traction control INFINITI G35 2003 Owners Manual

on, the cruise control system is operational.
Cruise set switch indicator
lightThe light comes on while the vehicle speed is
controlled by the cruise control system. If the
light blinks while the engine is running, it may
indicate the cruise control system is not func-
tioning properly. Have the system checked by
your INFINITI retailer.
High beam indicator light
(Blue)This light comes on when the headlight high
beam is on and goes out when the low beam is
selected.
Malfunction indicator lamp
(MIL)If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on
steady or blinks while the engine is running, it
may indicate a potential emission control mal-
function.
The malfunction indicator lamp may also come
on steady if the fuel filler cap is loose or
missing, or if the vehicle runs out of fuel.
Check to make sure the fuel filler cap is
installed and closed tightly, and that the ve- hicle has at least three gallons (14 liters) of fuel
in the fuel tank.
After a few driving trips, the lamp should
turn off if no other potential emission control
system malfunction exists.
Operation
The malfunction indicator lamp will come on in
one of two ways:
O Malfunction indicator lamp on steady Ð An
emission control system malfunction has
been detected. Check the fuel filler cap. If
the fuel filler cap is loose or missing, tighten
or install the cap and continue to drive the
vehicle. The lamp should turn off after
a few driving trips. If the lamp does
not turn off after a few driving trips, have the
vehicle inspected by an authorized
INFINITI retailer. You do not need to have
your vehicle towed to the retailer.
O Malfunction indicator lamp blinking Ð An
engine misfire has been detected which
may damage the emission control system.
To reduce or avoid emission control system
damage:
a) Do not drive at speeds above 45 MPH
(72 km/h).
b) Avoid hard acceleration or deceleration.
c) Avoid steep uphill grades. d) If possible, reduce the amount of cargo
being hauled or towed.
The malfunction indicator lamp may stop
blinking and come on steady.
Have the vehicle inspected by an autho-
rized INFINITI retailer. You do not need to
have your vehicle towed to the retailer.
CAUTION Continued vehicle operation without
having the emission control system
checked and repaired as necessary
could lead to poor driveability, reduced
fuel economy, and possible damage to
the emission control system.
Slip indicator light This indicator will blink when the VDC system
or the traction control system is operating, thus
alerting the driver to the fact that the road
surface is slippery and the vehicle is nearing
its traction limits.
Vehicle dynamics control off
indicator light The light comes on when the vehicle dynamics
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control off switch is pushed to OFF. This
indicates the vehicle dynamics control system
and traction control system are not operating.
When the vehicle dynamics control off indica-
tor light and slip indicator light come on with
the vehicle dynamics control system turned
on, this light alerts the driver to the fact that the
vehicle dynamics control system's fail-safe
mode is operating, i.e. the vehicle dynamics
control system may not be functioning prop-
erly. Have the system checked by your
INFINITI retailer. If an abnormality occurs in
the system, the vehicle dynamics control sys-
tem function will be canceled but the vehicle is
still driveable. For additional information, see
ªVehicle dynamics control system (VDC)º in
the ª5. Starting and drivingº section of this
manual.
Turn signal/hazard indicator
lightsThe light flashes when the turn signal switch
lever or hazard switch is turned on.
AUDIBLE REMINDERS
Key reminder chime The chime will sound if the driver's side door is
opened while the key is left in the ignition
switch (ignition switch is turned off). Remove the key and take it with you when leaving the
vehicle.
Light reminder chime The chime will sound when the front door is
opened with the headlight switch on unless the
ignition key is in the ON position.
Make sure to turn the light switch off when you
leave the vehicle.
Brake pad wear warning The disc brake pads have audible wear warn-
ings. When a brake pad requires replacement,
it will make a high pitched scraping 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 warning
sound is heard. Your vehicle has two types of security sys-
tems, as follows:
O Vehicle Security System
O Infiniti Vehicle Immobilizer System
The security condition will be shown by the
security indicator light.
VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM The vehicle security system provides visual
and audio alarm signals if parts of the vehicle
are disturbed.SECURITY SYSTEMS
Instruments and controls
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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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the brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced
braking efficiency. Shift down and use en-
gine braking.
When towing a trailer, change transmission
oil more frequently.
See ªPeriodic maintenance schedulesº in
the ª9. Maintenanceº section. Shift down
and use engine braking. DOT (Department Of Transportation) Quality
Grades: All passenger car tires must conform
to federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Quality grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear Treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on tire wear rate when tested under
controlled conditions on specified government
test courses. For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and a half (1-1/2) times as well
on the government course as a tire graded
100. However, relative tire performance de-
pends on actual driving conditions, and may
vary significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B and C The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
WARNING The traction grade assigned to your ve-
hicle tires is based on straight-ahead
braking traction tests, and does not in-
clude acceleration, cornering, hydro-
planing, or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A, B and C Temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C. They represent a tire's resistance to
heat build-up, and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sus-
tained high temperature can cause tire mate-
rial to degenerate, reducing tire life. Excessive
temperatures can lead to sudden tire failure.
Grade C corresponds to a performance level
which all passenger car tires must meet under
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109. Grades A and B represent higher levels of
performance on laboratory test wheels than
the minimum required by law.UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY
GRADING
Technical and consumer information
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