warning INFINITI QX 2011 Owners Manual

5 Starting and driving
Precautions when starting and driving.............. 5-2
Exhaust gas (carbon monoxide) .................. 5-2
Three-way catalyst ............................. 5-2
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) ......... 5-3
Avoiding collision and rollover ................... 5-6
On-pavement and off-road driving
precautions .................................... 5-6
Off-road recovery ............................... 5-7
Rapid air pressure loss ......................... 5-7
Drinking alcohol/drugs and driving .............. 5-8
Driving safety precautions ...................... 5-8
Push-button ignition switch .......................5-10
Operating range for engine start function ........5-10
Push-button ignition switch positions ............5-11
Emergency engine shut off ......................5-12
Intelligent Key battery discharge .................5-12
Before starting the engine .........................5-13
Starting the engine ................................ 5-13
Driving the vehicle ................................ 5-14
Engine protection mode ......................... 5-14
Automatic transmission ......................... 5-15
Parking brake ..................................... 5-19
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)/prevention (LDP)
system (if so equipped) ........................... 5-20Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system
..........5-20
Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) system .........5-24
Blind spot warning (BSW) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-29
Bsw system operation ......................... 5-30
Bsw driving situations ......................... 5-33
Bsw malfunction .............................. 5-36
System maintenance .......................... 5-37
Cruise control .................................... 5-37
Precautions on cruise control ...................5-37
Cruise control operations ......................5-38
Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-39
Selecting vehicle-to-vehicle distance
control mode .................................. 5-41
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode .........5-41
Precautions on vehicle-to-vehicle distance
control mode .................................. 5-41
Vehicle-to-vehicle
distance control mode
operation ..................................... 5-43
Conventional (FIXED SPEED) cruise control
mode ........................................ 5-58
Preview function (for Intelligent Cruise
Control (ICC) system equipped model) ...........5-62

Distance Control Assist (DCA) system
(if so equipped).................................. 5-62
Precautions on distance control assist
system ....................................... 5-63
Distance control assist operation ...............5-64
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-75
Precautions on FCW system ....................5-76
Intelligent brake assist (IBA) system
(if so equipped) .................................. 5-80
Precautions on IBA system .....................5-80
Break-in schedule ................................ 5-83
Increasing fuel economy .......................... 5-83
INFINITI all-mode 4wd (if so equipped)............5-84
INFINITI all-mode 4wd system................. 5-84
4wd shift switch .............................. 5-88
4wd shift indicator ............................ 5-89
4wd warning light ............................. 5-89
Hill start assist system ........................... 5-91
Parking/parking on hills .......................... 5-92
Tow mode ....................................... 5-93Snow mode
...................................... 5-93
Power steering ................................... 5-94
Brake system .................................... 5-94
Braking precautions ........................... 5-94
Parking brake break-in ......................... 5-94
Brake assist ..................................... 5-95
Brake assist .................................. 5-95
Preview function (Intelligent Cruise Control
system equipped models) ......................5-95
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) .................5-97
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system .............5-98
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) OFF switch ......5-100
Cold weather driving ............................. 5-101
Freeing a frozen door lock .....................5-101
Antifreeze .................................... 5-101
Battery ....................................... 5-101
Draining

of coolant water ...................... 5-101
Tire equipment ................................ 5-101
Special winter equipment ......................5-101
Driving on snow or ice ......................... 5-101
Engine block heater (if so equipped) ...........5-102

WARNING
●Do not leave children or adults who would
normally require the support of others alone
in your vehicle. Pets should not be left alone
either. They could accidentally injure them-
selves or others through inadvertent opera-
tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot, sunny days,
temperatures in a closed vehicle could
quickly become high enough to cause severe
or possibly fatal injuries to people or
animals.
● Properly secure all cargo to help prevent it
from sliding or shifting. Do not place cargo
higher than the seatbacks. In a sudden stop
or collision, unsecured cargo could cause
personal injury.
EXHAUST GAS (carbon monoxide)
WARNING
● Do not breathe exhaust gases; they contain
colorless and odorless carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide is dangerous. It can cause
unconsciousness or death.
● If you suspect that exhaust fumes are enter-
ing the vehicle, drive with all windows fully
open, and have the vehicle inspected
immediately. ●
Do not run the engine in closed spaces such
as a garage.
● Do not park the vehicle with the engine run-
ning for any extended length of time.
● Keep the lift gate closed while driving, oth-
erwise exhaust gases could be drawn into
the passenger compartment. If you must
drive with the lift gate open, follow these
precautions:
1) Open all the windows.
2) Set the
air recirculation to off and
the fan control to high to circulate the air.
● If electrical wiring or other cable connec-
tions must pass to a trailer through the seal
on the lift gate or the body, follow the manu-
facturer’s recommendation to prevent car-
bon monoxide entry into the vehicle.
● The exhaust system and body should be in-
spected by a qualified mechanic whenever:
– The vehicle is raised for service.
– You suspect that exhaust fumes are en- tering into the passenger compartment.
– You notice a change in the sound of the exhaust system. – You have had an accident involving dam-
age to the exhaust system, underbody, or
rear of the vehicle.
THREE-WAY CATALYST
The three-way catalyst is an emission control
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
components.
● Do not stop or park the vehicle over flam-
mable materials such as dry grass, waste
paper or rags. They may ignite and cause a
fire.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN STARTING AND
DRIVING
5-2Starting and driving

Additional information
●The TPMS does not monitor the tire pressure
of the spare tire.
● The TPMS will activate only when the vehicle
is driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h).
Also, this system may not detect a sudden
drop in tire pressure (for example a flat tire
while driving).
● The low tire pressure warning light does not
automatically turn off when the tire pressure
is adjusted. After the tire is inflated to the
recommended pressure, the vehicle must be
driven at speeds above 16 MPH (25 km/h) to
activate the TPMS and turn off the low tire
pressure warning light. Use a tire pressure
gauge to check the tire pressure.
● The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning appears
in the dot matrix liquid crystal display when
the low tire pressure warning light is illumi-
nated and low tire pressure is detected. The
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning turns off
when the low tire pressure warning light
turns off.
The CHECK TIRE PRESSURE warning does not
appear if the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates to indicate a TPMS malfunction. ●
Tire pressure rises and falls depending on
the heat caused by the vehicle’s operation
and the outside temperature. Low outside
temperature can lower the temperature of
the air inside the tire which can cause a
lower tire inflation pressure. This may cause
the low tire pressure warning light to illumi-
nate. If the warning light illuminates in low
ambient temperature, check the tire pres-
sure for all four tires.
● You can also check the pressure of all tires
(except the spare tire) on the display screen.
The order of the tire pressure figures dis-
played on the screen does not correspond
with the actual order of the tire position. See
“TIRE PRESSURE information” in the “4.
Monitor, climate, audio, phone and voice
recognition systems” section.
For additional information, see “Low tire pres-
sure warning light” in the “2. Instruments and
controls” section and “TIRE PRESSURE MONI-
TORING SYSTEM (TPMS)” in the “6. In case of
emergency” section.
WARNING
●If the low tire pressure warning light illumi-
nates or LOW PRESSURE information is dis-
played on the monitor screen while driving,
avoid sudden steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull off the
road to a safe location and stop the vehicle as
soon as possible. Driving with under-inflated
tires may permanently damage the tires and
increase the likelihood of tire failure. Serious
vehicle damage could occur and may lead to
an accident and could result in serious per-
sonal injury. Check the tire pressure for all
four tires. Adjust the tire pressure to the rec-
ommended COLD tire pressure shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label to turn the
low tire pressure warning light OFF. If the light
still illuminates while driving after adjusting
the tire pressure, a tire may be flat. If you have
a flat tire, replace it with a spare tire as soon as
possible. (See “FLAT TIRE” in the “6. In case of
emergency” section for changing a flat tire.)
● When a spare tire is mounted or a wheel is
replaced, the TPMS will not function and the
low tire pressure warning light will flash for
approximately 1 minute. The light will re-
main on after 1 minute. Contact your INFINITI
retailer as soon as possible for tire replace-
ment and/or system resetting.
5-4Starting and driving

●Replacing tires with those not originally
specified by INFINITI could affect the proper
operation of the TPMS.
● Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol tire
sealant into the tires, as this may cause a
malfunction of the tire pressure sensors.
CAUTION
● The TPMS may not function properly when
the wheels are equipped with tire chains or
the wheels are buried in snow.
● Do not place metalized film or any metal
parts (antenna, etc.) on the windows. This
may cause poor reception of the signals from
the tire pressure sensors, and the TPMS will
not function properly.
Some devices and transmitters may temporarily
interfere with the operation of the TPMS and
cause the low tire pressure warning light to
illuminate. Some examples are:
● Facilities or electric devices using similar
radio frequencies are near the vehicle.
● If a transmitter set to similar frequencies is
being used in or near the vehicle. ●
If a computer (or similar equipment) or a
DC/AC converter is being used in or near the
vehicle.
FCC Notice:
For USA:
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harm-
ful interference, and (2) this device must accept
any interference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired operation.
Note: Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for compli-
ance could void the user’s authority to operate
the equipment.
For Canada:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
TPMS with Tire Inflation Indicator
When tire pressure is low, the low tire pressure
warning light illuminates.
This vehicle provides visual and audible signals
to help you inflate the tires to the recommended
COLD tire pressure.
Vehicle set-up:
1. Park the vehicle in a safe and level place.
2. Apply the parking brake and place the selector lever in the P (Park) position.
3. Place the ignition switch in the ON posi- tion. Do not start the engine.
Operation:
1. Add air to the tire.
2. In a few seconds, the hazard indicators will start flashing.
3. When the designated pressure is reached, the horn beeps once and the hazard
indicators stop flashing.
4. Perform the above steps for each tire.
● If the tire is over-inflated more than approxi-
mately 4 psi (30 kPa), the horn beeps and
the hazard indicators flash 3 times. To cor-
rect the pressure, push the core of the valve
stem on the tire briefly to release pressure.
Starting and driving5-5

When the pressure reaches the designated
pressure, the horn beeps once.
● If the hazard indicator does not flash in
approximately 15 seconds after starting to
inflate the tire, it indicates that the Tire
Inflation Indicator is not operating.
● The TPMS will not activate the Tire Inflation
Indicator under the following conditions:
– If there is interference from an external device or transmitter
– The air pressure from the inflation device is not sufficient to inflate the tire
– There is a malfunction in the TPMS sys- tem
– There is a malfunction in the horn or hazard indicators
● If the Tire Inflation Indicator does not oper-
ate due to TPMS interference, move the
vehicle about 3 ft (1m) backward or forward
and try again.
If the Tire Inflation Indicator is not working, use
a tire pressure gauge.AVOIDING COLLISION AND ROLLOVER
WARNING
Failure to operate this vehicle in a safe and
prudent manner may result in loss of control or
an accident.
Be alert and drive defensively at all times. Obey
all traffic regulations. Avoid excessive speed,
high speed cornering, or sudden steering ma-
neuvers, because these driving practices could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle. As
with any vehicle, a loss of control could result in
a collision with other vehicles or objects, or
cause the vehicle to rollover, particularly if the
loss of control causes the vehicle to slide side-
ways. Be attentive at all times, and avoid
driving when tired. Never drive when under the
influence of alcohol or drugs (including pre-
scription or over-the-counter drugs which may
cause drowsiness). Always wear your seat belt
as outlined in the “SEAT BELTS” in the “1. Safety
— Seats, seat belts and supplemental restraint
system” section of this manual, and also in-
struct your passengers to do so.
Seat belts help reduce the risk of injury in
collisions and rollovers. In a rollover crash, an
unbelted or improperly belted person is signifi- cantly more likely to be injured or killed than a
person properly wearing a seat belt.
ON-PAVEMENT AND OFF-ROAD
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles.
They have higher ground clearance than pas-
senger cars to make them capable of perform-
ing in a variety of on-pavement and off-road
applications. This gives them a higher center of
gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of
higher ground clearance is a better view of the
road, allowing you to anticipate problems. How-
ever, they are not designed for cornering at the
same speeds as conventional passenger cars
any more than low-slung sports cars are de-
signed to perform satisfactorily under off-road
conditions. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns
or abrupt maneuvers, particularly at high
speeds. As with other vehicles of this type,
failure to operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or vehicle rollover. Seat
belts help reduce the risk of injury in collisions
and rollovers. In a rollover crash, an unbelted or
improperly belted person is significantly more
likely to be injured or killed than a person
properly wearing a seat belt.
Be sure to read “DRIVING SAFETY PRECAU-
TIONS” later in this section.
5-6Starting and driving

OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
While driving, the right side or left side wheels
may unintentionally leave the road surface. If
this occurs, maintain control of the vehicle by
following the procedure below. Please note that
this procedure is only a general guide. The
vehicle must be driven as appropriate based on
the conditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Do not apply the brakes.
3. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheelwith both hands and try to hold a straight
course.
4. When appropriate, slowly release the ac- celerator pedal to gradually slow the ve-
hicle.
5. If there is nothing in the way, steer the vehicle to follow the road while the ve-
hicle speed is reduced. Do not attempt to
drive the vehicle back onto the road sur-
face until vehicle speed is reduced. 6. When it is safe to do so, gradually turn
the steering wheel until both tires return
to the road surface. When all tires are on
the road surface, steer the vehicle to stay
in the appropriate driving lane.
●If you decide that it is not safe to return
the vehicle to the road surface based on
vehicle, road or traffic conditions, gradu-
ally slow the vehicle to a stop in a safe
place off the road.
RAPID AIR PRESSURE LOSS
Rapid air pressure loss or a “blow-out” can
occur if the tire is punctured or is damaged due
to hitting a curb or pothole. Rapid air pressure
loss can also be caused by driving on under-
inflated tires.
Rapid air pressure loss can affect the handling
and stability of the vehicle, especially at high-
way speeds.
Help prevent rapid air pressure loss by main-
taining the correct air pressure and visually
inspect the tires for wear and damage. See
“WHEELS AND TIRES” in the “8. Maintenance
and do-it-yourself” section of this manual. If a tire rapidly loses air pressure or “blows-out”
while driving maintain control of the vehicle by
following the procedure below. Please note that
this procedure is only a general guide. The
vehicle must be driven as appropriate based on
the conditions of the vehicle, road and traffic.
WARNING
The following actions can increase the chance
of losing control of the vehicle if there is a
sudden loss of tire air pressure. Losing control
of the vehicle may cause a collision and result
in personal injury.
●
The vehicle generally moves or pulls in the
direction of the flat tire.
● Do not rapidly apply the brakes.
● Do not rapidly release the accelerator pedal.
● Do not rapidly turn the steering wheel.
1. Remain calm and do not overreact.
2. Maintain a firm grip on the steering wheel
with both hands and try to hold a straight
course.
3. When appropriate, slowly release the ac- celerator pedal to gradually slow the ve-
hicle.
Starting and driving5-7

4. Gradually steer the vehicle to a safe loca-tion off the road and away from traffic if
possible.
5. Lightly apply the brake pedal to gradually stop the vehicle.
6. Turn on the hazard warning flashers and either contact a roadside emergency ser-
vice to change the tire or see “CHANGING
A FLAT TIRE” in the “6. In case of emer-
gency” section of this Owner’s Manual.
DRINKING ALCOHOL/DRUGS AND
DRIVING
WARNING
Never drive under the influence of alcohol or
drugs. Alcohol in the bloodstream reduces co-
ordination, delays reaction time and impairs
judgement. Driving after drinking alcohol in-
creases the likelihood of being involved in an
accident injuring yourself and others. Addition-
ally, if you are injured in an accident, alcohol
can increase the severity of the injury. INFINITI is committed to safe driving. However,
you must choose not to drive under the influ-
ence of alcohol. Every year thousands of people
are injured or killed in alcohol-related acci-
dents. Although the local laws vary on what is
considered to be legally intoxicated, the fact is
that alcohol affects all people differently and
most people underestimate the effects of alco-
hol.
Remember, drinking and driving don’t mix! And
that is true for drugs, too (over-the-counter,
prescription, and illegal drugs). Don’t drive if
your ability to operate your vehicle is impaired
by alcohol, drugs, or some other physical con-
dition.DRIVING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Your INFINITI is designed for both normal and
off-road use. However, avoid driving in deep
water or mud as your INFINITI is mainly de-
signed for leisure use, unlike a conventional
off-road vehicle.
Remember that Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) models
are less capable than Four-Wheel Drive (4WD)
models for rough road driving and extrication
when stuck in deep snow, mud, or the like. Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
●
Drive carefully when off the road and avoid
dangerous areas. Every person who drives or
rides in this vehicle should be seated with
their seat belt fastened. This will keep you
and your passengers in position when driv-
ing over rough terrain.
● Do not drive across steep slopes. Instead
drive either straight up or straight down the
slopes. Off-road vehicles can tip over side-
ways much more easily than they can for-
ward or backward.
● Many hills are too steep for any vehicle. If
you drive up them, you may stall. If you drive
down them, you may not be able to control
your speed. If you drive across them, you
may roll over.
● Do not shift ranges while driving on downhill
grades as this could cause loss of control of
the vehicle.
● Stay alert when driving to the top of a hill. At
the top there could be a drop-off or other
hazard that could cause an accident.
5-8Starting and driving

●Always use tires of the same type, size,
brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or ra-
dial), and tread pattern on all four wheels.
Install tire chains on the rear wheels when
driving on slippery roads and drive carefully.
● Be sure to check the brakes immediately af-
ter driving in mud or water. See “BRAKE SYS-
TEM” later in this section for wet brakes.
● Avoid parking your vehicle on steep hills. If
you get out of the vehicle and it rolls forward,
backward or sideways, you could be injured.
● Whenever you drive off-road through sand,
mud or water as deep as the wheel hub, more
frequent maintenance may be required. See
the maintenance information in the “INFINITI
Service and Maintenance Guide”.
● Spinning the rear wheels on slippery sur-
faces may cause the 4WD warning light to
flash. The 4WD system may also automati-
cally switch from the 4WD mode to the 2WD
mode. This could reduce traction. Be espe-
cially careful when towing a trailer (4WD
models).WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition switch
while driving the vehicle except in an emer-
gency. (The engine will stop when the ignition
switch is pushed 3 consecutive times or the
ignition switch is pushed and held for more
than 2 seconds.) If the engine stops while the
vehicle is being driven, this could lead to a
crash and serious injury.
Before operating the push-button ignition
switch, be sure to move the selector lever to the
P (Park) position.
OPERATING RANGE FOR ENGINE
START FUNCTION
The operating range for starting the engine
inside the vehicle
1is shown in the illustra-
tion.
● If the Intelligent Key is on the instrument
panel, cargo area, inside the glove box or
door pocket, or the corner of interior com-
partment, it may not be possible to start the
engine.
● If the Intelligent Key is near the door or door
glass outside the vehicle, it may be possible
to start the engine.
SSD0436
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
5-10Starting and driving

When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition switch
position will change as follows:
●Push center once to change to ACC.
● Push center two times to change to ON.
● Push center three times to change to OFF.
(No position illuminates.)
● Push center four times to return to ACC.
● Open or close any door to return to LOCK
during the OFF position.
The ignition switch is equipped with an anti-
theft steering lock device. The ignition lock is designed so that the ignition
switch position cannot be switched to LOCK
until the selector lever is moved to the P (Park)
position.
When the ignition switch cannot be pushed
toward the LOCK position, proceed as follows:
1. Move the selector lever into the P (Park)
position.
2. Push the ignition switch to the OFF posi- tion. The ignition switch position indicator
will not illuminate.
3. Open the door. The ignition switch will change to the LOCK position.
The selector lever can be moved from the P (Park)
position if the ignition switch is in the ON posi-
tion and the brake pedal is depressed.
In order for the steering wheel to be locked, it
must be turned about 1/8 of a right or left turn
from the straight up position.
To lock the steering wheel, push the ignition
switch to the OFF position. To unlock the steer-
ing wheel, push the ignition switch. If the steer-
ing lock release malfunction indicator appears
on the dot matrix liquid crystal display, push the
push-button ignition switch again while lightly
turning the steering wheel right and left. (See
“DOT MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY” in the
“2. Instruments and controls” section.) If the battery of the vehicle is discharged, the
push-button ignition switch cannot be turned
from the LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for operation are
displayed on the dot matrix liquid crystal dis-
play between the speedometer and tachometer.
(See “DOT MATRIX LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY” in
the “2. Instruments and controls” section.)
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
POSITIONS
LOCK (Normal parking position)
The ignition switch can only be locked in this
position.
The ignition switch will be unlocked when it is
pushed to the ACC position while carrying the
Intelligent Key.
ACC (Accessories)
This position activates electrical accessories
such as the radio, when the engine is not
running.
ON (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the ignition system and
electrical accessories.
SSD1021
Starting and driving5-11