2023 INFINITI QX50 manual transmission

CAUTION
• Use the P (Park), R (Reverse) or D (Drive)
position only when the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
• When switching to the desired shift po-
sition by operating the shift lever, check
that the shift lever returns to the home
position by releasing your hand from the
lever. Holding the shift lever in a mid-
way position may also damage the shift
control system.
• Do not operate the shift lever while the
accelerator pedal is depressed. This may
cause a sudden start which could result in
an accident.
• The following operations are not allowed
because excessive force would be ap-
plied to the transmission and this may
result in damage to the vehicle:
– Moving the shift lever to the R (Re- verse) position when driving forward
– Moving the shift lever to the D (Drive) position when reversing
If the vehicle is moving over 8 km/h (5mph)
when shifting to D (Drive) from R (Re-
verse), the N (Neutral) position will auto-
matically be selected. A buzzer will sound,
noting that D (Drive) was not selected. When selecting D (Drive) while reversing
below 8 km/h (5 mph) the range will
change normally.
If these operations are attempted, a chime
sounds and the vehicle shifts to the N (Neu-
tral) position.
P (Park)
CAUTION
• To prevent transmission damage, use the
P (Park) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
• Do not slide the shift lever while pressing
the park button. This may damage the
shift control system.
Use the P (Park) position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped before
pressing the park button to engage the P
(Park) position. For maximum safety, the
brake pedal must be depressed before en-
gaging the P (Park) position. Use this position
together with the electronic parking brake.
When parking on a hill, first depress the brake
pedal, apply the electronic parking brake and
then engage the P (Park) position. The park-
ing lock should not be used as a brake when parking. In order to secure the vehicle, always
apply the electronic parking brake in addition
to the parking lock.
In the event of a malfunction of the vehicle’s
electronics, the transmission may lock in the
P (Park) position. Have the vehicle’s electron-
ics checked immediately. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
The P (Park) position is automatically en-
gaged if:
• You place the ignition switch in the OFF
position
• You unfasten the driver’s seat belt and open the driver side door when the vehicle
is stationary or driving at very low speed
and the transmission is in the D (Drive)
position, the N (Neutral) position, the R
(Reverse) position, or the M (Manual)
position.
CAUTION
To avoid CVT malfunction, you must
manually place the shift position in the P
(Park) position under the above conditions.
5-20Starting and driving

To activate the Neutral hold mode, perform
the following operations:
1. Push the ignition switch to start theengine.
2. Release the electronic parking brake.
3. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
4. Press the P (Park) button.
5. Slide the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position, and hold it for 0.5 second until
“N” appears in the vehicle information
display.
6. Slide the shift lever to the N (Neutral) position again, and hold it for 0.5 seconds,
until a message “Neutral Hold Mode has
been activated” appears in the vehicle in-
formation display. For additional informa-
tion, see “Neutral Hold Mode activated
indicator” (P. 2-26).
7. The ignition switch has to be kept in the ON position. Otherwise Neutral hold
mode is canceled and the P (Park) position
is engaged automatically.
To exit the Neutral hold mode, place the shift
lever in any position other than the N (Neu-
tral) position.NOTE:
• It is necessary to perform the steps 4
through 6 within approximately 5 seconds
to prevent incorrect operation.
• When the shifter is changed to the N (Neu-
tral) position, approximately 5 seconds
later, a message will appear in the vehicle
information display. For additional infor-
mation, see “Neutral Hold Mode guidance
indicator” (P. 2-27).
• If the Neutral hold mode is unavailable, a
message will appear in the vehicle infor-
mation display. For additional informa-
tion, see “Neutral Hold Mode was not ac-
tivated indicator” (P. 2-27). To activate
the Neutral hold mode, wait for a while
without shifting operation and then per-
form the operations again.
Manual shift mode
When the shift lever is shifted to the D (Drive)
position again with the vehicle in the D (Drive)
position while driving, the transmission en-
ters the manual shift mode. Shift ranges can
be selected manually by pulling the paddle
shifters on the steering wheel.
When shifting up, pull the right-side paddle
shifter (+)
OA. The transmission shifts to the
higher range.
When shifting down, pull the left-side paddle
shifter (−)
OB. The transmission shifts to the
lower range.
LSD2914
5-22Starting and driving

When canceling the manual shift mode, move
the shift lever to the D (Drive) position again.
The transmission returns to the normal driv-
ing mode.
When you pull the paddle shifter while in the
D (Drive) position, the transmission will shift
to the upper or lower range temporarily. The
transmission will automatically return to the
D (Drive) position after a short period of time.
If you want to return to the D (Drive) position
manually, pull and hold the paddle shifter for
about 1.5 seconds.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is
displayed in the vehicle information display.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as
follows:
1M⇔2M⇔3M ⇔4M ⇔5M ⇔6M ⇔7M ⇔
8M
8 (8th)
Use this position for all normal forward driv-
ing at highway speeds.
7 (7th), 6 (6th) and 5 (5th)
Use this position when driving up long slopes,
or for engine braking when driving down long
slopes.
4 (4th), 3 (3rd) and 2 (2nd)
Use these positions for hill climbing or engine
braking on downhill grades.
1 (1st)
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
or for maximum engine braking on steep
downhill grades.
• Remember not to drive at high speeds for extended periods of time in lower than the
8th range. This reduces fuel economy.
• Pulling the same paddle shifter twice will shift the ranges in succession. However, if
this motion is rapidly done, the second
shifting may not be completed properly.
• In the manual shift mode, the transmission
may not shift to the selected gear. This
helps maintain driving performance and
reduces the chance of vehicle damage or
loss of control.
• In the manual shift mode, the transmission
may shift up automatically to a higher
range than selected if the engine speed is
too high. When the vehicle speed de-
creases, the transmission automatically
shifts down and shifts to 1st gear before
the vehicle comes to a stop.
Accelerator downshift
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the ac-
celerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, de-
pending on the vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tempera-
ture protection mode. If the fluid temperature
becomes too high (for example, when climb-
ing steep grades in high temperatures with
heavy loads, such as when towing a trailer),
engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will be decreased automatically
to reduce the chance of transmission dam-
age. Vehicle speed can be controlled with the
accelerator pedal, but the engine and vehicle
speed may be limited.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
Continuously Variable Transmission will not
be shifted into the selected driving position.
Starting and driving5-23

PERSONAL MODE
PERSONAL mode is used for adjusting the
steering mode and drive modes. Turn the
PERSONAL mode off for normal driving.
Push the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector
switch until “PERSONAL” appears in the ve-
hicle information display. PERSONAL mode
will also be displayed in the upper display. For
additional information, refer to the INFINITI
InTouch® Owner’s Manual.
How to set the PERSONAL mode
Perform the following steps to set the PER-
SONAL mode:
1. Press the MENU button
O1and select
“INFINITI Drive Mode Selector” on the
lower display.
2. Select “Engine/Transmission,” “Steering,” “Active Trace Control” or “Active Engine
Brake” and select each item. (See “Engine/
Transmission,” “Steering,” “Active Trace
Control” or “Active Engine Brake” about
the feature of each item.) 3. Select “Back” or press the MENU button
to finish the PERSONAL mode setting.
Engine/Transmission:
“Engine/Transmission” can be set to “Stan-
dard,” “Sport” or “Eco.”
Steering (models with Direct Adaptive
Steering®):
Multiple combinations of steering mode and
steering response can be set.
Mode Response
Sport Dynamic+
Dynamic
Default
Standard Default
Steering (models without Direct Adaptive
Steering®):
“Steering” can be set to “Sport” or “Standard.”
Active Trace Control:
“Active Trace Control” can be set to ON
(enabled) or OFF (disabled). For additional
information, see “Active Trace Control”
(P. 5-144).
LSD2982
5-30Starting and driving

All-Wheel Drive (AWD) models with
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT)
INFINITI recommends that towing dollies be
used when towing your vehicle or place the
vehicle on a flatbed truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
Never tow AWD models equipped with a
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
with any of the wheels on the ground as
this may cause serious and expensive dam-
age to the transfer case and transmission.
NOTE:
If the battery is completely drained the
transmission will not manually shift to other
positions.
LCE2370
In case of emergency6-9

Two-Wheel Drive models with
Continuously Variable Transmission
(CVT)
INFINITI recommends that your vehicle be
towed with the driving (front) wheels off the
ground or place the vehicle on a flatbed truck
as illustrated.
NOTE:
If the electronic parking brake is released,
the rear wheels can be grounded while tow-
ing. If the electronic parking brake is not
released, towing dollies should be used.
For additional information, see “Electronic
parking brake” (P. 5-24).
CAUTION
• Never tow Continuously Variable Trans-
mission (CVT) models with the front
wheels on the ground or four wheels on
the ground (forward or backward), as
this may cause serious and expensive
damage to the transmission. If it is nec-
essary to tow the vehicle with the rear
wheels raised always use towing dollies
under the front wheels.
•
When towing Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT) models with the rear
wheels on the ground or on towing dollies:
– Place the ignition switch in the OFF
position, and secure the steering
wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a rope or similar device. Never
secure the steering wheel by placing
the ignition switch in the LOCK posi-
tion. This may damage the steering
lock mechanism (for models with a
steering lock mechanism).
NOTE:
If the battery is completely drained the
transmission will not manually shift to other
positions.
LCE2371
6-10In case of emergency

When performing any inspection or mainte-
nance work on your vehicle, always take care
to prevent serious accidental injury to your-
self or damage to the vehicle. The following
are general precautions which should be
closely observed.
WARNING
• Park the vehicle on a level surface, apply
the parking brake securely and block the
wheels to prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing. Push the park button to engage the
P (Park) position.
• Be sure the ignition switch is in the OFF
or LOCK position when performing any
parts replacement or repairs.
• If you must work with the engine run-
ning, keep your hands, clothing, hair and
tools away from moving fans, belts and
any other moving parts.
• It is advisable to secure or remove any
loose clothing and remove any jewelry,
such as rings, watches, etc. before work-
ing on your vehicle.
• Always wear eye protection whenever
you work on your vehicle. •
Your vehicle is equipped with an auto-
matic engine cooling fan. It may come on
at any time without warning, even if the
ignition switch is in the OFF position and
the engine is not running. To avoid injury,
always disconnect the negative battery
cable before working near the fan.
• If you must run the engine in an enclosed
space such as a garage, be sure there is
proper ventilation for exhaust gases to
escape.
• Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is necessary
to work under the vehicle, support it
with safety stands.
• Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from the fuel tank and
battery.
• Because the fuel lines on gasoline engine
models are under high pressure even
when the engine is off, it is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for ser-
vice of the fuel filter or fuel lines.
CAUTION
• Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down.
• Avoid contact with used engine oil and
coolant. Improperly disposed engine oil,
engine coolant and/or other vehicle flu-
ids can damage the environment. Always
conform to local regulations for disposal
of vehicle fluid.
• Never leave the engine or Continuously
Variable Transmission (CVT) related
component harnesses disconnected
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
• Never connect or disconnect the battery
or any transistorized component while
the ignition switch is in the ON position.
NOTE:
If the battery is completely drained the
transmission will not manually shift to other
positions.
This “Do-it-yourself” section gives instruc-
tions regarding only those items which are
relatively easy for an owner to perform.
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS
8-2Do-it-yourself

10. Start the engine and check for leakagearound the drain plug and the oil filter.
Correct as required. Turn the engine off
and wait more than 15 minutes. Check
the oil level with the dipstick. Add engine
oil if necessary.
After the operation
1. Reinstall engine protectors in reverse or-der of removal.
2. Lower the vehicle carefully to the ground.
3. Reset the oil control system. For addi- tional information, see “Oil control sys-
tem” (P. 2-24)
• Dispose of waste oil and filter properly.
• Check your local regulations.
CAUTION
• INFINITI recommends using Genuine
NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 (or equivalent)
ONLY in INFINITI CVTs. Do not mix with
other fluids.
• Do not use Automatic Transmission
Fluid (ATF) or manual transmission fluid
in an INFINITI CVT, as it may damage the
CVT. Damage caused by the use of fluids
other than as recommended is not cov-
ered under INFINITI's New Vehicle Lim-
ited Warranty outlined in your Warranty
Information Booklet.
• Using fluids that are not equivalent to
Genuine NISSAN CVT Fluid NS-3 may
also damage the CVT. Damage caused by
the use of fluids other than as recom-
mended is not covered under INFINITI's
New Vehicle Limited Warranty outlined
in your Warranty Information Booklet.
When checking or replacement of CVT fluid is
required, it is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
WARNING
• Use only new fluid from a sealed con-
tainer. Old, inferior or contaminated
fluid may damage the brake system. The
use of improper fluids can damage the
brake system and affect the vehicle's
stopping ability.
• Clean the filler cap before removing.
• Brake fluid is poisonous and should be
stored carefully in marked containers
out of reach of children.
LDI3161
CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT) FLUID BRAKE FLUID
8-10Do-it-yourself