service INFINITI M 2011 Owner's Guide

9 Technical and consumer information
Capacities and recommended fuel/lubricants........ 9-2
Fuel recommendation ........................... 9-4
Engine oil and oil filter recommendation ......... 9-6
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations ..................... 9-7
Specifications ..................................... 9-8
Engine ........................................ 9-8
Wheels and tires ............................... 9-9
Dimensions ................................... 9-10
When traveling or registering your vehicle in
another country .................................. 9-10
Vehicle identification .............................. 9-11
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate .........9-11
Vehicle identification number (chassis
number) ....................................... 9-11
Engine serial number .......................... 9-12
F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. certification label .........9-12
Emission control information label ..............9-12
Tire and loading information label ..............9-13
Air conditioner specification label ...............9-13Installing front license plate
.......................9-14
Vehicle loading information ........................9-15
Terms ......................................... 9-15
Vehicle load capacity .......................... 9-17
Loading tips .................................. 9-18
Measurement of weights ....................... 9-18
Towing a trailer .................................. 9-19
Flat towing ................................... 9-19
Uniform tire quality grading .......................9-20
Treadwear .................................... 9-20
Traction AA, A, B and C ........................ 9-20
Temperature A, B and C ....................... 9-20
Emission control system warranty .................9-21
Reporting safety defects (US only) .................9-21
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) test
(US only) ........................................ 9-22
Event Data Recorders (EDR) .......................9-23
Owner’s Manual/Service Manual order
information ...................................... 9-23
In the event of a collision ......................9-24
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Capacity (Approximate)Recommended specifications
US measure Imp mea- sureLiter
Multi-purpose grease Without limited slip differential NLGI No. 2 (Lithium soap base)
With limited slip differential
Air conditioning system refrigerant ——— HFC-134a (R-134a)*9
Air conditioning system lubricants ——— NISSAN A/C System Oil
Type S or exact equivalent
Window washer fluid ——— Genuine NISSAN Windshield Washer Concentrate Cleaner & Anti-
freeze or equivalent
*1:INFINITI recommends Genuine NISSAN Ester Engine Oil available at your INFINITI retailer.
*2: For additional information, see “ENGINE OIL” in the “8. Maintenance and do-it-yourself” section for changing engine oil.
*3: Using automatic transmission fluid other than Genuine NISSAN Matic S ATF will cause deterioration in driveability and automatic transmission
durability, and may damage the automatic transmission, which is not covered by the INFINITI new vehicle limited warranty.
*4: For hot climates, viscosity SAE 90 is suitable for ambient temperatures above 32°F (0°C).
*5: See an INFINITI retailer for service for synthetic oil.
*6: Using transfer fluid other than Genuine NISSAN Matic J ATF will cause deterioration in driveability and transfer durability, and may damage the
transfer, which is not covered by the INFINITI new vehicle limited warranty.
*7: DEXRON
TMVI type ATF may also be used.
*8: Available in mainland US through an INFINITI retailer.
*9: For additional information, see “VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION” later in this section for air conditioner specification label.
Technical and consumer information9-3
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FUEL RECOMMENDATION
Use unleaded premium gasoline with an octane
rating of at least 91 AKI (Anti-Knock Index)
number (Research octane number 96).
If premium gasoline is not available, unleaded
regular gasoline with an octane rating of 87 AKI
number (Research octane number 91) may be
temporarily used, but only under the following
precautions:
●Have the fuel tank filled only partially with
unleaded regular gasoline, and fill up with
unleaded premium gasoline as soon as pos-
sible.
● Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt accel-
eration.
However, for maximum vehicle performance, the
use of unleaded premium gasoline is recom-
mended.
CAUTION
● Using a fuel other than that specified could
adversely affect the emission control sys-
tem, and may also affect warranty coverage.
● Under no circumstances should a leaded
gasoline be used, because this will damage
the three-way catalyst. ●
Do not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle. Your
vehicle is not designed to run on E-85 fuel.
Using E-85 fuel can damage the fuel system
components and is not covered by the
INFINITI vehicle limited warranty.
Gasoline specifications
INFINITI recommends using gasoline that meets
the World-Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC) specifica-
tions where it is available. Many of the automo-
bile manufacturers developed this specification
to improve emission system and vehicle perfor-
mance. Ask your service station manager if the
gasoline meets the World-Wide Fuel Charter
(WWFC) specifications.
Reformulated gasoline
Some fuel suppliers are now producing refor-
mulated gasolines. These gasolines are spe-
cially designed to reduce vehicle emissions.
INFINITI supports efforts towards cleaner air
and suggests that you use reformulated gaso-
line when available.
Gasoline containing oxygenates
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
oxygenates such as ethanol, MTBE and metha-
nol with or without advertising their presence.
INFINITI does not recommend the use of fuels of which the oxygenate content and the fuel com-
patibility for your INFINITI cannot be readily
determined. If in doubt, ask your service station
manager.
If you use oxygenate-blend gasoline, please
take the following precautions as the usage of
such fuels may cause vehicle performance prob-
lems and/or fuel system damage.
●
The fuel should be unleaded and have an oc-
tane rating no lower than that recommended
for unleaded gasoline.
● If an oxygenate-blend, excepting a methanol
blend, is used, it should contain no more than
10% oxygenate. (MTBE may, however, be
added up to 15%.)
● If a methanol blend is used, it should contain
no more than 5% methanol (methyl alcohol,
wood alcohol). It should also contain a suit-
able amount of appropriate cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors. If not properly formu-
lated with appropriate cosolvents and corro-
sion inhibitors, such methanol blends may
cause fuel system damage and/or vehicle
performance problems. At this time, suffi-
cient data is not available to ensure that all
methanol blends are suitable for use in
INFINITI vehicles.
If any undesirable driveability problems such as
engine stalling or hard hot starting are experi-
9-4Technical and consumer information
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enced after using oxygenate-blend fuels, imme-
diately change to a non-oxygenate fuel or a fuel
with a low blend of MTBE.
Take care not to spill gasoline during refueling.
Gasoline containing oxygenates can cause paint
damage.
E-85 fuel
E-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. E-85 can
only be used in a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV). Do
not use E-85 fuel in your vehicle. U.S. govern-
ment regulations require fuel ethanol dispens-
ing pumps to be identified by a small, square,
orange and black label with the common abbre-
viation or the appropriate percentage for that
region.
Aftermarket fuel additives
INFINITI does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (Example: fuel injec-
tor cleaner, octane booster, intake valve de-
posit removers, etc.) which are sold commer-
cially. Many of these additives intended for
gum, varnish or deposit removal may contain
active solvent or similar ingredients that can be
harmful to the fuel system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
lower than recommended above can cause per-
sistent, heavy spark knock. (Spark knock is a
metallic rapping noise.) If severe, this can lead
to engine damage. If you detect a persistent
heavy spark knock even when using gasoline of
the stated octane rating, or if you hear steady
spark knock while holding a steady speed on
level roads, have an INFINITI retailer correct the
condition. Failure to correct the condition is mis-
use of the vehicle, for which INFINITI is not re-
sponsible.
Incorrect ignition timing will result in knocking,
after-run or overheating. This in turn may cause
excessive fuel consumption or damage to the
engine. If any of the above symptoms are
encountered, have your vehicle checked at an
INFINITI retailer or other competent service fa-
cility.
However, now and then you may notice light
spark knock for a short time while accelerating
or driving up hills. This is no cause for concern,
because you get the greatest fuel benefit when
there is light spark knock for a short time under
heavy engine load.
CAUTION
●Your vehicle is not designed to run on E-85
fuel. Using E-85 fuel in a vehicle not specifi-
cally designed for E-85 fuel can damage fuel
system components and is not covered by
the INFINITI new vehicle limited warranty.
● E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline.
● U.S. government regulations require ethanol
dispensing pumps to be identified by a
small, square, orange and black label with
the common abbreviation or the appropriate
percentage for that region.
Technical and consumer information9-5
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1. API certification mark
2. API service symbol
ENGINE OIL AND OIL FILTER
RECOMMENDATION
Selecting the correct oil
It is essential to choose the correct grade,
quality, and viscosity engine oil to ensure sat-
isfactory engine life and performance, see “CA-
PACITIES AND RECOMMENDED FUEL/ LUBRI-
CANTS” earlier in this section. INFINITI
recommends the use of an energy conserving
oil in order to improve fuel economy.Select only engine oils that meet the American
Petroleum Institute (API) certification or Interna-
tional Lubricant Standardization and Approval
Committee (ILSAC) certification and SAE viscos-
ity standard. These oils have the API certifica-
tion mark on the front of the container. Oils
which do not have the specified quality label
should not be used as they could cause engine
damage.
Oil additives
INFINITI does not recommend the use of oil
additives. The use of an oil additive is not
necessary when the proper oil type is used and
maintenance intervals are followed.Oil which may contain foreign matter or has
been previously used should not be used.
Oil viscosity
The engine oil viscosity or thickness changes
with temperature. Because of this, it is impor-
tant that the engine oil viscosity be selected
based on the temperatures at which the vehicle
will be operated before the next oil change.
Choosing an oil viscosity other than that recom-
mended could cause serious engine damage.
Selecting the correct oil filter
Your new vehicle is equipped with a high-
quality genuine NISSAN oil filter. When replac-
ing, use the genuine oil filter or its equivalent
for the reason described in change intervals.
Change intervals
The oil and oil filter change intervals for your
engine are based on the use of the specified
quality oils and filters. Oil and filter other than
the specified quality, or oil and filter change
intervals longer than recommended could re-
duce engine life. Damage to engines caused by
improper maintenance or use of incorrect oil
and filter quality and/or viscosity is not covered
by the new INFINITI vehicle limited warranties.
Your engine was filled with a high quality
engine oil when it was built. You do not have to
STI0505
9-6Technical and consumer information
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change the oil before the first recommended
change interval. Oil and filter change intervals
depend upon how you use your vehicle. Opera-
tion under the following conditions may require
more frequent oil and filter changes.
●repeated short distance driving at cold out-
side temperatures,
● driving in dusty conditions,
● extensive idling,
● stop and go “rush hour” traffic,
Refer to the “INFINITI Service and Maintenance
Guide” for the maintenance schedule.
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
REFRIGERANT AND LUBRICANT
RECOMMENDATIONS
The air conditioning system in your INFINITI ve-
hicle must be charged with the refrigerant HFC-
134a (R-134a) and the lubricant, NISSAN A/C sys-
tem oil Type S or the exact equivalents.
CAUTION
The use of any other refrigerant or lubricant will
cause severe damage to the air conditioning
system and will require the replacement of all
air conditioner system components. The refrigerant HFC-134a (R-134a) in your
INFINITI vehicle will not harm the earth’s ozone
layer. Although this refrigerant does not affect
the earth’s atmosphere, certain governmental
regulations require the recovery and recycling
of any refrigerant during automotive air condi-
tioning system service. Your INFINITI retailer
has the trained technicians and equipment
needed to recover and recycle your air condi-
tioning system refrigerant.
Contact an INFINITI retailer when servicing your
air conditioning system.
Technical and consumer information9-7
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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
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times
as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations 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 mea-
sured under controlled conditions on specifiedgovernment test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on straight-ahead braking traction tests, and
does not include acceleration, cornering, hy-
droplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
TEMPERATURE A, B AND C
The temperature grades A (the highest), B, and
C, representing the tire’s resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the ma-
terial of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A rep-
resent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum re-
quired by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, under-inflation,
or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat build-up and pos-
sible tire failure.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
9-20Technical and consumer information
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01/13/10—pattie


This vehicle is equipped with an Event Data Re-
corder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR is to
record, in certain crash or near crash-like situa-
tions, such as an air bag deployment or hitting a
road obstacle, data that will assist in under-
standing how a vehicle’s systems performed.
The EDR is designed to record data related to
vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short
period of time, typically 30 seconds or less. The
EDR in this vehicle is designed to record such
data as:
●How various systems in your vehicle were
operating;
● Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened;
● How far (if at all) the driver was depressing
the accelerator and/or brake pedal; and,
● How fast the vehicle was traveling.
● Sounds are not recorded.
These data can help provide a better under-
standing of the circumstances in which crashes
and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are recorded
by your vehicle only if a nontrivial crash situa-
tion occurs; no data are recorded by the EDR
under normal driving conditions and no personal
data (e.g. name, gender, age and crash location)
are recorded. However, other parties, such as
law enforcement, could combine the EDR data with the type of personally identifying data rou-
tinely acquired during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special equip-
ment is required and access to the vehicle or the
EDR is needed. In addition to the vehicle manu-
facturer and INFINITI retailer, other parties, such
as law enforcement, that have the special equip-
ment, can read the information if they have ac-
cess to the vehicle or the EDR. EDR data will only
be accessed with the consent of the vehicle
owner or lessee or as otherwise required or per-
mitted by law.
A genuine INFINITI Service Manual is the best
source of service and repair information for your
vehicle. Filled with wiring diagrams, illustra-
tions and step-by-step diagnostic and adjust-
ment procedures, this manual is the same one
used by the factory trained technicians working
at an INFINITI retailer. Also available are genu-
ine INFINITI Owner’s Manuals, and genuine
INFINITI Service and Owner’s Manuals for older
INFINITI models.
In the USA:
For current pricing and availability of genuine
INFINITI Service Manuals
for the 2000 model
year and later, contact:
1-800-450-9491
www.infiniti-techinfo.com
For current pricing and availability of genuine
INFINITI Service Manuals for the 1999 model
year and prior, see an INFINITI retailer, or
contact:
1-800-247-5321
For current pricing and availability of genuine
INFINITI Owner’s Manuals for this model year
and prior, see an INFINITI retailer, or contact:
1-800-247-5321
EVENT DATA RECORDERS (EDR) OWNER’S MANUAL/SERVICE MANUAL
ORDER INFORMATION
Technical and consumer information9-23
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In Canada:
To purchase a copy of a genuine INFINITI Service
Manual or Owner’s Manual please contact an
INFINITI retailer. For the phone number and
location of an INFINITI retailer in your area call
the INFINITI Satisfaction Center at 1-800-361-
4792 and a bilingual INFINITI representative will
assist you.
Also available are genuine INFINITI Service and
Owner’s Manuals for older INFINITI models.
IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION
Unfortunately, accidents do occur. In this un-
likely event, there is some important informa-
tion you should know. Many insurance compa-
nies routinely authorize the use of non-genuine
collision parts in order to cut costs, among
other reasons.
Insist on the use of Genuine INFINITI
Collision Parts!
If you want your vehicle to be restored using
parts made to INFINITI’s original exacting speci-
fications — if you want to help it to last and hold
its resale value, the solution is simple.Tell your
insurance agent and your repair shop to only use
Genuine INFINITI Collision Parts. INFINITI doesnot warrant non-INFINITI parts, nor does
INFINITI’s warranty apply to damage caused by
a non-genuine part.
Using Genuine INFINITI Parts can help protect
your personal safety, preserve your warranty
protection and maintain the resale value of your
vehicle. And if your vehicle was leased, using
Genuine INFINITI Parts may prevent or limit
unnecessary excess wear and tear expenses at
the end of your lease.
INFINITI designs its hoods with crumple zones
to minimize the risk that the hood will penetrate
the windshield of your vehicle in an accident.
Non-genuine (imitation) parts may not provide
such built in safeguards. Also, non-genuine
parts often show premature wear, rust and
corrosion.
Why should you take a chance?
In over 40 states, the law says you must be
advised if non-genuine parts are used to repair
your vehicle. And some states have enacted
laws that restrict insurance companies from
authorizing the use of non-genuine collision
parts during the new vehicle warranty. These
laws help protect you, so you can take action to
protect yourself.
It’s your right!
If you should need further information visit us
at:
www.InfinitiUSA.com
(for U.S. customers) or
www.infiniti.ca (for Canadian customers)
9-24Technical and consumer information
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10 Index
4 Wheel Active Steer (4WAS) system.....5-91
4 Wheel Active Steer (4WAS) warning
light ...................... .2-12
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ........5-87
Adaptive front lighting system (AFS) .....2-35
Advanced air bag system ...........1-41
Aiming control, Adaptive front lighting
system (AFS) ................. .2-35
Air bag system Advanced air bag system .........1-41
Front passenger air bag and status
light ..................... 1-43
Front-seat mounted side-impact
supplemental air bag system .......1-46
Roof-mounted curtain side-impact
supplemental air bag system .......1-46
Air bag warning labels .............1-48
Air bag warning light ..........1-48 , 2-15
Air cleaner housing filter ...........8-19
Air conditioner Air conditioner service ...........4-44
Air conditioner specification label ....9-13
Air conditioning system refrigerant and
lubricant recommendations .......4-44
Automatic climate control ........4-30
In-cabin microfilter ............4-43
Operation
(See automatic climate control) .....4-30 Alarm, How to stop alarm
(see vehicle security system)
.........2-28
Alcohol, drugs and driving ...........5-6
Antenna .................... .4-85
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) ........5-87
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) warning
light ...................... .2-10
Appearance care Exterior appearance care ..........7-2
Interior appearance care ..........7-4
Armrest .................... .1-10
Ashtrays
(See cigarette lighter and ashtrays) .....2-44
Audible reminders .............. .2-18
Audio operation precautions .........4-44
Audio system ................. .4-44
Audio system, Steering wheel audio
controls .................... .4-83
Autolight system ............... .2-33
Automatic Automatic

climate control .........4-32
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ....8-14
Climate control .............. 4-30
Driving with automatic transmission . . . 5-12
Automatic door locks ..............3-5
Automatic drive positioner ..........3-26
Automatic seat positioner ...........3-26
Average fuel consumption and speed . . . .2-25
Avoiding collision and rollover .........5-5 B
Battery ..................... .8-16
Battery Battery saver system ...........2-34
Intelligent Key ............... 8-25
Variable voltage control system .....8-18
Before starting the engine ...........5-10
Belts (See drive belts) .............8-18
Bluetooth hands-free phone system
(models with navigation system) . . . . . . .4-86
Booster seats ................. .1-33
Brake Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) . .....5-87
Brake fluid ................. 8-15
Brake system ............... 5-84
Parking brake operation .........5-16
Brake warning light .............. .2-11
Break-in schedule .............. .5-80
Brightness control and display ON/OFF
button ..................... .4-8
Brightness control, Instrument panel . . . .2-36
Bulb check/instrument panel .........2-10
Bulb replacement .............. .8-27
C
Cabin air filter ................ .4-43
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants ................. .9-2
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