stop start INFINITI G35 2003 Owner's Manual

cidents resulting from careless or dan-
gerous driving techniques. It can help
maintain vehicle control during braking
on slippery surfaces, but remember that
the stopping distance on slippery sur-
faces will be longer than on normal
surfaces, even with the anti-lock sys-
tem. Stopping distances may also be
longer on rough, gravel or snow covered
roads, or if you are using tire chains.
Always maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front of you. Ultimately,
the responsibility for safety of yourself
and others rests in the hands of the
driver.
Tire type and condition of tires may also
affect braking effectiveness.
O When replacing tires, install the
specified size of tires on all four
wheels.
O When installing a spare tire, make
sure it is the proper size and type as
specified on the tire placard. See ªVe-
hicle identificationº in the ª10. Tech-
nical and consumer informationº sec- tion for tire placard location. When driving on slippery surfaces or suddenly
avoiding obstacles on roads, the vehicle might
swerve or slip. With the vehicle dynamics
control (VDC) system, sensors detect these
movements and control the braking and en-
gine output to help improve vehicle stability
while driving.
O When the vehicle dynamics control system
is operating, the slip indicator in the instru-
ment panel blinks.
O When only the traction control system por-
tion of the vehicle dynamics control system
is operating, the slip indicator will also blink.
O If the slip indicator blinks, the vehicle is
under slippery conditions. Be sure to drive
carefully. See ªSlip indicator lightº, and ªVe-
hicle dynamics control off indicator lightº in
the ª2. Instruments and controlsº section.
O Indicator light
If a malfunction occurs in the system, the
SLIP and indicator lights come on in
the meter panel.
As long as these warning lights are on, the
traction control function is canceled.
The VDC system uses a Brake Limited Slip
Differential (LSD) system to improve vehicle
traction. The brake LSD system works when
one of the driving wheels is spinning on aVEHICLE DYNAMICS CONTROL
(VDC) SYSTEM
Starting and driving
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carried in the vehicle during winter:
O a scraper and stiff-bristled brush to remove
ice and snow from the windows and wiper
blades.
O a sturdy, flat board to be placed under the
jack to give it firm support.
O a shovel to dig the vehicle out of snow-
drifts.
O extra window washer fluid to refill the res-
ervoir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNINGO Wet ice (32ÉF, 0ÉC and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have a lot less traction or grip under
these conditions. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until the road is salted or
sanded.
O Whatever the condition, drive with
caution. Accelerate and slow down
with care. If accelerating or down-
shifting too fast, the drive wheels will lose even more traction.
O Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pavement.
O Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
O Watch for slippery spots (glare ice).
These may appear on an otherwise
clear road in shaded areas. If a patch
of ice is seen ahead, brake before
reaching it. Try not to brake while
actually on the ice, and avoid any
sudden steering maneuvers.
O Do not use cruise control on slippery
roads.
O Snow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep snow
clear of the exhaust pipe and from
around your vehicle.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (if so
equipped) An engine block heater to assist extreme cold
temperature starting is available through your
INFINITI retailer. WARNING Do not use your heater with an un-
grounded electrical system or two-
pronged (cheater) adapters. You can be
injured by an electrical shock if you use
an ungrounded connection.
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Stowing the damaged tire and tools Securely store the spare tire and jacking
equipment in the vehicle.
WARNINGO Always make sure that the spare tire
and jacking equipment are properly
secured after use. Such items can
become dangerous projectiles in an
accident or sudden stop.
O The T-type spare tire and small size spare tire are designed for emer-
gency use. See ªWheels and tiresº in
the ª8. Do-it-yourselfº section.
If needed Roadside Assistance is available.
Please see your Warranty Information Booklet
or Roadside Assistance I.D. Card for the toll-
free number to call (U.S.) or Warranty & Road-
side assistance information booklet (Canada). To start your engine with a booster battery, the
instructions and precautions below must be
followed.
WARNING O If done incorrectly, jump starting can
lead to a battery explosion, resulting
in severe injury or death. It could also
damage your vehicle.
O Explosive hydrogen gas is always
present in the vicinity of the battery.
Keep all sparks and flames away from
the battery.
O Do not allow battery fluid to come
into contact with eyes, skin, cloth or
painted surfaces. Battery fluid is a
corrosive sulphuric acid solution
which can cause severe burns. If the
fluid should come into contact with
anything, immediately flush the con-
tacted area with water.
O Keep battery out of the reach of
children.SCE0384A SCE0425
JUMP STARTING
In case of emergency
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WARNINGO Do not continue to drive if your ve-
hicle overheats. Doing so could
cause a vehicle fire.
O To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the radia-
tor cap is removed, pressurized hot
water will spurt out, possibly causing
serious injury.
O Do not open the hood if steam is
coming out.
If your vehicle is overheating (indicated by an
extremely high temperature gauge reading), or
if you feel a lack of engine power, detect
abnormal noise, etc., take the following steps:
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever
to the N (Neutral) position (automatic trans-
mission to the P (Park) position).
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner switch. Open all
the windows, move the heater or air condi- tioner temperature control to maximum hot
and fan control to high speed.
3. If engine overheating is caused by climbing
a long hill on a hot day, run the engine at a
fast idle (approximately 1,500 rpm) until the
temperature gauge indication returns to
normal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. Wait until no
steam or coolant can be seen before pro-
ceeding.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check if the cooling fan is running.
The radiator hoses and radiator should not
leak water.
If coolant is leaking or the cooling fan does
not run, stop the engine. WARNING O Be careful not to allow your hands,
hair, jewelry or clothing to come into
contact with, or to get caught in the
cooling fan, or drive belt.
O The engine cooling fan can start at
any time when the coolant tempera-
ture is high.
7. After the engine cools down, check the
coolant level in the reservoir tank with the
engine running. Add coolant to the reservoir
tank if necessary. Have your vehicle re-
paired at the nearest INFINITI retailer.
If needed, Roadside Assistance is available.
Please see your Warranty Information Booklet
or Roadside Assistance I.D. Card for the toll-
free number to call (U.S.) or Warranty & Road-
side assistance information booklet (Canada).IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
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CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT O Major cooling system repairs should be
performed by your INFINITI retailer. The
service procedures can be found in the
appropriate INFINITI Service Manual. O Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING O To avoid being scalded, never change
the coolant when the engine is hot.
O Never remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure
fluid escaping from the radiator.
O Avoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner
as soon as possible.
O Keep coolant out of reach of children
and pets.
1. Open radiator drain plug at the bottom of
radiator, and remove radiator filler cap.
O Be careful not to allow coolant to con-
tact drive belts.
O Waste coolant must be disposed of
properly. Check your local regulations.
2. Close the radiator drain plug securely after
the coolant is drained. 3. Fill the radiator slowly with the proper mix-
ture of anti-freeze solution and demineral-
ized water/distilled water. Fill the reservoir
tank up to the MAX level. Then install the
radiator filler cap.
4. Start the engine and warm it up until it
reaches normal operating temperature.
Then race the engine 2 or 3 times under no
load. Watch the engine coolant tempera-
ture gauge for signs of overheating.
5. Stop the engine. After it completely cools
down, refill the radiator up to the filler
opening. Fill the reservoir tank up to the
MAX level. Check the drain plug for any
sign of leakage.
6. Recheck the coolant level after the vehicle
has been driven for a day.SDI0114
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If maintenance is required, see your INFINITI
retailer for servicing.
The filter element should not be cleaned and
reused. Replace it according to the mainte-
nance intervals. See ªPeriodic maintenance
schedulesº in the ª9. Maintenanceº section for
maintenance intervals. When replacing the
filter, wipe the inside of the air cleaner housing
and the cover with a damp cloth.
WARNINGO Operating the engine with the air
cleaner removed can cause you or
others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops flame
if the engine backfires. If it is not
there, and the engine backfires, you
could be burned. Do not drive with
the air cleaner removed and be care-
ful when working on the engine with
the air cleaner removed.
O Never pour fuel into the throttle body
or attempt to start the engine with the
air cleaner removed. Doing so could
result in serious injury. CAUTION O After wiper blade replacement, return
the wiper arm to its original position.
Otherwise it may be damaged when
the engine hood is opened.
O Make sure the wiper blade contacts
the glass, otherwise the arm may be
damaged from wind pressure.
O Worn windshield wiper blades can
damage the windshield and impair
driver vision.
CLEANING If your windshield is not clear after using the
windshield washer or if a wiper blade chatters
when running, wax or other material may be on
the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a
washer solution or a mild detergent. Your
windshield is clean if beads do not form when
rinsing with clear water.
Clean the blade by wiping it with a cloth
soaked in a washer solution or a mild deter- gent. Then rinse the blade with clear water. If
your windshield is still not clear after cleaning
the blades and using the wiper, replace the
blades.
AIR CLEANER WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES
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WARNINGSee your INFINITI retailer and have it
checked if the brake pedal height does
not return to normal.
Brake pad wear indicators The disc brake pads on your vehicle have
audible wear indicators. When a brake pad
requires replacement, it will make a high
pitched scraping or screeching sound when
the vehicle is in motion whether or not the
brake pedal is depressed. Have the brakes
checked as soon as possible if the wear indi-
cator sound is heard.
Under some driving or climate conditions, oc-
casional brake squeak, squeal or other noise
may be heard. Occasional brake noise during
light to moderate stops is normal and does not
affect the function or performance of the brake
system.
Proper brake inspection intervals should
be followed. For additional information, see
ªPeriodic maintenance schedulesº in the ª9.
Maintenanceº section for maintenance inter-
vals. High performance sports brake pad occasion-
ally makes squeak, squeal or other braking
noise because of its very high friction coeffi-
cient.
These occasional brake noise is normal, but if
it continues, see your INFINITI retailer.
BRAKE BOOSTER Check the brake booster function as follows:
1. With the engine off, press and release the
brake pedal several times. When brake
pedal movement (distance of travel) re-
mains the same from one pedal application
to the next, continue on to the next step.
2. While depressing the brake pedal, start the
engine. The pedal height should drop a
little.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop the
engine. Keeping the pedal depressed for
about 30 seconds, the pedal height should
not change.
4. Run the engine for one minute without
depressing the brake pedal, then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times. The
pedal travel distance will decrease gradu-
ally with each depression as the vacuum is
released from the booster. If the brakes do not operate properly, see your
INFINITI retailer.
Do-it-yourself
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condition; check for improper tongue load,
overload, worn suspension or other pos-
sible causes of either condition.
O Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shifts while driving.
O Be certain your rear view mirrors conform to
all federal, state or local regulations. If not,
install any mirrors required for towing be-
fore driving the vehicle.
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 differ-
ent than under normal driving conditions.
O Always secure items in the trailer to prevent
load shift while driving.
O Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or stops.
O Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
O Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed.
O Always block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if you
must do so, and if your vehicle is equipped with automatic transmission, first apply the
parking brake and block the wheels, and
then move the transmission selector lever
into the P (Park) position. If you move the
selector lever to the P (Park) position be-
fore blocking the wheels and applying the
parking brake, the transmission may be
damaged.
O When going down a hill, shift into a lower
gear and use the engine braking effect.
When ascending on a long grade, down-
shift the transmission to a lower gear and
reduce speed to reduce chances of engine
overloading and/or overheating.
O If the engine coolant rises to an extremely
high temperature when the air conditioning
system is on, turn off the air conditioner.
Coolant heat can be additionally vented by
opening the windows, switching the fan
control to high and setting the temperature
control to the HOT position.
O Trailer towing consumes more fuel than
normal circumstances.
O Avoid towing a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km).
O Have your vehicle serviced more often than
at intervals specified in the recommended
maintenance schedule. O 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.
O Crosswinds and rough roads will adversely
affect vehicle/trailer handling, possibly
causing vehicle sway. When being passed
by larger vehicles, be prepared for possible
changes in crosswinds that could affect
vehicle handling. If swaying does occur,
firmly grip the steering wheel, steer straight
ahead, and immediately (but gradually) re-
duce vehicle speed. This combination will
help stabilize the vehicle. Never increase
speed.
O Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires con-
siderably more distance than normal pass-
ing. Remember the length of the trailer
must also pass the other vehicle before you
can safely change lanes.
O To maintain engine braking efficiency and
electrical charging performance, do not use
sixth gear (manual transmission) or fifth
position (automatic transmission).
O Avoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently such as on long
down-hill sections of road. This could cause
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If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to no-
tifying INFINITI.
If
NHTSA receives similar complaints, it
may open an investigation, and if it finds
that a safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot be-
come involved in individual problems be-
tween you, your retailer, or INFINITI.
To contact
NHTSA , you may call the Auto
Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236.
You may also write to:
NHTSA , U.S. De-
partment of Transportation, Washington,
D.C. 20590. You can also obtain other
information about motor vehicle safety from
the Hotline. You may notify INFINITI by contacting our
Consumer Affairs Department, toll-free, at
1-800-662-6200.
In Hawaii call (808) 836-0888. Due to legal requirements in some states/
areas, your vehicle may be required to be in
what is called the ªready conditionº for an
Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test of the emis-
sion control system.
The vehicle is set to the ªready conditionº
when it is driven through certain driving pat-
terns. Usually, the ªready conditionº can be
obtained by ordinary usage of the vehicle.
If a powertrain system component is repaired
or the battery is disconnected, the vehicle may
be reset to a not ªready conditionº. Before
taking the I/M test, drive the vehicle through
the following pattern to set the vehicle to the
ready condition. If you cannot or do not want to
perform the driving pattern, an INFINITI re-
tailer can conduct it for you.
WARNING Always drive the vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner according to traffic con-
ditions, and obey all traffic laws.
1. Start the engine. Allow the engine to idle
until the engine coolant temperature gauge
needle points between the C and H (normal
operating temperature). 2. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88
km/h), then quickly release the accelerator
pedal completely and keep it released for at
least 6 seconds.
3. Quickly depress the accelerator pedal for a
moment, then drive the vehicle at a speed
of 53 to 60 MPH (86 to 96 km/h) for at least
5 minutes.
4. Stop the vehicle. Leave the engine running.
5. Accelerate the vehicle to 35 MPH (55 km/h)
and maintain the speed for 20 seconds.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 at least 3 times.
7. Accelerate the vehicle to 55 MPH (88 km/h)
and maintain the speed for at least 3 min-
utes.
8. Stop the vehicle. Place the automatic trans-
mission selector lever in the ªPº or ªNº
position or the manual transmission shift
lever in the ªNº position.
9. Turn the engine off.
10.Repeat steps 1 through 8 at least one more
time.
If step 1 through 7 is interrupted, repeat the
preceding step. Any safe driving mode is ac-
ceptable between steps. Do not stop the en-
gine until step 7 is completed.REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
(US only) READINESS FOR INSPECTION/
MAINTENANCE (I/M) TEST (US
only)
Technical and consumer information
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Fuel
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants/
fluids .......................................................... 10-2
filler cap ..................................................... 3-14
filler lid ....................................................... 3-14
Fuel economy ............................................ 5-17
Fuel octane rating ..................................... 10-3
Fuel recommendation................................ 10-3
Gauge .......................................................... 2-5
Fuses .............................................................. 8-20
Fusible links .................................................... 8-20
G
Garage door opener, HomeLink Universal
Transceiver ..................................................... 2-37
Gas cap .......................................................... 3-14
Gauge ............................................................... 2-3
Engine coolant temperature gauge ............. 2-5
Fuel gauge .................................................. 2-5
Odometer..................................................... 2-4
Speedometer ............................................... 2-4
Tachometer ................................................. 2-4
General maintenance ....................................... 9-2
Glasses case .................................................. 2-26
Glove box........................................................ 2-27
Glove box lock ................................................ 2-27
H
Hazard warning flasher switch........................ 2-20
Head restraints ................................................. 1-9 Headlights
Bulb replacement ...................................... 8-25
Headlight switch ........................................ 2-17
Xenon headlights ..................................... 2-17
Heated seats................................................... 2-21
Heater
Engine coolant heater ............................... 5-24
Heater and air conditioner (automatic) ....... 4-3
HomeLink Universal Transceiver .................. 2-37
Hood, release ................................................. 3-10
Horn ................................................................ 2-21
How to stop alarm, Vehicle security ............... 2-14
I
Ignition switch ................................................... 5-4
Automatic transmission models ........... 5-4, 5-8
Key positions ............................................... 5-6
Manual transmission models ............. 5-5, 5-12
Immobilizer system ......................................... 2-14
In-cabin microfilter ............................................ 4-5
Indicator lights................................................. 2-11
Infiniti Vehicle Immobilizer System, Engine
start ................................................................... 5-6
Inside Automatic anti-glare mirror................... 3-17
Inspection/maintenance (I/M) test................. 10-21
Installing front bumper cover ........................ 10-12
Instrument panel ............................................... 2-2
Instrument pocket ........................................... 2-25
Interior light ..................................................... 2-35
Interior light replacement ................................ 8-26
Interior trunk lid release .................................. 3-12
ISOFIX child restraint ..................................... 1-40 J
Jump starting .................................................... 6-7
K
Keyless entry (See remote keyless entry
system) ............................................................. 3-5
Keys .................................................................. 3-2
L
Label, Air conditioner specification label ...... 10-12
Label, Emission control information label ..... 10-11
Label, F.M.V.S.S. certification label.............. 10-10
Labels
Air bag warning labels............................... 1-23
Engine serial number .............................. 10-10
Vehicle identification number (VIN)........... 10-9
LATCH system................................................ 1-40
License plate, Installing front license plate... 10-13
Light
Air bag warning light ................................. 1-23
Bulb replacement ...................................... 8-23
Flashing signal .......................................... 2-19
Fog light switch ......................................... 2-20
Headlight switch ........................................ 2-17
Headlights Bulb replacement .................... 8-25
Interior light................................................ 2-35
Map light .................................................... 2-35
Rear personal light .................................... 2-36
Replacement ............................................. 8-23
Trunk light.................................................. 2-37
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