2021 INFINITI QX50 Owner's Manual

A weight-distributing hitch system (Class IV)
is recommended if you plan to tow trailers
with a maximum weight over 5,000 lbs.
(2,268 kg). Check with the trailer and towing
equipment manufacturers to determine if
they recommend the use of a weight-
distributing hitch system.
NOTE:
A weight-distributing hitch system may af-
fect the operation of trailer surge brakes. If
you are considering use of a weight-
distributing hitch system with a surge
brake-equipped trailer, check with the surge
brake, hitch or trailer manufacturer to de-
termine if and how this can be done.
Follow the instructions provided by the
manufacturer for installing and using the
weight-distributing hitch system.
General set-up instructions are as follows:
1. Park unloaded vehicle on a level surface.With the ignition switch on and the doors
closed, allow the vehicle to stand for sev-
eral minutes so that it can level.
2. Measure the height of a reference point on the front and rear bumpers at the cen-
ter of the vehicle. 3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust
the hitch equalizers so that the front bum-
per height is within0-.5inches (0 – 13
mm) of the reference height measured in
step 2. The rear bumper should be no
higher than the reference height mea-
sured in step 2.
WARNING
Properly adjust the weight distributing
hitch so the rear of the bumper is no higher
than the measured reference height when
the trailer is attached. If the rear bumper is
higher than the measured reference height
when loaded, the vehicle may handle un-
predictably which could cause a loss of ve-
hicle control and cause serious personal in-
jury or property damage.
Sway control device
Sudden maneuvers, wind gusts, and buffet-
ing caused by other vehicles can affect trailer
handling. Sway control devices may be used
to help control these affects. If you choose to
use one, contact a reputable trailer hitch sup-
plier to make sure the sway control device will
work with the vehicle, hitch, trailer and the
trailer's brake system. Follow the instructions
provided by the manufacturer for installing
and using the sway control device.
Class I hitch
Class I trailer hitch equipment (receiver, ball
mount and hitch ball) can be used to tow
trailers of a maximum weight of 2,000 lbs.
(907 kg).
Class II hitch
Class II trailer hitch equipment (receiver, ball
mount and hitch ball) can be used to tow
trailers of a maximum weight of 3,500 lbs.
(1,587 kg).
Tire pressures
• When towing a trailer, inflate the vehicle tires to the recommended
cold tire pressure indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information label.
• Trailer tire condition, size, load rating and proper inflation pressure should
be in accordance with the trailer and
tire manufacturer's specifications.
Safety chains
Always use suitable safety chains between
your vehicle and the trailer. The safety chains
should be crossed and should be attached to
the hitch, not to the vehicle bumper or axle.
Technical and consumer information10-25

The safety chains can be attached to the
bumper if the hitch ball is mounted to the
bumper. Be sure to leave enough slack in the
chains to permit turning corners.
Trailer lights
CAUTION
When splicing into the vehicle electrical
system, a commercially available power-
type module/converter must be used to
provide power for all trailer lighting. This
unit uses the vehicle battery as a direct
power source for all trailer lights while us-
ing the vehicle tail light, stop light and turn
signal circuits as a signal source. The
module/converter must draw no more
than 15 milliamps from the stop and tail
lamp circuits. Using a module/converter
that exceeds these power requirements
may damage the vehicle's electrical sys-
tem. See a reputable trailer retailer to ob-
tain the proper equipment and to have it
installed.
Trailer lights should comply with federal
and/or local regulations. For assistance in
hooking up trailer lights, contact an INFINITI
retailer or reputable trailer retailer. Vehicles
equipped with the optional trailer tow pack-
age are equipped with a 7-pin trailer harness connector. If your trailer is equipped with a
flat 4-pin connector, an adapter will be
needed to connect the trailer lights to the
vehicle. Adapters are available at auto parts
stores and hitch retailers.Trailer brakes
Most states require a separate braking sys-
tem on trailers with a loaded weight above a
specific amount, make sure the trailer meets
the local regulations and the regulations
where you plan to tow.
Several types of braking systems are
available.
Surge Brakes -
The surge brake actuator is
mounted on the trailer tongue with a hydrau-
lic line running to each trailer wheel. Surge
brakes are activated by the trailer pushing
against the hitch ball when the tow vehicle is
braking. Hydraulic surge brakes are common
on rental trailers and some boat trailers. In
this type of system, there is no hydraulic or
electric connection for brake operation be-
tween the tow vehicle and the trailer.
Electric Trailer Brakes - Electric braking sys-
tems are activated by an electronic signal
sent from a trailer brake controller (special
brake-sensing module). Have a professional supplier of towing
equipment make sure the trailer brakes are
properly installed and demonstrate proper
brake function testing.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system di-
rectly to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
• Be certain your vehicle maintains a level position when a loaded and/or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the vehicle if
it has an abnormal nose-up or nose-down
condition; check for improper tongue load,
overload, worn suspension or other pos-
sible causes of either condition.
• 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 grav-
ity 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.
10-26Technical and consumer information

• Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure, ve-hicle tire pressure, trailer light operation,
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 clearance 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
conditions.
• Always secure items in the trailer to preventload shift while driving.
• Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin or lock to prevent the coupler from inadver-
tently becoming unlatched.
• Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
• Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
• Always drive your vehicle at a moderate speed. • 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 possible, 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 selector to the P
(Park) position before blocking the wheels
and applying the parking brake, transmis-
sion damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the down- hill 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. Turn off the engine. To drive away:
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer
are 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 de-
crease overall stability. Therefore, to main-
tain adequate control, reduce your speed
and shift to a lower gear. Avoid long or
repeated use of the brakes when descend-
ing a hill, as this reduces their effectiveness
and could cause overheating. Shifting to a
lower gear instead provides “engine brak-
ing” and reduces the need to brake as
frequently.
• If the engine coolant temperature rises to a high temperature, see “If your vehicle over-
heats” (P. 6-7).
• Trailer towing requires more fuel than nor- mal circumstances.
Technical and consumer information10-27

• Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle's first500 miles (805 km).
• For the first 500 miles (805 km) that you do tow, do not drive over 50 mph (80
km/h).
• Have your vehicle serviced more often than at intervals specified in the recommended
maintenance schedule in “Maintenance and
schedules” (P. 9-2).
• 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 adversely affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly
causing vehicle sway. When being passed
by larger vehicles, be prepared 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 al-
low. 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 in this section.
• Be careful when passing other vehicles. Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember, the length of the trailer
must also pass the other vehicle before you
can safely change lanes.
• 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 tow-
ing a trailer. Anticipate stops and brake
gradually.
• INFINITI recommends that the cruise con- trol not be used while towing a trailer.
• Some states or provinces have specific regulations and speed limits for vehicles
that are towing trailers. Obey the local
speed limits. • Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness
connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts af-
ter 50 miles (80 km) of travel and at every
break.
• When launching a boat, don't allow the water level to go over the exhaust tail pipe
or rear bumper.
• Make sure you disconnect the trailer lights before backing the trailer into the water or
the trailer lights may burn out.
When towing a trailer, final drive gear oil
should be replaced and transmission oil/
fluid should be changed more frequently. For
additional information, see“ Do-it-yourself”
(P. 8-2).
FLAT TOWING FOR ALL–WHEEL
DRIVE VEHICLE (if so equipped)
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is sometimes called flat towing.
This method is sometimes used when towing
a vehicle behind a recreational vehicle, such
as a motor home.
10-28Technical and consumer information

CAUTION
• Failure to follow these guidelines can re-
sult in severe transmission damage.
• Never flat tow your All-wheel drive
(AWD) vehicle.
• DO NOT tow your All-wheel drive
(AWD) vehicle with any wheels on the
ground. Doing so may cause serious and
expensive damage to the powertrain.
• For emergency towing procedures see
“Towing recommended by INFINITI”
(P. 6-8).
FLAT TOWING FOR FRONT
WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE (if so
equipped)
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is sometimes called flat towing.
This method is sometimes used when towing
a vehicle behind a recreational vehicle, such
as a motor home.
CAUTION
• Failure to follow these guidelines can re-
sult in severe transmission damage.
• Whenever flat towing your vehicle, al-
ways tow forward, never backward. •
Never tow your front wheel drive vehicle
with the front tires on the ground. Doing
so may cause serious and expensive dam-
age to the powertrain.
• DO NOT tow your front wheel drive con-
tinuously variable transmission vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground (flat
towing). Doing so WILL DAMAGE inter-
nal transmission parts due to lack of
transmission lubrication.
• For emergency towing procedures see
“Towing recommended by INFINITI”
(P. 6-8).
Continuously Variable Transmission
To tow a vehicle equipped with a continu-
ously variable transmission, an appropriate
vehicle dolly MUSTbe placed under the
towed vehicle's drive wheels. Alwaysfollow
the dolly manufacturer's recommendations
when using their product.
NOTE:
It the battery is completely drained the
transmission will not manually shift to other
positions. DOT (Department of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform
to federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Quality grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The rela-
tive performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service prac-
tices and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Technical and consumer information10-29

Traction AA, A, B and C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of as-
phalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C
The temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance to
the generation of heat, and its ability to dis-
sipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive tempera-
ture can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is es-
tablished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
under-inflation, or excessive loading, ei-
ther separately or in combination, can
cause heat build-up and possible tire
failure. Your INFINITI is covered by the following
emission warranties:
For USA
1. Emission Defects Warranty
2. Emissions Performance Warranty
Details of these warranties may be found
with other vehicle warranties in your War-
ranty Information Booklet which comes with
your INFINITI. If you did not receive a War-
ranty Information Booklet, or it is lost, you
may obtain a replacement by writing to:
• INFINITI Division
Nissan North America, Inc.
Consumer Affairs Department
P.O. Box 685003
Franklin, TN 37068-5003
For Canada
Emission Control System Warranty
Details of these warranties may be found
with other vehicle warranties in your War-
ranty Information Booklet which comes with
your INFINITI. If you did not receive a War-
ranty Information Booklet, or it is lost, you
may obtain a replacement by writing to:
• Nissan Canada Inc. 5290 Orbitor Drive
Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 4Z5
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
WARRANTY
10-30Technical and consumer information

For USA
If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National High-
way Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying
INFINITI.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints,
it may open an investigation, and if it
finds that a safety defect exists in a
group of vehicles, it may order a recall
and remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in in-
dividual problems between you, your
retailer, or INFINITI.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the
Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-
9153); go to http://
www.safercar.gov; or write to: Ad-
ministrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh
Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590.
You can also obtain other informationabout motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov.
You may notify INFINITI by contacting
our Consumer Affairs Department,
toll-free, at 1-800-662-6200.
For Canada
If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform Transport Canada
in addition to notifying INFINITI.
If Transport Canada receives com-
plaints, it may open an investigation,
and if it finds that a safety defect ex-
ists in a group of vehicles, it may re-
quest that INFINITI conduct a recall
campaign. However, Transport
Canada cannot become involved in in-
dividual problems between you, your
retailer, or INFINITI.
You may contact Transport Canada's
Defect Investigations and Recalls Divi-
sion toll free at 1-800-333-0510.
You may also report safety defects
online at: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/
Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/fc-
cp.aspx?lang=eng (English speakers)
or https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-
Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/fc-
cp.aspx?lang=fra (French speakers)
Additional information concerning
motor vehicle safety may be obtained
from Transport Canada's Road Safety
Information Centre at 1-800-333-
0371 or online at www.tc.gc.ca/
roadsafety (English speakers) or
www.tc.gc.ca/securiteroutiere
(French speakers).
To notify INFINITI of any safety con-
cerns please contact our Consumer In-
formation Centre toll free at
1-800-361-4792.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
Technical and consumer information10-31

WARNING
A vehicle equipped with All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) should never be tested using a two
wheel dynamometer (such as the dyna-
mometers used by some states for emis-
sions testing), or similar equipment. Make
sure you inform the test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with AWD
before it is placed on a dynamometer. Us-
ing the wrong test equipment may result in
transmission damage or unexpected ve-
hicle movement which could result in seri-
ous vehicle damage or personal injury.
Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be re-
quired to be in what is called the “ready con-
dition” for an Inspection/Maintenance (I/M)
test of the emission control system.
The vehicle is set to the “ready condition”
when it is driven through certain driving pat-
terns. Usually, the ready condition can be
obtained by ordinary usage of the vehicle. If a powertrain system component is repaired
or the battery is disconnected, the vehicle
may be reset to a “not ready” condition. Be-
fore taking the I/M test, check the vehicle's
inspection/maintenance test readiness con-
dition. Place the ignition switch in the ON
position without starting the engine. If the
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) comes on
steady for 20 seconds and then blinks for 10
seconds , the I/M test condition is “not
ready”. If the MIL does not blink after 20
seconds, the I/M test condition is “ready”. It is
recommended that you visit an INFINITI re-
tailer to set the “ready condition” or to pre-
pare the vehicle for testing.
The ProPILOT Assist is equipped with an
Event Data Recording function.
The main purpose is to record, in certain crash
or near crash-like situations, such as an air
bag deployment or hitting a road obstacle,
data that will assist in understanding how a
vehicle’s systems performed. The Data re-
cording function is designed to record data
related to driver operation, vehicle dynamics
and system status for a short period of time.
The Data recording function in this vehicle is
designed to record such data as:
• Driver operational status of accelerator,
brake, handle etc.
• Detection status of a vehicle ahead and lane markers
• Vehicle information such as vehicle speed
• Information on the operation of the ProPI- LOT Assist
• ProPILOT Assist malfunction diagnosis information
• Images from multi-sensing front camera (Available only when SRS air bag or FEB
with Pedestrian Detection system is
activated)
The ProPILOT Assist does not record con-
versations, sounds or images of the inside of
the vehicle.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST EVENT DATA RECORDERS (EDR)
10-32Technical and consumer information