INFINITI QX 2010 Owners Manual

BRAKE ASSIST
When the force applied to the brake pedal ex-
ceeds a certain level, the Brake Assist is acti-
vated, generating greater braking force than a
conventional brake booster even with light pedal
force.
WARNING
The Brake Assist is only an aid to assist
braking operation and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. It is the driv-
er’s responsibility to stay alert, drive
safely and be in control of the vehicle at
all times.
PREVIEW FUNCTION
When the Preview Function identifies the need to
apply emergency braking by sensing a vehicle
ahead in the same lane and the distance and
relative speed from it, it applies the brake pre-
pressure before the driver depresses the brake
pedal and helps improve brake response by re-
ducing pedal free play.●
This system will not operate when the ve-
hicle is moving at approximately 20 MPH (32
km/h) or less.
● The pre-pressure function ceases when the
following conditions are met:
a. When the driver depresses the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal.
b. If the driver does not operate the accelerator or brake pedal within approximately 1 second.
●The sensor will not detect:
a. Pedestrians or objects in the roadway
b. Oncoming vehicles in the same lane
c. Motorcycles or scooters traveling offset in the travel lane as illustrated
LSD0124
BRAKE ASSIST (WITH PREVIEW
FUNCTION) (for Intelligent Cruise
Control System equipped models)
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Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie


WARNING
●The Preview Function is only an aid to
assist the driver and is not a collision
warning or avoidance device. Although
the brake operation is controlled by the
system, it does not automatically decel-
erate the vehicle speed. It is the driver’s
responsibility to stay alert, drive safely
and be in control of the vehicle at all
times.
● As there is a performance limit to the
Preview Function, never rely solely on
this system. This system does not cor-
rect careless, inattentive or absent-
minded driving, or overcome poor vis-
ibility in rain, fog, or other bad weather.
Reduce the vehicle speed by depress-
ing the brake pedal, in order to maintain
a safe distance between vehicles.
● The system may not detect the vehicle
in front of you in certain road or weather
conditions. The Preview Function may
not operate properly under the follow-
ing conditions. The vehicle is still drive-
able under normal conditions and the
Brake Assist will operate.
– When rain, snow or dirt adhere to the system sensor. – When strong light (for example, at
sunrise or sunset) is directly shining
on the front of the vehicle.
– Winding or hilly roads may cause the sensor to temporarily not detect a
vehicle in the same lane or may de-
tect objects or vehicles in other
lanes.
– Vehicle position in the lane may cause the sensor to temporarily not
detect a vehicle in the same lane or
may detect objects or vehicles in
other lanes.
● When the Preview Function operates,
the brake pedal may move slightly and
may make a small noise. This is not a
system malfunction.
Warning light and display
When the Preview Function is not operating
properly, the chime sounds and the orange sys-
tem warning light will illuminate in the instrument
panel.
Action to take
If the warning light comes on, park the vehicle in a
safe place. Turn the engine off, restart the engine
and resume driving.
WSD0222
Starting and driving5-39
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Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—diane


If the indicator stays on, it may indicate that
the Preview Function is malfunctioning
(the brake is operative) . Although the Ve-
hicle is still driveable under normal condi-
tions, have the vehicle checked at an
INFINITI dealer.
Sensor maintenance
The sensor for the Preview Function, is common
with Intelligent Cruise Control and is located
below the front bumper.
To keep the Preview Function operating properly,
be sure to observe the following:● Always keep the sensor clean. Wipe with a
soft cloth carefully so as not to damage
them.
● Do not impact the areas around the sensor.
Do not touch or disassemble the screw lo-
cated on the sensor. Doing so could cause
failure or malfunction. If the sensor installa-
tion part is deformed due to an accident,
contact an INFINITI dealer.
● Do not attach a sticker (including transpar-
ent material) or install an accessory near the
sensor. This could cause failure or malfunc-
tion.
CAUTION
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) ,
follow these recommendations to obtain
maximum engine performance and en-
sure the future reliability and economy of
your new vehicle. Failure to follow these
recommendations may result in short-
ened engine life and reduced engine
performance.
● Avoid driving for long periods at constant
speed, either fast or slow, and do not run the
engine over 4,000 rpm.
● Do not accelerate at full throttle in any gear.
● Avoid quick starts.
● Avoid hard braking as much as possible.
● Do not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles
(800 km) . Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged. ●
Accelerate slowly and smoothly. Maintain
cruising speeds with a constant accelerator
position.
● Drive at moderate speeds on the highway.
Driving at high speed lowers fuel economy.
● Avoid unnecessary stopping and braking.
Maintain a safe distance behind other ve-
hicles.
● Use a proper gear range which suits road
conditions. On level roads, shift into high
gear as soon as possible.
● Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
● Keep your engine tuned up.
● Follow the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule.
● Keep the tires inflated to the correct pres-
sure. Low tire pressure increases tire wear
and lowers fuel economy.
● Keep the front wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment increases tire wear and
lowers fuel economy.
● Air conditioner operation lowers fuel
economy. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE INCREASING FUEL ECONOMY
5-40Starting and driving
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●When cruising at highway speeds, it is more
economical to use the air conditioner and
leave the windows closed to reduce drag.
● For vehicles equipped with
, use 4H or
4L position only when necessary. Four-
wheel drive operation lowers fuel economy.
WARNING
● For 4WD equipped vehicles, do not at-
tempt to raise two wheels off the
ground and shift the transmission to
any drive or reverse position with the
engine running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected ve-
hicle movement which could result in
serious vehicle damage or personal
injury.
● Do not attempt to test a 4WD equipped
vehicle on a 2-wheel dynamometer
(such as the dynamometers used by
some states for emissions testing) , or
similar equipment even if the other two
wheels are raised off the ground. Make
sure you inform test facility personnel
that your vehicle is equipped with 4WD
before it is placed on a dynamometer.
Using the wrong test equipment may
result in drivetrain damage or unex-
pected vehicle movement which could
result in serious vehicle damage or per-
sonal injury.
CAUTION
● Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads. Driv-
ing on dry, hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO
may cause unnecessary noise, tire wear
and increased fuel consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on when
you are driving on dry hard surface
roads:
– in the 4H position, shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position, stop the vehicle, move the automatic transmission
shift selector to the N position and
shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD
● If the warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by an INFINITI dealer as soon
as possible.
● The transfer case may be damaged if
you continue driving with the warning
light blinking.
USING FOUR WHEEL DRIVE
(4WD)
Starting and driving5-41
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TRANSFER CASE SHIFTING
PROCEDURES
All mode 4WD system provides 4 positions
(AUTO, 2WD, 4H and 4LO) , so you can select
the desired drive mode according to the driving
conditions.
2WD or 4WD shift procedure:
5-42Starting and driving
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4WD Shift
Switch Position Wheels
Driven Indicator Light
Use Conditions 4WD Shift Procedure
4WD shift Transfer 4LO position
AUTO Rear wheels
or 4 wheels
For driving on paved or slippery roads
Move the 4WD switch.
2WD <—> AUTO <—> 4H
4WD shift indicator light will indicate transfer shift
position engaged.
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO MOVE THE SHIFT
SELECTOR TO THE N POSITION IN THIS OP-
ERATION. PERFORM THIS OPERATION WHEN
DRIVING STRAIGHT.
2WDRear wheels
For driving on dry, paved roads (Economy
drive) or state dynamometer I/M testing
4H4 wheels
For driving on rocky, sandy or snow-
covered roads
Neutral
*1
May blink Neutral disengages the automatic transmis-
sion mechanical parking lock, which will
allow the vehicle to roll. Do not leave the
transfer shift position in Neutral.*2 1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Move the shift selector to the N position.
3. Push the 4WD shift switch and move it to
4LO or 4H with the brake pedal depressed.
YOU CANNOT MOVE THE TRANSFER 4WD
SHIFT SWITCH BETWEEN 4H AND 4LO (OR
4LO TO 4H) UNLESS YOU HAVE FIRST
STOPPED THE VEHICLE, DEPRESSED THE
BRAKE PEDAL AND MOVE THE SHIFT SELEC-
TOR TO NEUTRAL. *3
4LO 4 wheelsIlluminated For use when maximum power and traction
is required (for example: on steep grades
or rocky, sandy, muddy roads)
*1: The transfer 4LO position indicator light may blink. Stop the vehicle. Be sure to shift the 4WD shift switch after the shift selector has been shifte
dtothe
N position. If the indicator light keeps blinking after the 4WD shift procedure in the previous page, drive slowly without abrupt maneuvers for a while. Then
the light will turn on or off.
Avoid making a turn or abrupt starts while shifting to 4LO. Otherwise gears may grind, damaging the drive system.
*2: While changing in and out of 4LO, the ignition switch must be in the ON position and the vehicle’s engine must be running for a shift to take place and for the indicator lights (4WD shift and 4LO position indicator) to be operable. Otherwise, the shift will not take place and no indicator lights will be on
or flashing.
*3: Make sure the transfer 4LO position indicator light turns on when you shift the 4WD shift switch to 4LO. The
indicator light will also turn on when
4LO is selected. See “Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system” later in this section.
Starting and driving5-43
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02/12/09—debbie


The transfer case 4WD shift switch is used to
select either 2WD or 4WD depending on the
driving conditions. There are four types of drive
modes available, AUTO, 2WD, 4H and 4LO.
The 4WD shift switch electronically controls the
transfer case operation. Rotate the switch to
move between each mode, 2WD, AUTO, 4H and
4LO.
You must push the switch in to select 4LO,
and the vehicle MUST be stationary and the
shift selector in the N position when chang-
ing into or out of 4LO.
WARNING
When parking, apply the parking brake
before stopping the engine and make sure
that the 4WD shift indicator light is on and
the ATP warning light goes off. Otherwise,
the vehicle could unexpectedly move even
if the automatic transmission is in the P
position.
CAUTION
●Never shift the 4WD shift switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
● The 4H position provides greater trac-
tion. Avoid excessive speed, as it will
cause increased fuel consumption and
higher oil temperatures, and could
damage drivetrain components.
Speeds over 62 MPH (100 km/h) in 4H is
not recommended.
● The 4LO position provides maximum
power and traction. Avoid raising ve-
hicle speed excessively, as the maxi-
mum speed is approximately 31 MPH
(50 km/h) .
● When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the 2WD, AUTO or 4H
position. Do not move the 4WD shift
switch when making a turn or reversing.
● Do not shift the 4WD shift switch (be-
tween 2WD, AUTO and 4H) while driving
on steep downhill grades. Use the en-
gine brake and low automatic transmis-
sion gears (D1 or D2) for engine
braking. ●
Do not operate the 4WD shift switch
(between 2WD, AUTO and 4H) with the
rear wheels spinning.
● Do not drive on dry hard surface roads
in the 4H or 4LO position. Driving on dry
hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may cause
unnecessary noise and tire wear.
INFINITI recommends driving in the
2WD or AUTO position under these
conditions.
● The 4WD transfer case may not be
shifted between 4H and 4LO at low am-
bient temperatures and the transfer
4LO position indicator light may blink
even when the 4WD shift switch is
shifted. After driving for a while you can
change the 4WD transfer case between
4H and 4LO.
When driving on rough roads, ● Set the 4WD shift switch to AUTO, 4H or
4LO.
● Drive carefully according to the road surface
conditions.
5-44Starting and driving
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When the vehicle is stuck,● Set the 4WD shift switch to 4H or 4LO.
● If it is difficult to free the vehicle, repeat
forward and backward movement to in-
crease the movement.
● If the vehicle is stuck deep in mud, place
stones or wooden blocks under the tires.
Then try the recovery procedures above. Tire
chains may be effective.
CAUTION
● Do not spin the tires excessively. Tires
will sink deep into the mud, making it
difficult to free the vehicle.
● Avoid shifting gears with the engine
running at high speeds as this may
cause malfunction.
4WD shift switch operations
● Shift the 4WD shift switch to either the
2WD, AUTO, 4H or 4LO position, depend-
ing on driving conditions.
● With the switch set to the AUTO position,
distribution of torque to the front and rear
wheels changes automatically, depending
on road conditions encountered [ratio; 0 :
100 (2WD) →50 : 50 (4WD)]. This results
in improved driving stability. ●
If the 4WD shift switch is operated
while making a turn, accelerating or
decelerating or if the ignition switch is
turned off while in the AUTO, 4H or
4LO, you may feel a jolt. This is not
abnormal.
● When the vehicle is stopped after mak-
ing a turn, you may feel a slight jolt
after the shift selector is shifted to N or
P. This occurs because the transfer
clutch is released and not because of a
malfunction.
CAUTION
● When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the 2WD, AUTO or 4H
position. Do not move the 4WD shift
switch when making a turn or reversing.
● Do not shift the 4WD shift switch while
driving on steep downhill grades. Use
the engine brake and low automatic
transmission gears (D1 or D2) for en-
gine braking.
● Do not operate the 4WD shift switch
with the rear wheels spinning.
LSD0144
Starting and driving5-45
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie


●Before placing the 4WD shift switch in
the 4H position from 2WD or AUTO,
ensure the vehicle speed is less than 62
MPH (100 km/h) . Failure to do so can
damage the 4WD system.
● Never shift the 4WD shift switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.
● Engine idling speed is high while warm-
ing up the engine. Be especially careful
when starting or driving on slippery sur-
faces with the 4WD shift switch set in
AUTO.
4WD shift indicator light
The 4WD shift indicator light is located in the
vehicle information display.
The light should turn off within 1 second after
turning the ignition switch to the ON position.
While the engine is running, the 4WD shift indi-
cator light will illuminate the position selected by
the 4WD shift switch.
● The 4WD shift indicator light may blink
while shifting from one drive mode to
the other. When the shifting is com-
pleted, the 4WD shift indicator light
will come on. If the indicator light does
not come on immediately, make sure
the area around the vehicle is safe, and drive the vehicle straight, accelerate or
decelerate or move the vehicle in re-
verse, then shift the 4WD shift switch.
● If the 4WD warning light comes on, the
4WD indicator light goes out.
CAUTION
● When the 4WD shift switch is turned to
the AUTO position at low ambient tem-
peratures, the 4WD shift indicator light
may show 4H. If this happens, all four
wheels are driven as torque distribution
is in the 4H position. Be careful as the
vehicle may become difficult to turn.
When the vehicle is driven, the 4WD
shift indicator light should change to
AUTO.
● If the 4WD shift indicator light indica-
tion changes to 2WD when the 4WD
shift switch is shifted to the AUTO or 4H
position at low ambient temperatures,
the 2WD mode may be being engaged
due to malfunctioning drive system. If
the indicator does not return to normal
and the 4WD warning light comes on,
have the system checked by the nearest
INFINITI dealer.
LSD0147
5-46Starting and driving
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Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie


4WD warning light
Warning lightComes on or blinks
when:
Comes on There is a malfunc-
tion in the 4–wheel drive system
Blinks rapidly The transfer case
oil temperature is abnormally high
Blinks slowly The difference in
wheel rotation is large
The 4WD warning light is located in the meter.
The 4WD warning light comes on when the igni-
tion switch is placed in the ON position. It turns
off soon after the engine is started.
If any malfunction occurs in the 4WD system
when the ignition switch is ON, the warning light
will either remain illuminated or blink.
If the 4WD warning light comes on, the 4WD
shift indicator light goes out. High-temperature transfer case oil makes the
warning light blink rapidly (about twice per sec-
ond) . If the warning light blinks rapidly during
operation, stop the vehicle in a safe place imme-
diately. Then if the light goes off after a while, you
can continue driving.
A large difference between the diameters of front
and rear wheels will make the warning light blink
slowly (about once per two seconds) . Change
the 4WD shift switch into 2WD and do not drive
fast.
CAUTION
●
If the warning light comes on or blinks
slowly during operation or rapidly after
stopping the vehicle for a while, have
your vehicle checked by an INFINITI
dealer as soon as possible.
● Shifting between 4H and 4LO is not
recommended when the 4WD warning
light turns on.
● When the warning light comes on, the
2WD mode may be engaged even if the
4WD shift switch is in AUTO or 4H. Be
especially careful when driving. If corre-
sponding parts are malfunctioning, the
4WD mode will not be engaged even if
the 4WD shift switch is shifted. ●
Do not drive the vehicle in the 4H or 4LO
position on dry hard surface roads. Driv-
ing on dry, hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO
may cause unnecessary noise, tire wear
and increased fuel consumption.
If the 4WD warning light turns on when
you are driving on dry hard surface
roads:
– in the AUTO or 4H position, shift the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
– in the 4LO position, stop the vehicle, move the automatic transmission
shift selector to the N position with
the brake pedal depressed, and shift
the 4WD shift switch to 2WD.
● If the warning light is still on after the
above operation, have your vehicle
checked by an INFINITI dealer as soon
as possible.
● The transfer case may be damaged if
you continue driving with the warning
light blinking.
Starting and driving5-47
REVIEW COPY—2010 Infiniti QX56 (iwz)
Owners Manual (owners)—USA_English (nna)
02/12/09—debbie