engine coolant INFINITI Q50 2018 User Guide

automatically stopping during the same
journey.
. Whenever the Idling Stop System is
deactivated the indicator light
on the
Idling Stop OFF switch illuminates. In
this condition the Idling Stop System
cannot prevent unnecessary fuel con-
sumption, exhaust emissions, or noise
during your journey.
. If the Idling Stop System is malfunction-
ing, the indicator light
on the Idling
Stop OFF switch illuminates.
NOTE:
The Idling Stop System ON or OFF message
is displayed for a few seconds in the vehicle
information display when the Idling Stop
OFF switch is pushed. See “Idling Stop
System ON or OFF” (P.5-139).
FREEING A FROZEN DOOR LOCK
To prevent a door lock from freezing, apply
deicer through the key hole. If the lock
becomes frozen, heat the key before insert-
ing it into the key hole or use the Intelligent
Key system.
ANTIFREEZE
In the winter when it is anticipated that the
outside temperature will drop below 32°F
(0°C), check antifreeze to assure proper
winter protection. For additional informa-
tion, see “Engine cooling system (for
VR30DDTT engine models)” (P.8-6), “En-
gine cooling system (for 2.0L turbo gasoline
engine models)” (P.8-8) or “Intercooler cool-
ing system (for VR30DDTT engine models)”
(P.8-9).
BATTERY
If the battery is not fully charged during
extremely cold weather conditions, the bat-
tery fluid may freeze and damage the
battery. To maintain maximum efficiency,
the battery should be checked regularly. For
additional information, see “Battery” (P.8-
16).
DRAINING OF COOLANT WATER
If the vehicle is to be left outside without
antifreeze, drain the cooling system, includ-
ing the engine block. Refill before operating
the vehicle. For details, see “Engine cooling
system (for VR30DDTT engine models)”
(P.8-6) or “Engine cooling system (for 2.0L
turbo gasoline engine models)” (P.8-8).
TIRE EQUIPMENT
SUMMER tires have a tread designed to
provide superior performance on dry pave-
ment. However, the performance of these
tires will be substantially reduced in snowy
and icy conditions. If you operate your
vehicle on snowy or icy roads, INFINITI
recommends the use of MUD & SNOW or
ALL SEASON tires on all four wheels. It is
recommended you consult an INFINITI re-
tailer for the tire type, size, speed rating and
availability information.
For additional traction on icy roads, studded
tires may be used. However, some U.S.
states and Canadian provinces prohibit their
use. Check local, state and provincial laws
before installing studded tires.
Skid and traction capabilities of studded
snow tires, on wet or dry surfaces, may be
poorer than that of non-studded snow tires.
Tire chains may be used. For details, see
“Tire chains” (P.8-40) of this manual.
Starting and driving5-141
COLD WEATHER DRIVING

5-142Starting and driving
Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
models
If you install snow tires, they must also be
the same size, brand, construction and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
SPECIAL WINTER EQUIPMENT
It is recommended that the following items
be carried in the vehicle during winter:
.A scraper and stiff-bristled brush to
remove ice and snow from the windows
and wiper blades.
. A sturdy, flat board to be placed under
the jack to give it firm support.
. A shovel to dig the vehicle out of
snowdrifts.
. Extra window washer fluid to refill the
reservoir tank.
DRIVING ON SNOW OR ICE
WARNING
. Wet ice (32°F, 0°C and freezing rain),
very cold snow or ice can be slick and
very hard to drive on. The vehicle will
have much less traction or “grip”
under these conditions. Try to avoid
driving on wet ice until the road is
salted or sanded. .
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.
. Allow more stopping distance under
these conditions. Braking should be
started sooner than on dry pave-
ment.
. Allow greater following distances on
slippery roads.
. 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 on
the ice, and avoid any sudden steer-
ing maneuvers.
. Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads.
. 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)
Engine block heaters are used to assist in
cold temperature starting.
The engine block heater should be used
when the outside temperature is 20°F
(−7°C) or lower.
To use the engine block heater
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the engine
block heater cord.
3. Plug the engine block heater cord into a grounded 3-wire, 3-pronged extension
cord.
4. Plug the extension cord into a Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) protected,
grounded 110-volt AC (VAC) outlet.
5. The engine block heater must be plugged in for at least 2 - 4 hours, depending on
outside temperatures, to properly warm
the engine coolant. Use an appropriate
timer to turn the engine block heater on.
6. Before starting the engine, unplug and properly store the cord to keep it away
from moving parts.

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. (If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off the
engine.) Do not open the hood further
until no steam or coolant can be seen.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the
engine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. Visually check drive belts for damage or looseness. Also 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
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, engine belts or the
engine cooling fan. The engine cooling fan can start at any time.
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 repaired. It is recommended you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service. When towing your vehicle, all State (Pro-
vincial in Canada) and local regulations for
towing must be followed. Incorrect towing
equipment could damage your vehicle. Tow-
ing instructions are available from an
INFINITI retailer. Local service operators
are familiar with the applicable laws and
procedures for towing. To assure proper
towing and to prevent accidental damage to
your vehicle, INFINITI recommends that you
have a service operator tow your vehicle. It is
advisable to have the service operator care-
fully read the following precautions.
WARNING
.
Never ride in a vehicle that is being
towed.
. Never get under your vehicle after it
has been lifted by a tow truck.
CAUTION
.When towing, make sure that the
transmission, axles, steering system
and powertrain are in working con-
dition. If any unit is damaged, dollies
must be used.
. Always attach safety chains before
In case of emergency6-17
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE

8 Do-it-yourself
Maintenance precautions ................................................ 8-3
Engine compartment check locations .......................... 8-4VR30DDTT engine....................................................... 8-4
2.0L turbo gasoline engine........................................ 8-5
Engine cooling system (for VR30DDTT
engine models).................................................................... 8-6
Checking engine coolant level ................................. 8-7
Changing engine coolant............................................ 8-7
Engine cooling system (for 2.0L turbo gasoline
engine models).................................................................... 8-8
Checking engine coolant level................................... 8-8
Changing engine coolant............................................ 8-9
Intercooler cooling system (for VR30DDTT
engine models).................................................................... 8-9 Checking intercooler coolant level........................ 8-10
Changing intercooler coolant................................. 8-10
Engine oil.....................................................................\
...... 8-10 Checking engine oil level .......................................... 8-11
Changing engine oil and filter................................. 8-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF).......................... 8-13
Power steering fluid (models with hydraulic pump
electric power steering).................................................. 8-14
Brake fluid...................................................................\
....... 8-14
Window washer fluid...................................................... 8-15 Battery........................................................................\
........ 8-16
Main battery location.............................................. 8-16
Auxiliary battery location (for 2.0L turbo
gasoline engine models).......................................... 8-17
Checking battery fluid level................................... 8-17
Jump starting............................................................. 8-18
Variable voltage control system ................................. 8-19
Drive belts ........................................................................\
. 8-19
Spark plugs....................................................................... 8-20 Replacing spark plugs............................................. 8-20
Air cleaner........................................................................\
.. 8-21
Windshield wiper blades ............................................... 8-21 Cleaning....................................................................... 8-21
Replacing..................................................................... 8-22
Brakes..................................................................\
............... 8-22 Self-adjusting brakes............................................... 8-22
Brake pad wear warning........................................ 8-22
Fuses...................................................................\
................ 8-23 Engine compartment.............................................. 8-24
Passenger compartment ........................................ 8-25
Intelligent Key battery replacement........................... 8-26
Lights........................................................................\
......... 8-28 Headlights................................................................... 8-29
Exterior and interior lights..................................... 8-29

When performing any inspection or main-
tenance work on your vehicle, always take
care to prevent serious accidental injury to
yourself or damage to the vehicle. The
following are general precautions which
should be closely observed.
WARNING
.Park the vehicle on a level surface,
apply the parking brake securely and
block the wheels to prevent the
vehicle from moving. Move the shift
lever to P (Park).
. Be sure the ignition switch is in the
OFF or LOCK position when per-
forming any parts replacement or
repairs.
. Never connect or disconnect the
battery or any transistorized compo-
nent while the ignition switch is in the
ON position.
. Never leave the engine or automatic
transmission related component har-
nesses disconnected while the igni-
tion switch is in the ON position.
. If you must work with the engine
running, keep your hands, clothing,
hair and tools away from moving
fans, belts and any other moving parts.
. It is advisable to secure or remove
any loose clothing and remove any
jewelry, such as rings, watches, etc.
before working on your vehicle.
. Always wear eye protection when-
ever you work on your vehicle.
. If you must run the engine in an
enclosed space such as a garage, be
sure there is proper ventilation for
exhaust gases to escape.
. Never get under the vehicle while it is
supported only by a jack. If it is
necessary to work under the vehicle,
support it with safety stands.
. Keep smoking materials, flame and
sparks away from fuel tank and the
battery.
. Your vehicle is equipped with an
automatic engine cooling fan. It may
come on at any time without warn-
ing, even if the ignition key is in the
OFF position and the engine is not
running. To avoid injury, always dis-
connect the negative battery cable
before working near the fan.
. Because the fuel lines are under high
pressure even when the engine is off,
it is recommended you visit an
INFINITI retailer for service of the fuel filter or fuel lines.
CAUTION
.
Do not work under the hood while the
engine is hot. Turn the engine off and
wait until it cools down.
. Avoid direct contact with used en-
gine oil and coolant. Improperly dis-
posed engine oil, coolant, and/or
other vehicle fluids can damage the
environment. Always conform to lo-
cal regulations for disposal of vehicle
fluid.
This “8. Do-it-yourself” section gives in-
structions regarding only those items which
are relatively easy for an owner to perform.
A genuine INFINITI Service Manual is also
available. (See “Owner’s Manual/Service
Manual order information” (P.10-26).)
You should be aware that incomplete or
improper servicing may result in operating
difficulties or excessive emissions, and could
affect your warranty coverage. If in doubt
about any servicing, it is recommended you
have it done by an INFINITI retailer.
Do-it-yourself8-3
MAINTENANCE PRECAUTIONS

8-4Do-it-yourself
JVC0968X
VR30DDTT ENGINE
1. Battery
2. Engine oil dipstick
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Fuse/fusible link holder6. Air cleaner
7. Engine drive belt location
8. Radiator filler cap
9 Intercooler cooling reservoir
10. Engine coolant reservoir
11. Window washer fluid reservoir
ENGINE COMPARTMENT CHECK
LOCATIONS

JVC0646X
2.0L TURBO GASOLINE ENGINE
1. Fuse and fusible link holder
2. Main battery*
3. Engine oil filler cap
4. Brake fluid reservoir
5. Engine coolant reservoir6. Fuse and fusible link holder
7. Engine oil dipstick
8. Engine drive belt location
9. Power steering fluid reservoir (if so
equipped)
10. Window washer fluid reservoir *: The auxiliary battery is located in the
trunk. (See “Auxiliary battery location
(for 2.0L turbo gasoline engine mod-
els)” (P.8-17).)
Do-it-yourself8-5

8-6Do-it-yourself
The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
Genuine NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/
Coolant (blue) and 50% water to provide
year-round anti-freeze and coolant protec-
tion. The anti-freeze solution contains rust
and corrosion inhibitors. Additional engine
cooling system additives are not necessary.
WARNING
.Never remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Wait until the
engine and radiator cool down. Ser-
ious burns could be caused by high
pressure fluid escaping from the
radiator. See precautions in “If your
vehicle overheats” (P.6-16) of this
manual.
. The radiator is equipped with a
pressure type radiator cap. To pre-
vent engine damage, use only a
genuine NISSAN radiator cap.
CAUTION
.Never use any cooling system addi-
tives such as radiator sealer. Addi-
tives may clog the cooling system and
cause damage to the engine, trans- mission and/or cooling system.
. When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue)
or equivalent. Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is pre-
diluted to provide antifreeze protec-
tion to −34°F (−37°C). If additional
freeze protection is needed due to
weather where you operate your
vehicle, add Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) con-
centrate following the directions on
the container. If an equivalent cool-
ant other than Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) is
used, follow the coolant manufac-
ture’s instructions to maintain mini-
mum antifreeze protection to −34°F
(−37°C). The use of other types of
coolant solutions other than Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (blue) or equivalent may damage
the engine cooling system.
. The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 105,000 miles (168,000
km) or 7 years. Mixing any other type
of coolant other than Genuine
NISSAN Long Life Antifreeze/Cool-
ant (blue), including Genuine NISSAN
Long Life Antifreeze/ Coolant
(green), or the use of non-distilled water will reduce the life expectancy
of the factory-fill coolant. Refer to
the “9. Maintenance and schedules”
section of this manual for more de-
tails.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM (for
VR30DDTT engine models)

JVM0652X
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant level in the reservoir tank
when the engine is running and after it
reaches normal operating temperature. If
the coolant level is below MIN level
, add
coolant up to the MAX level. If the
reservoir tank is empty, check the coolant
level in the radiator when the engine is cold.
If there is insufficient coolant in the radiator,
fill the radiator with coolant up to the filler
cap above the radiator upper hose opening
and also add it to the reservoir tank up to the
MAX level
. Put on the filler cap above the
radiator upper hose and with the reservoir
cap open, start the engine. Run the engine until it reaches normal operating tempera-
ture. Add coolant up to the MAX level
.
Tighten the cap securely after adding engine
coolant.
If the cooling system requires coolant fre-
quently, have it checked. It is recommended
you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
It is recommended that major cooling system
repairs be performed by an INFINITI retailer.
The service procedures can be found in the
appropriate INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheat-
ing.
WARNING
. To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
engine is hot.
. Never remove the radiator cap when
the engine is hot. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid
escaping from the radiator.
. Avoid direct skin contact with used
coolant. If skin contact is made, wash
thoroughly with soap or hand cleaner as soon as possible.
. Keep coolant out of reach of children
and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of prop-
erly. Check your local regulations.
Do-it-yourself8-7

8-8Do-it-yourself
The engine cooling system is filled at the
factory with a pre-diluted mixture of 50%
BASF Glysantin® G48® and 50% water to
provide year-round anti-freeze and coolant
protection. The anti-freeze solution contains
rust and corrosion inhibitors. Additional
engine cooling system additives are not
necessary.
WARNING
Never remove the radiator cap when the
engine is hot. Wait until the engine and
radiator cool down. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid escaping
from the radiator. See precautions in “If
your vehicle overheats” (P.6-16) of this
manual.
CAUTION
.Never use any cooling system addi-
tives such as radiator sealer. Addi-
tives may clog the cooling system and
cause damage to the engine, trans-
mission and/or cooling system.
. When adding or replacing coolant, be
sure to use only BASF Glysantin®
G48® or equivalent. BASF Glysan-
tin® G48® is pre-diluted to provide antifreeze protection to −34°F
(−37°C). If additional freeze protec-
tion is needed due to weather where
you operate your vehicle, add BASF
Glysantin® G48® concentrate fol-
lowing the directions on the contain-
er. If an equivalent coolant other than
BASF Glysantin® G48® is used,
follow the coolant manufacture’s in-
structions to maintain minimum anti-
freeze protection to −34°F (−37°C).
The use of other types of coolant
solutions other than BASF Glysan-
tin® G48® or equivalent may da-
mage the engine cooling system.
. The life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant is 120,000 miles (192,000
km) or 10 years. Mixing any other
type of coolant other than BASF
Glysantin® G48®, or the use of
non-distilled water will reduce the
life expectancy of the factory-fill
coolant. Refer to the “9. Mainte-
nance and schedules” section of this
manual for more details.
JVM0303X
CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant level in the reservoir when
the engine is running and after it reaches
normal operating temperature. If the coolant
level is below MIN level
, add coolant up to
the MAX level. Tighten the cap securely
after adding engine coolant.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked. It is recommended
you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM (for
2.0L turbo gasoline engine models)