2021 INFINITI QX80 transmission

10-20Technical and consumer information
STI0541
The GCWR equals the combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including passengers and
cargo) plus the total trailer load. Towing
loads greater than these or using improper
towing equipment could adversely affect
vehicle handling, braking and performance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is
not only related to the maximum trailer
loads, but also the places you plan to tow.
Tow weights appropriate for level highway
driving may have to be reduced on very steep
grades or for low traction situations (for
example, on slippery boat ramps).
Temperature conditions can also affect
towing. For example, towing a heavy trailer
in high outside temperatures on gradedroads can affect engine performance and
cause overheating. The transmission high
fluid temperature and engine protection
mode, which helps reduce the chance of
transmission and engine damage, could
activate and automatically decrease engine
power. Vehicle speed may decrease under
high load. Plan your trip carefully to account
for trailer and vehicle load, weather and road
conditions.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced engine
power and vehicle speed. The reduced
speed may be lower than other traffic,
which could increase the chance of a
collision. Be especially careful when
driving. If the vehicle cannot maintain a
safe driving speed, pull to the side of the
road in a safe area. Allow the engine to
cool and return to normal operation. See
“If your vehicle overheats” (P.6-14).
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from improper
towing procedures is not covered by
INFINITI warranties.
STI0542
Tongue load
When using a weight carrying or a weight
distributing hitch, keep the tongue load
between 10 to 15% of the total trailer load
or use the trailer tongue load specified by the
trailer manufacturer. The tongue load must
be within the maximum tongue load limits
shown in the following “Towing Load/
Specification” chart. If the tongue load
becomes excessive, rearrange cargo to allow
for proper tongue load.

10-28Technical and consumer information
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.

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
Technical and consumer information10-29

10-30Technical and consumer information
— the Forward Emergency Braking(FEB) with pedestrian detection sys-
tem
— the Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW) system
. 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
after 50 miles (80 km) of travel and at
every break.
. When launching a boat, do not 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, the transmission
fluid should be changed more frequently.
For additional information, see “9. Main-
tenance and schedules” section.
TOW mode
Using TOW mode is recommended when
pulling a heavy trailer or hauling a heavy
load. Push the TOW mode switch to activate
TOW mode. The TOW mode indicator light
in the meter illuminates when TOW mode is
selected. Push the TOW mode switch again to turn TOW mode off. TOW mode is
automatically cancelled when the ignition
switch is placed in the OFF position.
TOW mode includes the following features:
.
Grade logic — Adjusts transmission shifts
when pulling a trailer or hauling a load up
a grade.
. Downhill Speed Control (DSC) — auto-
matically downshifts when driving down
a grade with a trailer or heavy load to
help control vehicle speed.
Driving the vehicle in the TOW mode with no
trailer/load or light trailer/light load will not
cause any damage. However, fuel economy
may be reduced and the transmission/
engine driving characteristics may feel unu-
sual.
When towing a trailer, the transmission
fluid should be changed more frequently.
For additional information, see “9. Main-
tenance and schedules” section.
Trailer Sway Control
To minimize trailer sway, your vehicle may
apply braking to individual wheels based on
input from your vehicle sensors and vehicle
speed. Trailer Sway Control is a function of
the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system
and is active when the VDC function is
enabled.
CAUTION
If the VDC OFF switch is on (meaning
VDC system OFF), the Trailer Sway
Control is also disabled.
When Trailer Sway Control is in operation,
the VDC warning light blinks. When vehicle
control is regained, VDC warning light will
turn OFF.
For additional information about the VDC
system, see “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
system” (P.5-125).
If Trailer Sway Control activates:
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.
CAUTION
Do not try to 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 isbalanced.
NOTE:
Trailer Sway Control cannot reduce trailer
sway in all situations.
FLAT TOWING
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
result in severe transmission damage.
. Whenever flat towing your vehicle,
always tow forward, never back-
ward.
. DO NOT tow any automatic trans-
mission vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground (flat towing). Doing so
WILL DAMAGE internal transmis-
sion parts due to lack of transmission
lubrication.
. DO NOT tow a Four-Wheel Drive
(4WD) vehicle with any of the wheels
on the ground. Doing so may cause
serious and expensive damage to the powertrain.
. For emergency towing procedures
refer to “Towing recommended by
INFINITI” (P.6-16).
Automatic Transmission
Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) models:
Do not tow a 4WD vehicle with any of the
wheels on the ground.
Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models:
To tow a vehicle equipped with an automatic
transmission, an appropriate vehicle dolly
MUST be placed under the towed vehicle’s
drive wheels. Alwaysfollow the dolly man-
ufacturer’s recommendations when using
their product. DOT (Department Of Transportation) Qual-
ity Grades: All passenger car tires must
conform to federal safety requirements in
addition to these grades.
Quality grades can be found where applic-
able 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
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road character-
istics and climate.
Technical and consumer information10-31
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING

10-34Technical and consumer information
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
concerns please contact our Consu-
mer Information Centre toll free at 1-
800-361-4792.
WARNING
A vehicle equipped with Four-Wheel
Drive (4WD) should never be tested
using a two wheel dynamometer (such
as the dynamometers used by some
states for emissions testing), or similar
equipment. Make sure you inform test
facility personnel that your vehicle is
equipped with 4WD before it is placed
on a dynamometer. Using the wrong test
equipment may result in transmission
damage or unexpected vehicle move-
ment which could result in serious vehicle
damage or personal injury.
Due to legal requirements in some states and
Canadian Provinces, your vehicle may be
required to be in what is called the “ready
condition” 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
patterns. Usually, the “ready condition” can
be obtained by ordinary usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is re-
paired or the battery is disconnected, the
vehicle may be reset to a “not ready condi-
tion”. Before taking the I/M test, check the
vehicle’s inspection/maintenance test readi- ness condition. 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 you visit an INFINITI
retailer to set “ready condition” or to prepare
the vehicle for testing.
READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST

11 Index
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ................... 5-124
Adaptive front lighting system (AFS) ............ 2-45
Advanced air bag system .................................. 1-58
Aiming controlAdaptive front lighting system (AFS) ...... 2-45
Headlights ....................................................... 2-44
Air bag system
Advanced air bag system ............................ 1-58
Front passenger air bag and
status light ....................................................... 1-60
Front-seat mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag system ..................... 1-65
Roof-mounted curtain side-impact and
rollover supplemental air bag system ...... 1-65
Air bag warning labels ....................................... 1-68
Air bag warning light .............................. 1-69, 2-14
Air cleaner housing filter ................................... 8-14
Air conditioner Air conditioner service ................................. 4-37
Air conditioner specification label ......... 10-13
Air conditioning system refrigerant
and oil recommendations ................ 4-37, 10-7
Automatic air conditioner ........................... 4-29
Automatic climate control ......................... 4-28
DUAL mode setting ...................................... 4-32
In-cabin microfilter ........................................ 4-36
Alarm, How to stop alarm (see vehicle
security system) ................................................... 2-35 Alcohol, drugs and driving ................................ 5-10
Antenna .................................................................. 4-37
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ................... 5-124
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
warning light ......................................................... 2-15
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 .................................................. 2-40
Automatic
Automatic air conditioner ........................... 4-29
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) ......... 8-8
Climate control .............................................. 4-28
Door locks .......................................................... 3-6
Drive positioner ............................................. 3-40
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-18
Seat positioner .............................................. 3-40
Average speed ...................................................... 2-31
Avoiding collision and rollover ........................... 5-8
B
Back door (See liftgate) ..................................... 3-22
Back-up Collision Intervention
(BCI) system .......................................................... 5-53 Battery .................................................................... 8-11
Battery saver system ........................ 2-44, 2-72
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 .......... 5-41
Blind Spot Warning (BSW) system ................ 5-31
Booster seats ........................................................ 1-48
Brake
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ............ 5-124
Brake booster ................................................. 8-17
Brake fluid ......................................................... 8-9
Brake system ................................................ 5-123
Parking brake operation .............................. 5-22
Warning light .................................................. 2-12
Break-in schedule .............................................. 5-111
Brightness control Instrument panel ............................................ 2-46
Bulb check/instrument panel ........................... 2-12
Bulb replacement ................................................. 8-23
C
Cabin air filter ....................................................... 4-36
Camera aiding sonar function ......................... 4-17
Capacities and
recommended fluids/lubricants ....................... 10-2
Car phone or CB radio ....................................... 4-38
Cargo floor box .................................................... 2-66

11-2
Cargo light ............................................................. 2-75
Catalytic converter, Three way catalyst ......... 5-4
Center ventilators ................................................ 4-27
Child restraints ...................................................... 1-31Booster seats .................................................. 1-48
LATCH system ............................................... 1-33
Precautions on child restraints .................. 1-31
Top tether strap ............................................. 1-36
Child safety ........................................................... 1-29
Child safety rear door lock .................................. 3-6
Chimes Audible reminders .......................................... 2-19
Seat belt warning light and chime ............ 2-14
Circuit breaker, Fusible link .............................. 8-19
Cleaning exterior and interior .................... 7-2, 7-5
Climate control Automatic air conditioner ........................... 4-29
Automatic climate control ......................... 4-28
Clock ........................................................................\
2-33
Coat hooks ............................................................ 2-65
Cockpit ...................................................................... 2-3
Cold weather driving ........................................ 5-128
Console box ........................................................... 2-63
Console light ......................................................... 2-73
Coolant
Capacities and
recommended fluids/lubricants ................. 10-2
Changing engine coolant ............................... 8-5
Checking engine coolant level ...................... 8-5
Corrosion protection ............................................. 7-8 Cruise control ....................................................... 5-62
Fixed speed cruise control (on
ICC system) .................................................... 5-80
Intelligent cruise control (ICC) system .... 5-64
Cruise indicator .................................................... 2-26
Cup holders ........................................................... 2-60
Current fuel consumption ................................. 2-31
D
Daytime running light system .......................... 2-45
Dimensions ......................................................... 10-10
Distance Control Assist (DCA) system .......... 5-84
Drive belts .............................................................. 8-13
Drive positioner ................................................... 3-40
Driving Cold weather driving ................................. 5-128
Driving with automatic transmission ....... 5-18
On-pavement and off-road driving ........... 5-8
Precautions when starting and driving ..... 5-4
Safety precautions ........................................ 5-10
E
E-Call (SOS) Button ........................................... 2-59
Economy, Fuel .................................................... 5-113
Elapsed time ......................................................... 2-31
Elapsed time and trip odometer ..................... 2-31
Emission control information label ............... 10-12
Emission control system warranty .............. 10-32
EngineBefore starting the engine .......................... 5-15 Break-in schedule ........................................ 5-111
Capacities and
recommended fluids/lubricants ................. 10-2
Changing engine coolant ............................... 8-5
Changing engine oil and filter ...................... 8-6
Checking engine coolant level ...................... 8-5
Checking engine oil level ............................... 8-6
Coolant temperature gauge ......................... 2-8
Emergency engine shut off ......................... 5-14
Engine block heater .................................... 5-129
Engine compartment check locations ........ 8-3
Engine cooling system ................................... 8-4
Engine oil ........................................................... 8-6
Engine oil and oil
filter recommendation .................................. 10-6
Engine oil viscosity ........................................ 10-7
Engine serial number ................................. 10-12
Engine specifications ................................... 10-8
Engine start operation indicator ............... 2-24
If your vehicle overheats ............................. 6-14
Oil pressure gauge .......................................... 2-9
Protection mode ............................................ 5-17
Starting the engine ....................................... 5-15
Entry/exit function, Automatic
drive positioner ................................................... 3-40
Event Data Recorders (EDR) ........................ 10-35
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) ........................ 5-4
Explanation of scheduled
maintenance items ................................................. 9-5
Extended storage switch .................................. 8-20