CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shift mode). Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
• Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
• Never shift to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D (Drive)
position while the vehicle is reversing.
This could cause an accident or damage
the transmission.
• Except in an emergency, do not shift to
the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
CAUTION
• To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this
purpose.
• Do not hang items on the shift lever. This
may cause an accident due to a sudden
start.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for
this transmission are shown on the following
pages. Follow these procedures for maxi-
mum vehicle performance and driving
enjoyment.
Engine power may be automatically reduced
to protect the CVT if the engine speed in-
creases quickly when driving on slippery
roads or while being tested on some
dynamometers.Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before shifting the shift
position out of the P (Park) position.
This Continuously Variable Transmission
is designed so that the foot brake pedal
must be depressed before shifting from P
(Park) to any driving position while the
ignition switch is in the ON position.
The shift position cannot be shifted out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other positions if the ignition switch is
placed in the OFF position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift lever to a driving position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal and then gradually start the vehicle
in motion.
WARNING
• Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shift mode). Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-18Starting and driving
•Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward or
reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
• Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of control.
• Never shift to either the P (Park) or R
(Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D (Drive)
position while the vehicle is reversing.
This could cause an accident or damage
the transmission.
CAUTION
• To avoid possible damage to your ve-
hicle, when stopping the vehicle on an
uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by
depressing the accelerator pedal. The
foot brake should be used for this
purpose.
• Except in an emergency, do not shift to
the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
• Do not hang items on the shift lever. This
may cause an accident due to a sudden
start.
Shifting
Press the shift lever button to shift
Shift without pressing the shift lever
button
After starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal, press the shift lever button and
shift the shift position from the P (Park) po-
sition to any of the desired shift positions.
Confirm that the vehicle is in the desired shift position by checking the shift indicator lo-
cated near the shift lever or the vehicle infor-
mation display.
WARNING
Apply the electronic parking brake if the
shift lever is in any position while the en-
gine is not running. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly or
roll away and result in serious personal in-
jury or property damage.
CAUTION
• Use the P (Park), R (Reverse) or D (Drive)
position only when the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped.
• After switching to the desired shift posi-
tion, release your hand from shift lever to
let it return to the home position.
• 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:LSD4196
Starting and driving5-19
Neutral hold mode function (if so
equipped)
This function enables you to get out of the
vehicle when it is in the N (Neutral) position,
while the engine is running. While this func-
tion is activated, the vehicle can be moved by
pushing with hand (when car washing). When
using this function, release the electronic
parking brake.
WARNING
• Use this function on a level surface only.
Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to
move accidentally and could result in a
collision or serious personal injury.
• Do not use this function for a purpose
other than car washing.
• Do not turn the engine off after neutral
hold mode function is activated, other-
wise the N (Neutral) position will not be
kept and the vehicle will automatically
be placed in the P (Park) position.
• If this function is not activated regard-
less of proper operation, transmission
may malfunction. It is recommended that
you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service. To activate the Neutral hold mode, perform
the following operations:
1. Push the ignition switch to start the
engine.
2. Release the electronic parking brake.
3. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
4. Push 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”
(P. 2-27).
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”
(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” (P. 2-27). To activate the Neutral
hold mode, wait for a while without shift-
ing operation and then perform the opera-
tions again.
Starting and driving5-21
in the ON position. The vehicle should return
to its normal operating condition. If it does
not return to its normal operating condition,
have the transmission checked and repaired,
if necessary. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs, ve-
hicle speed may be gradually reduced. The
reduced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance of
a collision. Be especially careful when driv-
ing. If necessary, pull to the side of the road
at a safe place and allow the transmission
to return to normal operation, or have it
repaired if necessary.
WARNING
• Be sure the parking brake is fully re-
leased before driving. Failure to do so
can cause brake failure and lead to an
accident.
• Do not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
• Do not use the shift lever in place of the
parking brake. When parking, be sure the
parking brake is fully engaged. •
To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the ve-
hicle and/or its systems, do not leave
children, people who require the assis-
tance of others or pets unattended in
your vehicle. Additionally, the tempera-
ture inside a closed vehicle on a warm day
can quickly become high enough to cause
a significant risk of injury or death to
people and pets.
The electronic parking brake can be applied
or released automatically or by operating the
parking brake switch.
AUTOMATIC OPERATION
The electronic parking brake will apply auto-
matically if the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position when the brake force is main-
tained by the automatic brake hold function.
The electronic parking brake is automatically
released as soon as the vehicle starts and the
accelerator pedal is depressed.
The driver’s seat belt needs to be fastened.
LSD2915
ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE
5-24Starting 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 (red) is illu-
minated to confirm that the electronic
parking brake is applied. The electronic
parking brake indicator light (red) 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 position 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 position is shifted to the P (Park) position when the brake force is
maintained by the automatic brake hold
function, the electronic parking brake will
apply 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 brake force is applied by the auto- matic brake hold function for 3 minutes
or longer.
– The vehicle is in the P (Park) position.
– The electronic parking brake is applied manually.
– The driver’s seat belt is unfastened. – The ignition switch is placed in the OFF
position.
– 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).
Starting and driving5-25
• 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 op-
erate in order to prevent the parking brake
system from overheating. If this occurs, op-
erate 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 ap-
plied and a chime sounds. The electronic park-
ing brake indicator light (red) in the meter and
in the parking brake switch illuminates. This
does not indicate a malfunction. The elec-
tronic 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. 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.
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 vehicle is not in the P (Park) position.
• The vehicle is not parked on a steep hill.
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 warning may
appear to request that the driver retake
control by depressing the brake pedal. •
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.
• Be sure to deactivate the automatic
brake hold function when using a car
wash or towing your vehicle.
• Make sure to place the shift position in
the P (Park) position and apply the park-
ing brake when parking your vehicle, en-
tering or exiting the vehicle, or loading
luggage. Failure to do so could cause the
vehicle to move or roll away unexpect-
edly and result in serious personal injury
or property damage.
AUTOMATIC BRAKE HOLD
5-26Starting and driving
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.
– 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. 2. When the automatic brake hold function
goes 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 vehicle is not in the P (Park) position.
• The vehicle is not parked on a steep hill.
NOTE:
The automatic brake hold function retains
the last state even if the engine is restarted.
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.
LSD2916
Starting and driving5-27
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, and the brake force is
automatically 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 vehicle 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) illuminates and the automatic brake
hold returns to standby.
Parking
When the vehicle 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.
NOTE:
• 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 au-
tomatic brake hold indicator light turns
off.– The brake force is applied by the auto- matic brake hold function for 3 minutes
or longer.
– The vehicle is in the P (Park) position.
– The electronic parking brake is applied manually.
– The driver's seat belt is unfastened.
– The ignition switch is placed in the OFF position.
– A malfunction occurs in the automatic brake hold function.
• 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.
5-28Starting and driving