tow INFINITI QX 2011 Owner's Manual

Push the TOW MODE switch to activate TOW
MODE. The indicator light on the TOW MODE
switch illuminates when TOW MODE is selected.
Push the TOW MODE switch again to turn TOW
MODE OFF.
TOW MODE is automatically canceled when the
ignition switch is placed in the OFF position.The vehicle should be driven with the Intelligent
Brake Assist (IBA) system on for most driving
conditions.
The Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA) system will
sound a warning chime to alert the driver when
the vehicle is traveling too close to the vehicle
ahead and will apply the brake control if nec-
essary.
To turn off the system, push the IBA OFF switch.
The
indicator will illuminate.The IBA system will remain in the last ON or OFF
state it was left in until it is manually changed
by pushing the IBA OFF switch.
See “INTELLIGENT BRAKE ASSIST (IBA) SYSTEM”
in the “5. Starting and driving” section.
SIC3844
INTELLIGENT BRAKE ASSIST (IBA) OFF
SWITCH (if so equipped)
2-50Instruments and controls

CAUTION
●Be sure to carry the Intelligent Key with you
when operating the vehicle.
● Never leave the Intelligent Key in the vehicle
when you leave the vehicle.
The Intelligent Key is always communicating
with the vehicle as it receives radio waves. The
Intelligent Key system transmits weak radio
waves. Environmental conditions may interfere
with the operation of the Intelligent Key system
under the following operating conditions.
● When operating near a location where strong
radio waves are transmitted, such as a TV
tower, power station and broadcasting sta-
tion.
● When in possession of wireless equipment,
such as a cellular telephone, transceiver,
and CB radio.
● When the Intelligent Key is in contact with or
covered by metallic materials.
● When any type of radio wave remote control
is used nearby.
● When the Intelligent Key is placed near an
electric appliance such as a personal com-
puter. ●
When the vehicle is parked near a parking
meter.
In such cases, correct the operating conditions
before using the Intelligent Key function or use
the mechanical key.
Although the life of the battery varies depend-
ing on the operating conditions, the battery’s
life is approximately 2 years. If the battery is
discharged, replace it with a new one.
Since the Intelligent Key is continuously receiv-
ing radio waves, if the key is left near equip-
ment which transmits strong radio waves, such
as signals from a TV and personal computer, the
battery life may become shorter.
For information regarding replacement of a bat-
tery, see “INTELLIGENT KEY BATTERY REPLACE-
MENT” in the “8. Maintenance and do-it-
yourself” section.
Because the steering wheel is locked electri-
cally, unlocking the steering wheel with the
ignition switch in the LOCK position is impos-
sible when the vehicle battery is completely
discharged. Pay special attention that the ve-
hicle battery is not completely discharged.
As many as 4 Intelligent Keys can be registered
and used with one vehicle. For information
about the purchase and use of additional Intel-
ligent Keys, contact an INFINITI retailer.
CAUTION
● Do not allow the Intelligent Key, which con-
tains electrical components, to come into
contact with water or salt water. This could
affect the system function.
● Do not drop the Intelligent Key.
● Do not strike the Intelligent Key sharply
against another object.
● Do not change or modify the Intelligent Key.
● Wetting may damage the Intelligent Key. If
the Intelligent Key gets wet, immediately
wipe until it is completely dry.
● If the outside temperature is below 14°F
(10°C), the battery of the Intelligent Key
may not function properly.
● Do not place the Intelligent Key for an ex-
tended period in an area where tempera-
tures exceed 140°F (60°C).
● Do not attach the Intelligent Key with a key
holder that contains a magnet.
● Do not place the Intelligent Key near equip-
ment that produces a magnetic field, such as
a TV, audio equipment and personal
computers.
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-7

AUTO CLOSURE
If the lift gate is pulled down to a partly open
position, the lift gate will pull itself to the
closed position.
Do not apply excessive force when the auto clo-
sure is operating. Excessive force applied may
cause the mechanism to malfunction.
CAUTION
●The lift gate will automatically close from a
partly open position. To avoid pinching,
keep hands and fingers away from lift gate
opening.
● Do not let children operate the lift gate.
LIFT GATE RELEASE LEVER
If the lift gate cannot be opened with the door
lock switch due to a discharged battery, follow
these steps.
1. Remove the coverAinside of the lift gate
using a suitable tool.
2. Move the lever
Bas illustrated to open
the lift gate.
Contact an INFINITI retailer as soon as possible
for repair.
OPENING THE FUEL-FILLER DOOR
To open the fuel-filler door, unlock the fuel-filler
door by using one of the following operations,
then push the right side of the door.
● Push the driver’s door handle request switch
with the Intelligent Key carried with you.
● Push the passenger’s door handle request
switch or lift gate request switch twice with
the Intelligent Key carried with you.
● Push the UNLOCK button on the Intelligent
Key.
● Insert the mechanical key into the door lock
cylinder and rotate it towards the rear of the
vehicle.
SPA2778SPA2752
FUEL-FILLER DOOR
Pre-driving checks and adjustments3-23

HOW TO USE TOUCH SCREEN
CAUTION
●The glass screen on the liquid crystal display
may break if it is hit with a hard or sharp
object. If the glass breaks, do not touch the
liquid crystalline material. In case of contact
with skin, wash immediately with soap and
water.
● To clean the display, use a soft, dry cloth. If
additional cleaning is necessary, use a small
amount of neutral detergent with a soft
cloth. Never use a rough cloth, alcohol, ben-
zine, thinner or any kind of solvent or paper
towel with a chemical cleaning agent. They
will scratch or deteriorate the panel.
● Do not splash any liquid such as water or car
fragrance on the display. Contact with liquid
will cause the system to malfunction.
To ensure safe driving, some functions cannot
be operated while driving.
The on-screen functions that are not available
while driving will be “grayed out” or muted.
Park the vehicle in a safe location and then
operate the navigation system.
WARNING
● ALWAYS give your full attention to driving.
● Avoid using vehicle features that could dis-
tract you. If distracted, you could lose con-
trol of your vehicle and cause an accident.
Touch screen operation
With this system, the same operations as those
for the INFINITI controller are possible using the
touch screen operation.
Selecting the item :
Touch an item to select it. To select the “Audio”
settings, touch the “Audio” area
1on the
screen.
Touch the BACK
2button to return to the
previous screen.
SAA2473
4-4Monitor, climate, audio, phone and voice recognition systems

Moving closer to a projecting object
The positionCis shown further than the
position
Bin the display. However, the posi-
tion
Cis actually at the same distance as the
position
A. The vehicle may hit the object when moving toward the position
Aif the
object projects over the actual moving course.
CAMERA AIDING CORNER SONAR
FUNCTION
When the corner of the vehicle moves closer to
the object while the Around View Monitor is
displayed, an indicator is displayed and a tone
is sounded by the corner sonar function to warn
the driver.
The color of the corner sonar indicator and the
pattern of the tone vary according to the dis-
tance to the object.
When the object is detected, the indicator
(green) appears and blinks and the tone sounds
intermittently. When the vehicle moves closer to
the object, the color of the indicator turns
yellow and the rate of the blinking and the
volume of the tone increase. When the corner of
the vehicle is very close to the object, the
indicator stops blinking and turns red, and the
tone sounds continuously.
Keep the corner sonars (located on the front
and rear bumper fascia) free from snow, ice and
large accumulations of dirt. Do not clean the
sonars with sharp objects. If the sonars are
covered, the accuracy of the corner sonar func-
tion will be diminished.
WARNING
● The corner sonar function is not designed to
prevent the object.
● The colors of the corner sonar indicator and
the distance guide lines in the
front/rearview indicate different distances
to the object.
● Inclement weather may affect the function of
the corner sonar system; this may include
reduced performance or a false activation.
● This function is designed as an aid to the
driver in detecting large stationary objects
to help avoid damaging the vehicle. The sys-
tem will not detect small objects below the
bumper, and may not detect objects close to
the bumper or on the ground.
● If your vehicle sustains damage to the bum-
per fascia, leaving it misaligned or bent, the
sensing zone may be altered causing inaccu-
rate measurement of obstacles or false
alarms.
CAUTION
Keep the interior of the vehicle as quiet as pos-
sible to hear the tone clearly.
SAA3046
4-28Monitor, climate, audio, phone and voice recognition systems

Distance Control Assist (DCA) system
(if so equipped).................................. 5-62
Precautions on distance control assist
system ....................................... 5-63
Distance control assist operation ...............5-64
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-75
Precautions on FCW system ....................5-76
Intelligent brake assist (IBA) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-80
Precautions on IBA system .....................5-80
Break-in schedule ................................ 5-83
Increasing fuel economy .......................... 5-83
INFINITI all-mode 4wd (if so equipped)............5-84
INFINITI all-mode 4wd system................. 5-84
4wd shift switch .............................. 5-88
4wd shift indicator ............................ 5-89
4wd warning light ............................. 5-89
Hill start assist system ........................... 5-91
Parking/parking on hills .......................... 5-92
Tow mode ....................................... 5-93Snow mode
...................................... 5-93
Power steering ................................... 5-94
Brake system .................................... 5-94
Braking precautions ........................... 5-94
Parking brake break-in ......................... 5-94
Brake assist ..................................... 5-95
Brake assist .................................. 5-95
Preview function (Intelligent Cruise Control
system equipped models) ......................5-95
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) .................5-97
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .............5-98
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF switch ......5-100
Cold weather driving ............................. 5-101
Freeing a frozen door lock .....................5-101
Antifreeze .................................... 5-101
Battery ....................................... 5-101
Draining

of coolant water ...................... 5-101
Tire equipment ................................ 5-101
Special winter equipment ......................5-101
Driving on snow or ice ......................... 5-101
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ...........5-102

CAUTION
●Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits from
leaded gasoline seriously reduce the three-
way catalyst’s ability to help reduce exhaust
pollutants.
● Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunctions in
the ignition, fuel injection, or electrical sys-
tems can cause overrich fuel flow into the
three-way catalyst, causing it to overheat.
Do not keep driving if the engine misfires, or
if noticeable loss of performance or other
unusual operating conditions are detected.
Have the vehicle inspected promptly by an
INFINITI retailer.
● Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel
level. Running out of fuel could cause the
engine to misfire, damaging the three-way
catalyst.
● Do not race the engine while warming it up.
● Do not push or tow your vehicle to start the
engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM
(TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recommended
by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check all 4 tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres-
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated
tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle’s handling and stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure,
even if under-inflation has not reached the level
to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire
pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The TPMS
malfunction indicator is combined with the low
tire pressure telltale. When the system detects
a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approxi-
mately one minute and then remain continu-
ously illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as
the malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not be
able to detect or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a
variety of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the
vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow
the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Starting and driving5-3

●Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), and tread pattern on all four wheels.
Install tire chains on the rear wheels when
driving on slippery roads and drive carefully.
● Be sure to check the brakes immediately af-
ter driving in mud or water. See “BRAKE SYS-
TEM” later in this section for wet brakes.
● Avoid parking your vehicle on steep hills. If
you get out of the vehicle and it rolls forward,
backward or sideways, you could be injured.
● Whenever you drive off-road through sand,
mud or water as deep as the wheel hub, more
frequent maintenance may be required. See
the maintenance information in the “INFINITI
Service and Maintenance Guide”.
● Spinning the rear wheels on slippery sur-
faces may cause the 4WD warning light to
flash. The 4WD system may also automati-
cally switch from the 4WD mode to the 2WD
mode. This could reduce traction. Be espe-
cially careful when towing a trailer (4WD
models).WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition switch
while driving the vehicle except in an emer-
gency. (The engine will stop when the ignition
switch is pushed 3 consecutive times or the
ignition switch is pushed and held for more
than 2 seconds.) If the engine stops while the
vehicle is being driven, this could lead to a
crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the selector lever to the
P (Park) position.
OPERATING RANGE FOR ENGINE
START FUNCTION
The operating range for starting the engine
inside the vehicle
1is shown in the illustra-
tion.
● If the Intelligent Key is on the instrument
panel, cargo area, inside the glove box or
door pocket, or the corner of interior com-
partment, it may not be possible to start the
engine.
● If the Intelligent Key is near the door or door
glass outside the vehicle, it may be possible
to start the engine.
SSD0436
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-10Starting and driving

When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition switch
position will change as follows:
●Push center once to change to ACC.
● Push center two times to change to ON.
● Push center three times to change to OFF.
(No position illuminates.)
● Push center four times to return to ACC.
● Open or close any door to return to LOCK
during the OFF position.
The ignition switch is equipped with an anti-
theft steering lock device. The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch position cannot be switched to LOCK
until the selector lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed
toward the LOCK position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the selector lever into the P (Park)
position.
2. Push the ignition switch to the OFF posi- tion. The ignition switch position indicator
will not illuminate.
3. Open the door. The ignition switch will change to the LOCK position.
The selector lever can be moved from the P (Park)
position if the ignition switch is in the ON posi-
tion and the brake pedal is depressed.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a right or left turn
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, push the ignition
switch to the OFF position. To unlock the steer-
ing wheel, push the ignition switch. If the steer-
ing lock release malfunction indicator appears
on the dot matrix liquid crystal display, push the
push-button ignition switch again while lightly
turning the steering wheel right and left. (See
“DOT MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY” in the
“2. Instruments and controls” section.) If the battery of the vehicle is discharged, the
push-button ignition switch cannot be turned
from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for operation are
displayed on the dot matrix liquid crystal dis-
play between the speedometer and tachometer.
(See “DOT MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY” in
the “2. Instruments and controls” section.)
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position)
The ignition switch can only be locked in this
position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when it is
pushed to the ACC position while carrying the
Intelligent Key.
ACC (Accessories)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio, when the engine is not
running.
ON (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the ignition system and
electrical accessories.
SSD1021
Starting and driving5-11

5. To stop the engine, shift the selector leverto the P (Park) position and push the
ignition switch to the OFF position.ENGINE PROTECTION MODE
The engine has an engine protection mode to
reduce the chance of damage if the coolant
temperature becomes too high (for example,
when climbing steep grades in high tempera-
ture with heavy loads, such as when towing a
trailer).
When the engine temperature reaches a certain
level:
● The engine coolant temperature gauge will
move toward the H position.
● Engine power may be reduced.
● The air conditioning cooling function may be
automatically turned OFF for a short time
(the blower will continue to operate).
Engine power and, under some conditions, ve-
hicle speed will decrease. Vehicle speed can be
controlled with the accelerator pedal, but the
vehicle may not accelerate at the desired
speed. The transmission will downshift or up-
shift as it reaches prescribed shift points. You
can also shift manually.
As driving conditions change and engine cool-
ant temperature is reduced, vehicle speed can
be increased using the accelerator pedal, and
air conditioning cooling function will automati-
cally be turned back ON. If:1. The engine coolant temperature is not
reduced.
2. The air conditioning cooling function does not turn back ON.
3. The engine oil pressure warning light
illuminates or engine coolant tem-
perature gauge does not return to the
normal range from the H position, this
may indicate a malfunction. Move the
vehicle off the road to a safe area and
allow the engine to cool. If after checking
the oil and coolant, the
remains on
or engine coolant temperature does not
return to the normal range, do not con-
tinue to drive and contact an INFINITI
retailer.
The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)may also come ON. You do not need to have
your vehicle towed, unless it remains on, but
have it inspected soon by an INFINITI retailer.
See “WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS AND AU-
DIBLE REMINDERS” in the “2. Instruments and
controls” section.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
5-14Starting and driving