engine overheat INFINITI Q50 HYBRID 2018 Owner's Manual

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).

2-22Instruments and controls
as the low tire pressure warning light
remains illuminated. If this warning appears,
stop the vehicle and adjust the pressure to
the recommended COLD tire pressure
shown on the Tire and Loading Information
label. (See “Low tire pressure warning light”
(P.2-12) and “Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)” (P.5-5).)
18. Flat Tire - Visit dealer warning
This warning appears when the low tire
pressure warning light in the meter illumi-
nates and one or more flat tires are detected
while driving. A chime also sounds for
approximately 10 seconds. (See “Low tire
pressure warning light” (P.2-12) and “Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)” (P.5-
5).)
19. Low oil pressure warning
This warning appears if low engine oil
pressure is detected. If the warning appears
during normal driving, pull off the road in a
safe area, stop the engine immediately and
call an INFINITI retailer or other authorized
repair shop.
The low oil pressure warning is not designed
to indicate a low oil level. Use the dipstick to
check the oil level. (See “Engine oil” (P.8-9).)
20. High temperature warning
This warning appears when the engine
coolant temperature is extremely high.
CAUTION
If the high temperature warning appears
when the ignition switch is in the ON
position, stop the vehicle safely as soon
as possible.
If the vehicle is overheated, continuing
vehicle operation may seriously damage
the engine. (See “If your vehicle over-
heats” (P.6-8) for the immediate action
required.)
21. Hybrid system overheat warning
This warning appears when the temperature
of the hybrid system is extremely high. Stop
the vehicle in a safe location as soon as
possible. Avoid quick starting or abrupt
acceleration. When the warning turns off,
the vehicle can be driven.
If the warning appears again soon after it
turns off, it is recommended that you have
the vehicle checked by an INFINITI retailer.
WARNING
Do not hold the vehicle in a stopped
position on an uphill grade by depressing
the accelerator or by slowly creeping
forward. This may cause damage to the
transmission or the vehicle may enter
traffic causing serious injury or death.
Always use the brake pedal when stop-
ping on an uphill grade.
CAUTION
.If you continue to drive the vehicle
while the warning is displayed, the
vehicle may become undriveable. If
this occurs, place the shift lever in the
“P” position and wait for a short
period of time with the vehicle
stopped until the display goes out.
In this case, the warning will be
displayed alternately with the SHIFT
“P” warning. (See “3. SHIFT “P”
warning” (P.2-20).)
. Do not drive the vehicle with the
warning on. Doing so could cause a
hybrid system malfunction.

6. Elapsed time and trip odometer
(mile or km)
Elapsed time:
The elapsed time mode shows the time since
the last reset. Resetting is done by pushing
the
orswitch for longer than 1
second. (The trip odometer is also reset at
the same time.)
Trip odometer:
The trip odometer mode shows the total
distance the vehicle has been driven since
the last reset. Resetting is done by pushing
the
orswitch for longer than 1
second. (The elapsed time is also reset at the
same time.)
7. Distance to empty (dte — mile or
km)
The distance to empty (dte) mode provides
you with an estimation of the distance that
can be driven before refueling. The dte is
constantly being calculated, based on the
amount of fuel in the fuel tank and the actual
fuel consumption.
The display is updated every 30 seconds.
The dte mode includes a low range warning
feature. If the fuel level is low, the warning is
displayed on the screen. When the fuel level drops even lower, the
dte display will change to “——”.
.
If the amount of fuel added is small, the
display just before the ignition switch is
pushed to the OFF position may con-
tinue to be displayed.
. When driving uphill or rounding curves,
the fuel in the tank shifts, which may
momentarily change the display.
8. Engine coolant temperature
gauge
This gauge indicates the temperature of the
engine coolant. If the engine is overheated,
the high temperature warning will appear.
The engine coolant temperature varies with
the outside air temperature and driving
conditions.
CAUTION
If the engine is overheated, continued
operation of the vehicle may seriously
damage the engine. See “If your vehicle
overheats” (P.6-8) for immediate action
required.
9. Navigation (if so equipped)
When the route guidance is set in the
navigation system, this item shows the
navigation route information.
For more details, see the Infiniti InTouch
Owner’s Manual.
10. Audio
The audio mode shows the status of audio
information.
For more details, see the Infiniti InTouch
Owner’s Manual.
11. Driving aids
The driving aids mode shows the operating
condition for the following systems.
. Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
. Lane Departure Prevention (LDP)
. Blind Spot Warning (BSW)
. Blind Spot Intervention
®(BSI)
. Distance Control Assist (DCA)
. Forward Emergency Braking (FEB)
. Predictive Forward Collision Warning
(PFCW)
For more details, see “Lane Departure
Warning (LDW)/Lane Departure Prevention
(LDP)” (P.5-32), “Blind Spot Warning
(BSW)” (P.5-39), “Blind Spot Intervention
®
(BSI)” (P.5-47), “Distance Control Assist
(DCA)” (P.5-93), “Forward Emergency Brak-
Instruments and controls2-29

THREE-WAY CATALYST
The three-way catalyst is an emission con-
trol device installed in the exhaust system.
Exhaust gases in the three-way catalyst are
burned at high temperatures to help reduce
pollutants.
WARNING
.The exhaust gas and the exhaust
system are very hot. Keep people,
animals or flammable materials away
from the exhaust system compo-
nents.
. Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry
grass, waste paper or rags. They
may ignite and cause a fire.
CAUTION
.Do not use leaded gasoline. Deposits
from leaded gasoline seriously reduce
the three-way catalyst’s ability to
help reduce exhaust pollutants.
. Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunc-
tions in the ignition, fuel injection, or
electrical systems can cause overrich fuel flow into the three-way catalyst,
causing it to overheat. Do not keep
driving if the engine misfires, or if
noticeable loss of performance or
other unusual operating conditions
are detected. Have the vehicle in-
spected. It is recommended you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
. Avoid driving with an extremely low
fuel level. Running out of fuel could
cause the engine to misfire, damaging
the three-way catalyst.
. Do not race the engine while warming
it up.
. Do not push or tow your vehicle to
start the hybrid system.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires.) As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS) that illuminates a low
tire pressure telltale when one or more of
your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
If the vehicle is being driven with one or more
flat tires, the low tire pressure warning light
will illuminate continuously and a chime will
sound for 10 seconds. The “Flat Tire - Visit
dealer” warning will also appear in the
vehicle information display. The chime will
only sound at the first indication of a flat tire,
and the warning light will illuminate con-
tinuously. When the flat tire warning is
activated, it is recommended you have the
system reset and the tire checked and
replaced if necessary by an INFINITI retailer.
Even if the tire is inflated to the specified
COLD tire pressure, the warning light will
continue to illuminate until the system is
reset. Your vehicle can be driven for a limited
time on a flat tire. See “Run-flat tires” (P.8-
34).
Starting and driving5-5

wheel, may reduce the steering per-
formance.
Direct Adaptive Steering is designed to
control the steering force and steering angle
according to the vehicle speed and amount
of turning of the steering wheel.
The steering characteristic can be selected
using the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector. See
“INFINITI Drive Mode Selector” (P.5-21).
If the VDC system is turned off, the setting
of steering becomes Standard mode.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the hybrid system is running, it
may indicate that Direct Adaptive Steering is
not functioning properly and may need
servicing. It is recommended you have the
system checked by an INFINITI retailer. (See
“Power steering warning light” (P.2-14).)
When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the hybrid system running,
the power assist for the steering will cease
operation. You will still have control of the
vehicle. However, greater steering effort will
be needed, especially in sharp turns and at
low speeds.
If Direct Adaptive Steering is malfunction-
ing, the steering wheel may turn slightly even
when driving on a straight road.
Under the following conditions, the steering wheel may turn slightly even when driving on
a straight road. This is due to a protection
mechanism for Direct Adaptive Steering. The
steering wheel will return to the normal
position after the protection mechanism is
deactivated.
Condition A
.
When the engine is stalled or likely to be
stalled
. When the steering wheel is held in the full
lock position or when the front tire
touches an obstruction.
. When the battery is discharged
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and stop operating the steering wheel. Then
drive the vehicle for a short period of time.
Condition B
. When the steering wheel is operated
repeatedly or continuously while parking
or driving at a very low speed. In this
case, the power assist for the steering
wheel will be reduced.
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and wait for a period of time, without
operating the steering wheel, until the
temperature of Direct Adaptive Steering
cools down. Avoid repeated steering wheel
operations that could cause Direct Adaptive
Steering to overheat. When the vehicle is tested on the 2-wheel
dynamometer, the power steering warning
light may illuminate. To turn off the power
steering warning light, stop the vehicle in a
safe location, turn the hybrid system off,
restart the hybrid system, and then drive the
vehicle for a period of time.
The following conditions do not indicate a
malfunction of Direct Adaptive Steering.
.
You may notice wider steering play when
the ignition switch is in the OFF or ACC
position compared to when it is in the
ON position.
. After the hybrid system is started, the
steering wheel may turn slightly even
when driving on a straight road. To
return to the normal position, drive the
vehicle on a straight road for a period of
time.
. After the hybrid system is started, the
steering wheel may move if the steering
wheel was turned to the fully locked
position while the ignition switch was in
the OFF position.
. After the vehicle is tested on the 4-wheel
dynamometer, the steering wheel may
turn slightly even when driving on a
straight road. To return the steering
wheel to the normal position, drive the
vehicle on a straight road for a period of
time.
Starting and driving5-127

6-8In case of emergency
CAUTION
.Do not continue to drive if your
vehicle overheats. Doing so could
cause engine damage or a vehicle fire.
. To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while
the engine is still hot. When the
radiator cap is removed, pressurized
hot water will spurt out, possibly
causing serious injury.
. 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 P (Park) position.
Do not turn the INFINITI Direct Re-
sponse Hybrid
®System off.
2. Turn off the climate control. 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 climb-
ing 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. (If
steam or coolant is escaping, turn off the
hybrid system.) 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. 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 hybrid
system.
WARNING
Be careful not to allow your hands, hair,
jewelry or clothing to come into contact
with, or get caught in, 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.
IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS

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.6-8) 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.
Do-it-yourself8-5
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM

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. The inverter 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 antifreeze solution contains rust
and corrosion inhibitors. Additional inverter
cooling system additives are not necessary.
WARNING
.
Never remove the inverter coolant
reservoir cap when the engine and
inverter are hot. Wait until the engine
and inverter cool down. Serious burns
could be caused by high pressure fluid
escaping from the coolant reservoir.
. The inverter coolant reservoir is
equipped with a pressure type cap.
To prevent engine and inverter da-
mage, use only a genuine NISSAN
inverter reservoir cap.
CAUTION
.Never use any additives in the cool-
ant such as radiator sealer in the
cooling system. This may cause da-
mage to electrical equipment such as
the motor and inverter, and also to
Do-it-yourself8-7
INVERTER COOLING SYSTEM

CHANGING INVERTER COOLANT
An INFINITI ratailer can change the inverter
coolant. The service procedure can be found
in the INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in inverter
overheating.
WARNING
.To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the
inverter is hot.
. Never remove the cap when the
inverter is hot. Serious burns could
be caused by high pressure fluid
escaping from the inverter coolant
reservoir.
. 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 the reach of
children and pets.
Inverter coolant must be disposed of prop-
erly. Check your local regulations.
SDI2045
CHECKING ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1. Park the vehicle on a level surface and apply the parking brake.
2. Run the engine until it reaches operating temperature.
3. Turn off the engine. Wait more than 15
minutes for the oil to drain back into the
oil pan.
4. Remove the dipstick and wipe it clean. Reinsert it all the way.
5. Remove the dipstick again and check the oil level. It should be within the range
.
If the oil level is below, remove the oil
filler cap and pour recommended oil
through the opening. Do not overfill
.6. Recheck oil level with the dipstick.
It is normal to add some oil between oil
maintenance intervals or during the break-
in period, depending on the severity of
operating conditions.
CAUTION
Oil level should be checked regularly.
Operating the engine with an insuffi-
cient amount of oil can damage the
engine, and such damage is not covered
by warranty.
Do-it-yourself8-9
ENGINE OIL