INFINITI G35 2003 Owners Manual

O Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
O Maintenance items should be checked pe-
riodically, e.g., each time you check engine
oil.
O Check that all windows and lights are clean.
O Visually inspect tires for their appearance
and condition. Also, check tires for proper
inflation.
O Lock all doors.
O Position seat and adjust head restraints.
O Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
O Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to
do likewise.
O Check the operation of warning lights when
key is turned to the ON (3) position. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Automatic transmission:
Move the selector lever to P (Park) or N
(Neutral). (P preferred.)
The starter is designed not to operate if the
selector lever is in one of the driving posi-
tions.
Manual transmission:
Move the shift lever to N (Neutral) position,
and depress the clutch pedal to the floor
while cranking the engine.
The starter is designed not to operate un-
less the clutch pedal is fully depressed.
3. Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by turning the ignition
key to START. Release the key when the
engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails
to run, repeat the above procedure.
O If the engine is very hard to start in ex-
tremely cold weather or when restarting,
depress the accelerator pedal a little (ap-
proximately 1/5 to the floor) and hold it then
crank the engine. Release the key and the
accelerator pedal when the engine starts.
O If the engine is very hard to start because it
is flooded, depress the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and hold it. Crank the
engine for 5 to 6 seconds. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator pedal.
Crank the engine with your foot off the
accelerator pedal by turning the ignition
key to START. Release the key when the
engine starts. If the engine starts, but fails
to run, repeat the above procedure.
CAUTION Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does
not start, turn the key off and wait 10
seconds before cranking again, other-
wise the starter could be damaged.
4. Warm-up
Allow the engine to idle for at least 30
seconds after starting. Drive at moderate
speed for a short distance first, especially in
cold weather.BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
5 speed automatic transmission The automatic transmission in your vehicle is
electronically controlled by a transmission con-
trol module to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
Shown on the following pages are the recom-
mended operating procedures for this trans-
mission. Follow these procedures for maxi-
mum vehicle performance and driving
enjoyment.
Starting the vehicle After starting the engine, fully depress the foot
brake pedal and push the selector lever button
before shifting the selector lever to the R
(Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive) or Manual
shift mode position. Be sure the vehicle is fully
stopped before attempting to shift the selector
lever.
This automatic transmission model is de-
signed so that the foot brake pedal must be
depressed before shifting from P (Park) to
any drive position while the ignition switch
is ON.
The selector lever cannot be moved out of
P (Park) position and into any of the other
gear positions if the ignition key is turned to the LOCK, OFF or ACC position or if the
key is removed from the switch.
1. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and
push the selector lever button to shift into a
driving gear.
2. Release the parking brake and foot brake,
then gradually start the vehicle in motion.
WARNING O Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or
manual shift mode. Always depress
the brake pedal until shifting is com-
pleted. Failure to do so could cause
you to lose control and have an acci-
dent.
O Cold engine idle speed is high, so use
caution when shifting into a forward
or reverse gear before the engine has
warmed up.
O On slippery roads, do not downshift.
This may cause a loss of control.
O Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse) while vehicle is moving forward.
Never shift to P (Park) or D (Drive)
while vehicle is moving rearward.
These could cause an accident.
CAUTION When stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by de-
pressing the accelerator pedal. The foot
brakes should be used for this purpose.DRIVING THE VEHICLE
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To move the selector lever,
: Push the button while depressing the
brake pedal,
: Push the button,
: Just move the selector lever.
Shifting After starting the engine, fully depress the
brake pedal and shift the selector lever from P
(Park) to R (Reverse), N (Neutral), D (Drive),
or Manual shift mode position.
Push the button to shift into P (Park) or R
(Reverse). All other positions can be selected
without pushing the button. WARNING Apply the parking brake if the selector
lever is in any position while the engine
is not running. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly
or roll away and result in serious per-
sonal injury and/or property damage.
If the key is turned to OFF or ACC for any
reason while the vehicle is in R (Reverse), N
(Neutral), or any D (Drive) position, the key
cannot be turned to LOCK and be removed
from the ignition switch. Move the selector
lever to P (Park) position, then the key can be
turned to LOCK.
P (Park):
Use this selector position when the vehicle is
parked or when starting the engine. Make sure
the vehicle is completely stopped. The brake
pedal must be depressed and the selector
lever button pushed in to move the selector
lever from N (Neutral) or any drive position
to P (Park). Apply the parking brake. When
parking on a hill, apply the parking brake first,
then move the lever to the P (Park) position. CAUTION Use this position only when the vehicle
is completely stopped.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Always be sure
the vehicle is completely stopped before se-
lecting R (Reverse). The brake pedal must
be depressed and the selector lever button
pushed in to move the selector lever from P
(Park), N (Neutral) or any drive position to R
(Reverse).
N (Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You
may shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled
engine while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
Manual shift mode (Sedan) When the selector lever is shifted from D to the
manual shift gate with the vehicle stopped or
while driving, the transmission enters theSSD0240
Starting and driving
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manual shift mode. Shift range can be se-
lected manually.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is
displayed on the position indicator in the
meter. When shifting the selector lever to the
manual shift gate, the position indicator first
displays 4 M
(4th).
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows: 1 M
!
à 2 M
!
à 3 M
!
à 4 M
!
à 5 M
5 M
(5th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
4 M
(4th):
For driving up or down long slopes where
engine braking would be advantageous.
3 M
(3rd) and 2 M
(2nd):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades.
1 M
(1st):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine braking
on steep downhill grades.
O Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than 4 M
range. This reduces the fuel economy. O When shifting up, move the selector lever to
the + (up) side. (Shifts to higher range.)
O When shifting down, move the selector
lever to the þ (down) side. (Shifts to lower
range.)
O The transmission will automatically shift the
gears between the 1st and the selected
range. (For example, if you select the 3rd
range, the transmission will shift up or down
between 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears.
O Moving the selector lever rapidly to the
same side twice will shift the ranges in
succession.
O When canceling the manual shift mode,
return the selector lever to the D position.
The transmission returns to the normal
driving mode.
O In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving performance
and reduces the chance of vehicle dam-
age or loss of control.
O In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically over the
selected range, if the engine is revved
up to the hazardous speed. When the
vehicle speed decreases, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down and shifts to 1st gear before the vehicle
comes to a stop.
Manual shift mode (Coupe) When the selector lever is shifted from D to the
manual shift gate with the vehicle stopped or
while driving, the transmission enters the
manual shift mode. Shift range can be se-
lected manually.
In the manual shift mode, the shift range is
displayed on the position indicator in the
meter.
Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows: M
1 !
à M
2 !
à M
3 !
à M
4 !
à M
5M
5 (5th):
Use this position for all normal forward driving. M
4 (4th):
For driving up or down long slopes where
engine braking would be advantageous. M
3 (3rd) and M
2 (2nd):
Use for hill climbing or engine braking on
downhill grades. M
1 (1st):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
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sand or mud, or for maximum engine braking
on steep downhill grades.
O Remember not to drive at high speeds for
extended periods of time in lower than M
4
range. This reduces the fuel economy.
O When shifting up, move the selector lever to
the + (up) side. (Shifts to higher range.)
O When shifting down, move the selector
lever to the þ (down) side. (Shifts to lower
range.)
O Moving the selector lever to the same side
twice will shift the ranges in succession.
However, if this motion is rapidly done, the
second shifting may not be completed prop-
erly.
O In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts down to 1st
gear before the vehicle comes to a stop.
When accelerating again, it is necessary
to shift up to the desired range.
O When canceling the manual shift mode,
return the selector lever to the D position.
The transmission returns to the normal
driving mode.
O In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving performance and reduces the chance of vehicle dam-
age or loss of control.
Accelerator downshift
Ð In D position Ð For passing or hill climbing, fully depress the
accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into the lower gear, de-
pending on the vehicle speed.
Fail-safe When the fail-safe operation occurs, the next
time the key is turned to the ON position, the
light will blink for approximately 8 sec-
onds after coming on for 2 seconds. While the
vehicle can be driven under these circum-
stances please note that the gears in the
automatic transmission will be locked in 4th
gear.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme con-
ditions, such as excessive wheel spinning
and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe
system may be activated. This will occur
even if all electrical circuits are functioning
properly. In this case, turn the ignition key
OFF and wait for 3 seconds. Then turn the
key back to the ON position. The vehicle
should return to its normal operating con-
dition. If it does not return to its normal
operating condition, have your INFINITI re- tailer check the transmission and repair if
necessary.
Starting and driving
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Shift lock release If the battery charge is low or discharged, the
selector lever may not be moved from the P
(Park) position even with the brake pedal
depressed.
To move the selector lever, apply the parking
brake, depress the brake pedal, and push the
shift lock release button. The selector lever
can be moved to N (Neutral). This allows the
vehicle to be moved if the battery is dis-
charged.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P (Park),
have your INFINITI retailer check the auto- matic transmission system as soon as pos-
sible.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Shifting To change gears, or when up shifting or down
shifting fully depress the clutch pedal, shift into
the appropriate gear then slowly and smoothly
release the clutch.
Start the vehicle in 1st gear and shift to 2nd,
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th gear in sequence accord-
ing to the vehicle speed.
To back up, depress the shift lever and then
move it to the R (Reverse) position after stop-
ping the vehicle completely.SSD0298 SSD0287
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If it is difficult to move the shift lever into R
(Reverse) or 1 (Low gear), shift into N (Neu-
tral), then release the clutch pedal and shift
into R or 1 again.
WARNINGO Do not downshift abruptly on slippery
roads. This may cause a loss of con-
trol.
O Do not over-rev the engine when
shifting to a lower gear. This may
cause a loss of control or engine
damage.
CAUTIONO Do not rest your foot on the clutch
pedal while driving. This may damage
the clutch.
O Stop your vehicle completely before
shifting into R (Reverse).
O When the vehicle is stopped for a
period of time, for example at a stop
light, shift to N (Neutral) and release the clutch pedal with the foot brake
applied.
Suggested up-shift speeds Shown below are suggested vehicle speeds
for shifting into a higher gear. These sugges-
tions relate to fuel economy and vehicle per-
formance. Actual up-shift speeds will vary ac-
cording to road conditions, the weather and
individual driving habits.
For normal acceleration in low altitude areas
[less than 4,000 ft (1,219 m)]:
Gear change MPH (km/h)
1st to 2nd 8 (13)
2nd to 3rd 16 (26)
3rd to 4th 25 (40)
4th to 5th 28 (45)
5th to 6th 33 (53)
For quick acceleration in low altitude areas or
in high altitude areas [over 4,000 ft (1,219 m)]:
Gear change MPH (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (64)
4th to 5th 45 (72)
5th to 6th 50 (80) Suggested maximum speed in each
gear Downshift to a lower gear if the engine is not
running smoothly, or if you need to accelerate.
Do not exceed the maximum suggested speed
(shown below) in any gear. For level road
driving, use the highest gear suggested for
that speed. Always observe posted speed
limits, and drive according to the road condi-
tions, which will ensure safe operation. Do not
over-rev the engine when shifting to a lower
gear as it may cause engine damage or loss of
vehicle control.
Gear MPH (km/h)
1st 35 (56)
2nd 60 (96)
3rd 85 (136)
4th Ð
5th Ð
6th Ð
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Automatic transmission model To apply: Fully depress the parking brake
pedal.
To release:
1. Firmly apply the foot brake.
2. Depress the parking brake pedal and the
parking brake will be released.
3. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out. Manual transmission model To apply: Pull the lever up.
To release:
1. Firmly apply foot brake.
2. Place the shift lever in the N (Neutral)
position.
3. While pulling up on the lever slightly, push
the button and lower completely.
4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out. WARNING O Be sure the parking brake is fully
released before driving. Failure to do
so can cause brake failure and lead to
an accident.
O Do not release the parking brake from
outside the vehicle.
O Do not use the gear shift in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully en-
gaged.
O Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the park-
ing brake and cause an accident.SPA1286 PD1001M
PARKING BRAKE
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WARNINGDo not use the cruise control when driv-
ing under the following conditions:
O it is not possible to keep the vehicle
at a set speed.
O in heavy traffic or in traffic that varies
in speed.
O on winding or hilly roads.
O on slippery roads (rain, snow, ice,
etc.).
O in very windy areas.
Doing so could cause a loss of vehicle
control and result in an accident.
CAUTIONOn manual transmission models, do not
shift into N (Neutral) without depressing
the clutch pedal when the cruise control
is set. Should this occur, depress the
clutch pedal and turn the main switch off
immediately. Failure to do so may cause engine damage.
PRECAUTIONS ON CRUISE
CONTROL O If the cruise control system malfunctions, it
cancels automatically. The SET indicator
light on the meter panel then blinks to warn
the driver.
O If the engine coolant temperature becomes
excessively high, the cruise control system
will be canceled automatically.
O If the SET indicator light blinks, turn the
cruise control main switch off and have the
system checked by your INFINITI retailer.
O The SET indicator light may blink when the
cruise control main switch is turned on
while pushing the RES/ACCEL, COAST/
SET, or CANCEL switch (located on the
steering wheel). To properly set the cruise
control system, perform the preceding
steps in the order indicated. 1. RESUME or ACCEL switch
2. COAST or SET switch
3. ON/OFF switch
4. CANCEL switch
CRUISE CONTROL OPERATIONS The cruise control allows driving at a speed
between 25 to 89 MPH (40 to 144 km/h)
without keeping your foot on the accelerator
pedal.
To turn on the cruise control, push the main
switch on. The CRUISE indicator light on the
meter panel will come on. SSD0297
CRUISE CONTROL
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To set at cruising speed, accelerate your
vehicle to the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it. (The SET
indicator light will come on.) Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal. Your vehicle will main-
tain the set speed.
O To pass another vehicle, depress the
accelerator pedal. When you release the
pedal, the vehicle will return to the previ-
ously set speed.
O The vehicle may not maintain the set speed
when going up or down steep hills. If this
happens, drive without the cruise control.
To cancel the preset speed, follow either of
these three methods:
a) Push the cancel switch; The SET indicator
light will go out.
b) Tap the brake pedal; The SET indicator
light will go out.
c) Turn the main switch off. Both the CRUISE
indicator and SET indicator lights will go
out.
O If you depress the brake pedal while push-
ing the RES/ACCEL set switch and reset at
the cruising speed, turn the main switch off
once and then turn it on again.
O The cruise control will automatically be can- celled if the vehicle slows down below
approximately 8 MPH (13 km/h).
O Depress the clutch pedal (manual transmis-
sion), or move the selector lever to N (Neu-
tral) position (automatic transmission). The
SET indicator light will go out.
To reset at a faster cruising speed, use one
of the following three methods:
a) Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, push and
release the COAST/SET switch.
b) Push and hold the RES/ACCEL set switch.
When the vehicle attains the speed you
desire, release the switch.
c) Push, then quickly release the RES/ACCEL
set switch. Each time you do this, the set
speed will increase by about 1 MPH (1.6
km/h).
To reset at a slower cruising speed, use one
of the following three methods:
a) Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the ve-
hicle attains the desired speed, push the
COAST/SET switch and release it.
b) Push and hold the COAST/SET switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle slows
down to the desired speed. c) Push, then quickly release the COAST/
SET switch. Each time you do this, the set
speed will decrease by about 1 MPH (1.6
km/h).
To resume the preset speed, push and re-
lease the RES/ACCEL set switch. The vehicle
will resume the last set cruising speed when
the vehicle speed is over 25 MPH (40 km/h).
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