank the engine. Re-
lease the accelerator pedal when the
engine starts.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
5-16Starting and driving
WARNING
• The electronic parking brake will not be
automatically applied when the engine is
stopped without using the ignition
switch (for example, by engine stalling).
Without the vehicle stationary, the elec-
tronic parking brake will not be auto-
matically applied even if the engine is
turned off with the ignition switch.
• Before leaving the vehicle, press the Park
button to place the vehicle in the P (Park)
position and check that the electronic
parking brake indicator light is illumi-
nated to confirm that the electronic
parking brake is applied. The electronic
parking brake indicator light will remain
on for a period of time after the driver’s
door is locked.
CAUTION
When parking in an area where the outside
temperature is below 32°F (0°C), the park-
ing brake, if applied, may freeze in place
and may be difficult to release.
For safe parking, it is recommended that
you place the shift lever in the P (Park)
position and securely block the wheels.
NOTE:
• If a malfunction occurs in the electronic parking brake system (for example, due to
battery discharge), it is recommended that
you visit an INFINITI retailer.
• If the shift lever is moved to the P (Park) position when the brake force is main-
tained by the automatic brake hold func-
tion, the electronic parking brake will ap-
ply automatically.
• If the driver’s seat belt is unfastened when the brake force is maintained by the auto-
matic brake hold function, the electronic
parking brake will apply automatically.
• If the ignition switch is placed in the OFF position when the brake force is main-
tained by the automatic brake hold func-
tion, the electronic parking brake will ap-
ply automatically.
• Under the following conditions, the elec- tronic parking brake will automatically be
applied and the brake force of the auto-
matic brake hold will be released:
– The braking force is applied by the auto- matic brake hold function for 3 minutes
or longer.
– The vehicle is placed in the “P” (Park) position.
– The driver’s seat belt is unfastened. – The ignition switch is placed in the
“OFF” position.
– The electronic parking brake is applied.
– If a malfunction occurs in the automatic brake hold function.
MANUAL OPERATION
The electronic parking brake will not be auto-
matically applied if the engine is stopped
without using the ignition switch (for ex-
ample, by engine stalling). In such a case, you
have to apply the parking brake manually.
To apply: Pull the switch up
O1. The indicator
light
OAwill illuminate.
To release: With the ignition switch in the ON
position, depress the brake pedal and push
the switch down
O2. The indicator lightOAwill turn off.
Before driving, check that the electronic
parking brake indicator light (red) (if so
equipped)
orgoes out. For addi-
tional information, see “Warning lights, indi-
cator lights and audible reminders” (P. 2-9).
NOTE:
• A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven without releasing the parking brake. For
additional information, see “Warning
lights, indicator lights and audible remind-
ers” (P. 2-9).
5-24Starting and driving
• While the electronic parking brake is ap-plied or released, an operating sound is
heard from the lower side of the rear seat.
This is normal and does not indicate a
malfunction.
• When the electronic parking brake is fre- quently applied and released in a short pe-
riod of time, the parking brake may not
operate in order to prevent the parking
brake system from overheating. If this oc-
curs, operate the electronic parking brake
switch again after waiting approximately
1 minute.
• If the electronic parking brake must be ap- plied while driving in an emergency, pull up
and hold the parking brake switch. When
you release the parking brake switch, the
parking brake will be released.
• While pulling up the electronic parking brake switch during driving, the parking
brake is applied and a chime sounds. The
electronic parking brake indicator light
(red) in the meter and in the parking brake
switch illuminates. This does not indicate a
malfunction. The electronic parking brake
indicator light (red) in the meter and in the
parking brake switch turns off when the
parking brake is released. • When pulling the electronic parking brake
switch up with the ignition switch in the
OFF or AUTO ACC position, the parking
brake switch indicator light will continue
to illuminate for a short period of time.
WHEN TOWING A TRAILER
Depending on the weight of the vehicle and
trailer and the steepness of the slope, there
may be a tendency for the vehicle to move
backwards when starting from a standstill.
When this occurs, you can use the parking
brake switch in the same way as a conven-
tional lever type parking brake.
Before starting on sloping roads when tow-
ing a trailer, be sure to read the following to
prevent the vehicle from moving backwards
unintentionally.
• Release the parking brake switch as soonas the engine is delivering enough torque to
the wheels. The automatic brake hold function maintains
the braking force without the driver having to
depress the brake pedal when the vehicle is
stopped at a traffic light or intersection. As
soon as the driver depresses the accelerator
pedal again, the automatic brake hold func-
tion is deactivated and the braking force is
released. The operating status of the auto-
matic brake hold can be displayed on the
vehicle information display.
WARNING
• The automatic brake hold function is not
designed to hold the vehicle on a steep
hill or slippery road. Never use the auto-
matic brake hold when the vehicle is
stopped on a steep hill or slippery road.
Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to
move.
• The automatic brake hold function is de-
signed to operate on gradients between
—30% to +30%. Outside this range the
system may not operate. The automatic
brake hold warning may appear in the
Vehicle Information Display to request
that the driver retake control by de-
pressing the brake pedal.
AUTOMATIC BRAKE HOLD
Starting and driving5-25
•When the automatic brake hold function
is activated but fails to maintain the ve-
hicle at a standstill, depress the brake
pedal to stop the vehicle. If the vehicle
unexpectedly moves due to outside con-
ditions, the chime may sound and auto-
matic brake hold warning may illuminate
in the vehicle information display.
• Be sure to deactivate the automatic
brake hold function when using a car
wash or towing your vehicle.
• Make sure to place the shift lever in the P
(Park) position and apply the parking
brake when parking your vehicle, riding
on or off the vehicle, or loading luggage.
Failure to do so could cause the vehicle to
move or roll away unexpectedly and re-
sult in serious personal injury or property
damage.WARNING
• If any of the following conditions occur,
the automatic brake hold function may
not function. Have the system checked
promptly. It is recommended that you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
Failure to operate the vehicle in accor-
dance with these conditions could cause
the vehicle to move or roll away unex-
pectedly and result in serious personal
injury or property damage.
– A warning message appears in the ve-
hicle information display.
– The indicator light on the automatic
brake hold switch does not illuminate
when the switch is pushed.
• The automatic brake hold function will
not be activated if the Slip indicator
light, electronic parking brake warning
light or master warning light illuminate
and the chassis control system fault
message appears in the vehicle informa-
tion display.
• To maintain the braking force to keep
the vehicle to a standstill, a noise may be
heard. This is not a malfunction.
HOW TO ACTIVATE/
DEACTIVATE THE AUTOMATIC
BRAKE HOLD FUNCTION
For additional information on activating and
deactivating the automatic brake hold func-
tion, refer to the instructions outlined in this
section.
How to activate the automatic
brake hold function
1. With the ignition switch in the ON posi- tion, push the automatic brake hold switch
O1. The indicator light on the automatic
brake hold switch
O2illuminates.
LSD2916
5-26Starting and driving
2. When the automatic brake hold functiongoes into standby, the automatic brake
hold indicator light (white) illuminates.
To use the automatic brake hold function, the
following conditions need to be met:
• The driver’s seat belt is fastened.
• The electronic parking brake is released.
• The shift lever is not in the P (Park) position.
• The vehicle is not parked on a steep hill
NOTE:
The automatic brake hold function resets to
OFF every time the ignition switch is
switched from the ON position to the OFF
position.
How to deactivate the automatic
brake hold function
While the automatic brake hold function is
activated, push the automatic brake hold
switch to turn off the automatic brake hold
indicator light and deactivate the automatic
brake hold function. To deactivate the auto-
matic brake hold function while the brake
force has been maintained by the automatic
brake hold function, depress the brake pedal
and push the automatic brake hold switch.
WARNING
Make sure to firmly depress and hold the
brake pedal when turning off the auto-
matic brake hold function while the brake
force is applied. When the automatic brake
hold function is deactivated, the brake
force will be released. This could cause the
vehicle to move or roll away unexpectedly.
Failure to prevent the vehicle from rolling
may result in serious personal injury or
property damage.
HOW TO USE THE AUTOMATIC
BRAKE HOLD FUNCTION
For additional information on using the auto-
matic brake hold function, refer to the in-
structions outlined in this section.
To maintain braking force
automatically
With the automatic brake hold function acti-
vated and the automatic brake hold indicator
light (white) illuminated on the meter, depress
the braking pedal to stop the vehicle. The
automatic brake hold indicator illuminates
green on the meter, the brake force is auto-
matically applied without your foot de-
pressed on the brake pedal. While the brake hold is maintained, the automatic brake hold
indicator light (green) illuminates on the
meter.
To start the vehicle from a standstill
With the shift lever not in the P (Park) or N
(Neutral) position, depress the accelerator
pedal while the brake force is maintained. The
brake force will automatically be released to
restart the vehicle.
The automatic brake hold indicator light
(white) on the meter illuminates and the au-
tomatic brake hold returns to standby.
Parking
When the shift lever is in the P (Park) position
with the brake force maintained by the auto-
matic brake hold function, the parking brake
will automatically be applied and the brake
force of the automatic brake hold will be
released. The automatic brake hold indicator
light turns off. When the parking brake is
applied with the brake force maintained by
the automatic brake hold function, the brake
force of the automatic brake hold will be
released. The automatic brake hold indicator
light turns off.
Starting and driving5-27
NOTE:
• Under the following conditions, the park-ing brake will automatically be applied and
the brake force of the automatic brake
hold will be released:– The braking force is applied by the auto- matic brake hold function for 3 minutes
or longer
– The driver's seat belt is unfastened
– The ignition switch is placed in the OFF position
– If a malfunction occurs in the automatic brake hold function
– When the P (Park) range is selected
– The electronic parking brake is applied by driver’s operation
• When the vehicle stops, but the brake force is not automatically applied, depress
the brake pedal firmly until the automatic
brake hold indicator light (green)
illuminates.
Automatic brake hold function
display
The automatic brake hold function status is
shown by color in the “Chassis Control” mode
in the vehicle information display. For addi-
tional information, see “Vehicle information
display” (P. 2-19).
Also depending on the driving situations,
some warnings or indicators may be dis-
played in the vehicle information display. For
additional information, see “Vehicle informa-
tion display warnings and indicators”
(P. 2-21) Four driving modes can be selected by using
the Drive Mode Selector switch: STAN-
DARD, SPORT, ECO and PERSONAL.
NOTE:
• When the Drive Mode Selector switch se-
lects a mode, the mode may not switch
quickly. This is not a malfunction.
• Select the STANDARD mode center for normal driving.
LSD3922LSD2917
Drive Mode Selector switch
INFINITI DRIVE MODE SELECTOR
5-28Starting and driving
Active Engine Brake:
“Active Engine Brake” can be set to ON (en-
abled) or OFF (disabled). For additional infor-
mation, see “Active Engine Brake” (P. 5-157 ).
Reset Drive Mode Settings to Default:
Select “Reset Drive Mode Settings to De-
fault” and select “OK” to restore all the PER-
SONAL mode settings to default.
ECO MODE
The ECO mode adjusts the engine and trans-
mission to enhance fuel economy.
NOTE:
Selecting this drive mode will not necessarily
improve fuel economy as many driving fac-
tors influence its effectiveness.
Operation
Push the Drive Mode Selector switch to the
ECO position. “ECO” appears in the vehicle
information display and the ECO drive indi-
cator light illuminates on the instrument
panel. ECO mode will also be displayed in the
upper display.When the accelerator pedal is depressed
within the range of economy drive, the ECO
drive indicator light illuminates in green.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed
above the range of economy drive, the ECO
drive indicator light turns off. For ECO pedal
system equipped models, see “ECO pedal
system” (P. 5-30).
The ECO drive indicator light will not illumi-
nate in the following cases:
• When the shift lever is in the R (Reverse)
position.
• When the vehicle speed is below 3 mph (4.8 km/h) or over 90 mph (144 km/h).
• When the Intelligent Cruise Control system (if so equipped) is operated.
ECO pedal system (if so equipped)
The ECO pedal system helps assist the driver
to improve fuel economy by increasing the
reaction force of the accelerator pedal. When
the ECO drive indicator light is blinking or
turns off, the ECO pedal system increases
the reaction force of the accelerator pedal.
ECO drive indicator
light Illuminates or
blinks
Illuminates(green) When the pedal is
depressed within
range of economy drive
Blinks (green) When the pedal is
depressed almostover the range of economy drive
Not illumi- nated When the pedal is
depressed over the range of
economy drive
When the ECO drive indicator light illumi-
nates in green, the accelerator reaction force
is normal. When the ECO drive indicator light
is blinking or turns off, the ECO pedal system
increases the reaction force of the accelera-
tor pedal.
The ECO pedal system may not vary accel-
erator reaction force under the following
conditions:
• When the shift lever is in the N (Neutral) or R (Reverse) position.
• When Intelligent Cruise Control (if so equipped) is being operated.
5-30Starting and driving