engine INFINITI Q50 HYBRID 2018 Owner's Manual

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING
WARNING
Operating, servicing and maintaining a passenger
vehicle or off-highway motor vehicle can expose you to
chemicals including engine exhaust, carbon monoxide,
phthalates, and lead, which are known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. To minimize exposure, avoid
breathing exhaust, do not idle the engine except as
necessary, service your vehicle in a well-ventilated area
and wear gloves or wash your hands frequently when
servicing your vehicle. For more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/passenger-vehicle.

Your INFINITI represents a new way of
thinking about vehicle design. It integrates
advanced engineering and superior crafts-
manship with a simple, refined aesthetic
sensitivity associated with traditional Japa-
nese culture.
The result is a different notion of luxury and
beauty. The car itself is important, but so is
the sense of harmony that the vehicle evokes
in its driver, and the sense of satisfaction you
feel with the INFINITI — from the way it
looks and drives to the high level of retailer
service.
To ensure that you enjoy your INFINITI to
the fullest, we encourage you to read this
Owner’s Manual immediately. It explains all
of the features, controls and performance
characteristics of your INFINITI; it also
provides important instructions and safety
information.
A separate Warranty Information Booklet
is included in your Owner’s literature port-
folio. Always carry it with you when you
take your vehicle to an INFINITI retailer.
The Warranty Information Booklet con-
tents provide complete information about
all warranties covering this vehicle, the
requirements to keep the warranties in
effect as well as the INFINITI Roadside
Assistance program.Additionally, a separate Customer Care and
Lemon Law Information Booklet will ex-
plain how to resolve any concerns you may
have with your vehicle, as well as clarify
your rights under your state’s lemon law.
In addition to factory installed options, your
vehicle may also be equipped with additional
accessories installed by INFINITI or by your
INFINITI retailer prior to delivery. It is
important that you familiarize yourself with
all disclosures, warnings, cautions and in-
structions concerning proper use of such
accessories prior to operating the vehicle
and/or accessory. It is recommended you
see an INFINITI retailer for details concern-
ing the particular accessories with which
your vehicle is equipped.READ FIRST — THEN DRIVE
SAFELY
Before driving your vehicle, read your Own-
er’s Manual carefully. This will ensure famil-
iarity with controls and maintenance
requirements, assisting you in the safe
operation of your vehicle.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
REMINDERS!
Follow these important driving rules to
help ensure a safe and comfortable trip
for you and your passengers!
.
NEVER drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.
. ALWAYS observe posted speed lim-
its and never drive too fast for
conditions.
. ALWAYS give your full attention to
driving and avoid using vehicle fea-
tures or taking other actions that
could distract you.
. ALWAYS use your seat belts and
appropriate child restraint systems.
Pre-teen children should be seated in
the rear seat.
Foreword

.ALWAYS provide information about
the proper use of vehicle safety
features to all occupants of the
vehicle.
. ALWAYS review this Owner’s Man-
ual for important safety information.
MODIFICATION OF YOUR VEHI-
CLE
This vehicle should not be modified. Mod-
ification could affect its performance,
safety or durability, and may even violate
governmental regulations. In addition, da-
mage or performance problems resulting
from modification will not be covered
under the INFINITI warranties.
WARNING
Installing an aftermarket On-Board Di-
agnostic (OBD) plug-in device that uses
the port during normal driving, for
example remote insurance company
monitoring, remote vehicle diagnostics,
telematics or engine reprogramming,
may cause interference or damage to
vehicle systems. We do not recommend
or endorse the use of any aftermarket OBD plug-in devices, unless specifically
approved by INFINITI. The vehicle war-
ranty may not cover damage caused by
any aftermarket plug-in device.
WHEN READING THE MANUAL
This manual includes information for all
features and equipment available on this
model. Features and equipment in your
vehicle may vary depending on model, trim
level, options selected, order, date of pro-
duction, region or availability. Therefore,
you may find information about features or
equipment that are not included or installed
on your vehicle.
All information, specifications and illustra-
tions in this manual are those in effect at the
time of printing. INFINITI reserves the right
to change specifications, performance, de-
sign or component suppliers without notice
and without obligation. From time to time,
INFINITI may update or revise this manual to
provide owners with the most accurate
information currently available. Please care-
fully read and retain with this manual all
revision updates sent to you by INFINITI to
ensure you have access to accurate and up-
to-date information regarding your vehicle.
Current versions of vehicle Owner’s Manuals
and any updates can also be found in the
owner section of the INFINITI website athttps://owners.infinitiusa.com/owners/na-
vigation/manualsandGuides. If you have
questions concerning any information in
your Owner’s Manual, contact INFINITI
Consumer Affairs. See the INFINITI CUS-
TOMER CARE PROGRAM page in this
Owner’s Manual for contact information.IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ABOUT THIS MANUAL
You will see various symbols in this manual.
They are used in the following ways:
WARNING
This is used to indicate the presence of a
hazard that could cause death or serious
personal injury. To avoid or reduce the
risk, the procedures must be followed
precisely.
CAUTION
This is used to indicate the presence of a
hazard that could cause minor or mod-
erate personal injury or damage to your
vehicle. To avoid or reduce the risk, the
procedures must be followed carefully.

Hybrid System-2Hybrid System Overview
The INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid®Sys-
tem combines the power of a gasoline
engine and an electric motor to help mini-
mize fuel consumption and emissions.
Depending on driving conditions, the vehicle
runs on a combination of the gasoline engine
and the electric motor, whichever is best for
those conditions.
Because the gasoline engine charges the
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery as needed, the
battery does not have to be charged from an
outside source like an all-electric vehicle.
WARNING
Your vehicle contains a sealed Lithium
ion (Li-ion) high voltage battery. If the
Li-ion battery is disposed of improperly,
there is a risk of severe burns and
electrical shock that may result in ser-
ious injury or death and there is also a
risk of environmental damage.
CAUTION
. Do not misuse the Li-ion battery.
. Do not use the Li-ion battery for any
other purpose.
The Li-ion battery is used to drive the
electric motors in the INFINITI Direct Re-
sponse Hybrid
®System.
The Li-ion battery has a limited service life. It
is recommended that you contact your
INFINITI retailer for information about re-
cycling or disposal of the battery.
WARNING
. The INFINITI Direct Response Hy-
brid®System uses high voltage up to
approximately 408 volts. The system
can be hot during and after starting.
Be careful of both the high voltage
and the high temperature. Obey the
warning labels attached to the vehi-
cle.
. Never disassemble, remove or replace
high-voltage parts and harnesses as
well as their connectors. Doing so can
cause severe burns or electric shock
that may result in serious injury or
death. High-voltage harnesses are
colored orange. The vehicle high
voltage system has no user service-
able parts. It is recommended that
you take your vehicle to an INFINITI
retailer for any necessary mainte-
nance.
. Never try to remove the service plug
located in the trunk. The service plug
is used only when the vehicle is
serviced by trained technicians wear-
ing personal protection equipment
and is part of the high voltage
system. Touching the service plug
can cause severe burns or electric
shock that may result in serious injury
INFINITI DIRECT RESPONSE
HYBRID®SYSTEM LITHIUM-ION (Li-ion) BATTERY HIGH VOLTAGE CAUTIONS

Hybrid System-4Hybrid System Overview
delivered to an INFINITI retailer to
have the Li-ion battery pack and high
voltage parts such as the inverter,
including the wiring harness, re-
moved prior to painting. Li-ion bat-
tery packs exposed to heat in the
paint booth will experience capacity
loss. Damaged Li-ion battery packs
may also pose safety risks to un-
trained mechanics and repair person-
nel.The emergency shut-off system is activated
and the high-voltage system automatically
turns off in the following conditions:
.
Front and side collisions in which the air
bags are deployed.
. Certain rear collisions.
. Certain INFINITI Direct Response Hy-
brid
®System malfunctions
For the above collisions and the certain
hybrid system malfunctions, the READY to
drive indicator light will turn off. See “Warn-
ing lights, indicator lights and audible re-
minders” (P.2-9).
The emergency shut-off activates for the
above collisions to minimize risk of an event
that could cause injury or an accident. If the
emergency shut-off system activates, the
hybrid system may not switch to READY to
drive position. If this occurs, it is recom-
mended that you contact an INFINITI re-
tailer. Even if the ignition switch is switched
to READY to drive position, the system may
shut-off suddenly. Therefore, drive cau-
tiously to the nearest INFINITI retailer or
contact an INFINITI retailer as soon as
possible. To start the INFINITI Direct Response
Hybrid
®System:
1. Depress the brake pedal and place the ignition switch in the ON position when
the transmission is in the P (Park) or N
(Neutral) position (P is recommended).
(For more details, see “Push-button
ignition switch” (P.5-11).)
2. The READY to drive indicator light
flashes, then turns illuminated. (The
hybrid system switched to the READY
to drive mode when the indicator light
illuminates.)
When the READY to drive indicator light
illuminates, the vehicle can be driven,
even if the gasoline engine is not running.
NOTE:
The gasoline engine starts and stops auto-
matically. It may stop during low speed
driving, deceleration or when the vehicle is
stopped.
The gasoline engine may automatically run
in the following conditions:
. The level of remaining charge in the
Lithium ion (Li-ion) battery is low. The
engine runs to charge the Li-ion battery
and to provide power to the drive the
vehicle.
. The temperature of the engine coolant is
low.
EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF SYSTEMOPERATION OF THE INFINITI DIRECT
RESPONSE HYBRID®SYSTEM

.Based on driving conditions.
. The shift lever is shifted to the P (Park)
position, the driver’s seat belt is re-
leased and the driver’s side door is then
opened.
The hybrid system operates as follows based
on driving conditions and the Li-ion battery
charge.
STARTING AND SLOW SPEED
DRIVING
The vehicle is driven by the electric motor
depending on the available Li-ion battery
charge.
MEDIUM OR HIGH SPEED DRIV-
ING
The system automatically controls the gaso-
line engine and electric motor in order to
obtain the optimum fuel mileage and per-
formance, depending on the driving situation
and available Li-ion battery charge.
When the remaining battery level is low, the
Li-ion battery is charged by the electric
motor that is driven to generate electric
power while the vehicle is driving.
RAPID ACCELERATION
The vehicle is accelerated using both the
gasoline engine and the electric motor
depending on the available Li-ion battery
charge.
DECELERATION AND BRAKING
The Li-ion battery is charged by the electric
motor that changes the energy of the
rotating wheels into electric power. See
“Regenerative brake” (P.Hybrid System-8).
STOPPING
The gasoline engine may stop running to
save fuel depending on the available Li-ion
battery charge. The INFINITI Direct Response Hybrid
®Sys-
tem monitors the status of power being sent
to the electric motor and the Lithium ion (Li-
ion) battery state of charge. The status is
shown on the assist charge gauge in the
meter and the energy flow/remaining Li-ion
battery charge in the lower display and the
meter. System status can also be shown
when the screen is in the energy flow mode
or energy/fuel history mode.
Hybrid System OverviewHybrid System-5
ENERGY MONITORS

Hybrid System-6Hybrid System Overview
JVO0109X
ASSIST CHARGE GAUGE
This gauge indicates the actual electric
motor power consumption and the charging
power to the Li-ion battery.
For additional information, see “Assist
charge gauge” (P.2-7).
ENERGY FLOW
When you use this system, make sure the
hybrid system is in the READY to drive mode.
See “Operation of the INFINITI Direct
Response Hybrid
®System” (P.Hybrid Sys-
tem-4).
JVO0111X
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) models
If you use the system with the hybrid
system off (ignition switch placed in the
ACC position) for a long time, it will
discharge the 12-volt battery power, and
the hybrid system will not start.
Energy monitor for various operating modes
can be displayed in the lower display.
The energy flow is also displayed in the
vehicle information display. (See “1. Energy
monitor” (P.2-27).)
This is an example of the Energy Flow
display. The Energy Flow display changes,
depending on the following operating con-
ditions. The graphic indicates the amount of
power in the Li-ion battery. The following are displayed on the Energy
Flow screen.
.
When the vehicle is powered only by the
electric motor.
. When the vehicle is powered only by the
gasoline engine.
. When the vehicle is powered by both the
electric motor and the gasoline engine.
. When the vehicle is charging the Li-ion
battery with the regenerative brake and
gasoline engine.
. When the vehicle is charging the Li-ion
battery with the regenerative brake.
. When the vehicle is charging the Li-ion
battery with the gasoline engine.
. When the vehicle is powered by the
gasoline engine and is charging the Li-
ion battery.
. When there is no Energy Flow in the
vehicle
. When the vehicle is driving by the All-
Wheel Drive (AWD) (AWD models).

Hybrid System-8Hybrid System Overview
displayed.
3. Current fuel consumption (Latest col- umn): The current fuel consumption is
calculated and displayed based on dis-
tance and fuel consumption.
NOTE:
The fuel consumption displays on the upper
side of the fuel economy history display,
and the regenerated energy displays on the
lower side of the economy history. When the vehicle decelerates while the
vehicle is driven with the shift lever in the D
(Drive) position or in the manual shift mode,
the Lithium ion (Li-ion) battery can be
charged by the electric motor. The electric
motor converts the energy of the rotating
wheels into electric power under the follow-
ing circumstances:
.
When the accelerator pedal is released.
. When the brake pedal is depressed.
. When there is no malfunction in the brake
system or the INFINITI Direct Response
Hybrid
®System.
The regenerative brake may not work prop-
erly if the vehicle has tires and road wheels
other than the ones specified in this manual. Drive your vehicle with smooth acceleration
and deceleration.
.
While driving, energy is recovered
through the regenerative brake as the
vehicle decelerates. However, for most
efficient use, do not accelerate or de-
celerate your vehicle more than neces-
sary.
. Avoid abrupt acceleration and decelera-
tion.
. The power of the Lithium ion (Li-ion)
battery can be checked on the Energy
Flow or Energy monitor. See “Energy
Flow” (P.Hybrid System-6) or “Trip com-
puter” (P.2-27). Gradual or non-abrupt
acceleration and deceleration will make
more effective use of the electric power,
using less gasoline engine power.
. When parking, be sure to place the shift
lever in the P (Park) position. While
driving, place the shift lever in the D
(Drive) position.
REGENERATIVE BRAKEEFFICIENT USE OF YOUR VEHICLE

HYBRID VEHICLE CHARACTER-
ISTICS
WARNING
.When you leave your vehicle, be sure
to place the ignition switch in the
OFF position.
. Be sure to put the transmission in the
P (Park) position because the vehicle
can move when the READY to drive
indicator light is on even if the gaso-
line engine is not running. When the
READY to drive indicator light is on,
do not leave your vehicle in a shift
position other than the P (Park)
position. The vehicle will creep and
start abruptly if the accelerator pedal
is depressed by mistake. This may
cause serious injury or death.
CAUTION
If the vehicle is parked for a long period
of time, the battery discharges gradu-
ally. To avoid this occurrence, drive the
vehicle for approximately 30 minutes at
least once every two to three months.
Otherwise, the Lithium ion (Li-ion) bat- tery may be damaged. If the Li-ion
battery is completely discharged and
the hybrid system cannot be activated,
it is recommended that you contact an
INFINITI retailer.
High voltage parts and harnesses on the
hybrid vehicles emit approximately the same
amount of electromagnetic waves as the
conventional gasoline-powered vehicles or
home electronic appliances despite of their
electromagnetic shieldings. Unwanted noise
may occur in the reception of a mobile two-
way radio.
Charging the Li-ion battery while driving is
important. The vehicle cannot run if the Li-
ion battery is discharged. When in the N
(Neutral), D (Drive) or R (Reverse) position,
and while the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal is not depressed, the Li-ion battery
does not recharge. Leaving the transmission
in the N (Neutral), D (Drive) or R (Reverse)
position, and while the accelerator pedal or
the brake pedal is not depressed for an
extended period of time (for example, when
the shift lever is in the D (Drive) position and
the vehicle is stopped only by the parking
brake), may discharge the Li-ion battery and
the hybrid system may automatically be
turned off.
JVO0114X
An air ventis located on the right and left
sides between the rear seat and rear door to
cool the Li-ion battery and DC/DC conver-
ter. If the vent is covered, the Li-ion battery
or DC/DC converter will overheat resulting
in reduced output performance of the hybrid
system. See “Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery
and DC/DC converter air vent” (P.7-5).
Hybrid System OverviewHybrid System-11

Hybrid System-12Hybrid System Overview
JVO0101X
CAUTION
.Do not allow any liquid to get on or in
the air vent. It may cause a short
circuit and damage the Li-ion battery
or DC/DC converter.
. Do not place objects over or into the
air vent. The Li-ion battery or DC/
DC converter may overheat and be
damaged.
JVO0006X
CAUTION
Do not load large amounts of water in
open containers (aquariums or buckets)
into the vehicle. If the water spills onto
the Li-ion battery, it may cause a short
circuit and damage the battery.
Noise and vibration
After the hybrid system is activated, the
following noises and vibrations that are
unique to the hybrid system may occur. This
does not indicate a malfunction. .
Electric motor noise from the engine
compartment
. Noise from the rear of the vehicle when
the hybrid system activates or deacti-
vates
. Noise and vibration when the gasoline
engine starts running or stops
. Operating noise or electric motor noise
when releasing the accelerator pedal or
depressing the brake pedal
. Engine noise due to rapid acceleration
. Fan noise from the air inlet located
between the rear seat and rear door
. Noise from the climate control system
. Noise from the vehicle in order to alert
pedestrians to the presence of an ap-
proaching vehicle. See “Approaching Ve-
hicle Sound for Pedestrians (VSP)
system” (P.Hybrid System-9).