overheating INFINITI QX50 2019 Owner's Manual

∙When the electronic parking brake is fre-
quently applied and released in a short
period of time, the parking brake may
not operate in order to prevent the park-
ing brake system from overheating. If
this occurs, operate the electronic park-
ing brake switch again after waiting ap-
proximately 1 minute.
∙ If the electronic parking brake must be
applied while driving in an emergency,
pull up and hold the parking brake
switch. When you release the parking
brake switch, the parking brake will be
released.
∙ While pulling up the electronic parking
brake switch during driving, the parking
brake is applied and a chime sounds. The
electronic parking brake indicator light
(red) in the meter and in the parking
brake switch illuminates. This does not
indicate a malfunction. The electronic
parking brake indicator light (red) in the
meter and in the parking brake switch
turns off when the parking brake is re-
leased. ∙
When pulling the electronic parking
brake switch up with the ignition switch
in the OFF or AUTO ACC position, the
parking brake switch indicator light will
continue to illuminate for a short period
of time.
WHEN TOWING A TRAILER
Depending on the weight of the vehicle and
trailer and the steepness of the slope, there
may be a tendency for the vehicle to move
backwards when starting from a standstill.
When this occurs, you can use the parking
brake switch in the same way as a conven-
tional lever type parking brake.
Before starting on sloping roads when tow-
ing a trailer, be sure to read the following to
prevent the vehicle from moving backwards
unintentionally.
∙ Release the parking brake switch as soon as the engine is delivering enough torque
to the wheels. The automatic brake hold function maintains
the braking force without the driver having to
depress the brake pedal when the vehicle is
stopped at a traffic light or intersection. As
soon as the driver depresses the accelerator
pedal again, the automatic brake hold func-
tion is deactivated and the braking force is
released. The operating status of the auto-
matic brake hold can be displayed on the
vehicle information display.
WARNING
∙ The automatic brake hold function is not
designed to hold the vehicle on a steep hill
or slippery road. Never use the automatic
brake hold when the vehicle is stopped on
a steep hill or slippery road. Failure to do
so may cause the vehicle to move.
∙ When the automatic brake hold function is activated but fails to maintain the ve-
hicle at a standstill, depress the brake
pedal to stop the vehicle. If the vehicle
unexpectedly moves due to outside con-
ditions, the chime may sound and auto-
matic brake hold warning may illuminate
in the vehicle information display.
∙ Be sure to deactivate the automatic brake hold function when using a car
wash or towing your vehicle.
AUTOMATIC BRAKE HOLD
5-26Starting and driving

VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE
DISTANCE CONTROL MODE
LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations for
the ICC system. Failure to operate the ve-
hicle in accordance with these system limi-
tations could result in serious injury or
death.
∙ The ICC system is primarily intended foruse on straight, dry, open roads with light
traffic. It is not advisable to use the ICC
system in city traffic or congested areas.
∙ The ICC system will not adapt automati- cally to road conditions. This system
should be used in evenly flowing traffic.
Do not use the system on roads with
sharp curves, or on icy roads, in heavy
rain or in fog. ∙ As there is a performance limit to the dis-
tance control function, never rely solely
on the ICC system. This system does not
correct careless, inattentive or absent-
minded driving, or overcome poor visibil-
ity in rain, fog, or other bad weather. De-
celerate the vehicle speed by depressing
the brake pedal, depending on the dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead and the sur-
rounding circumstances in order to main-
tain a safe distance between vehicles.
∙ If the vehicle ahead comes to a stop, the vehicle decelerates to a standstill within
the limitations of the system. The system
will cancel once it judges that the vehicle
has come to a standstill and sound a
warning chime. To prevent the vehicle
from moving, the driver must depress the
brake pedal.
∙ Always pay attention to the operation of the vehicle and be ready to manually con-
trol the proper following distance. The
ICC system may not be able to maintain
the selected distance between vehicles
(following distance) or selected vehicle
speed under some circumstances. ∙ The system may not detect the vehicle in
front of you in certain road or weather
conditions. To avoid accidents, never use
the ICC system under the following
conditions:
– On roads where the traffic is heavy or there are sharp curves
– On slippery road surfaces such as on ice or snow, etc.
– During bad weather (rain, fog, snow, etc.)
– When rain, snow or dirt adhere to the bumper around the distance sensor
– On steep downhill roads (the vehicle may go beyond the set vehicle speed
and frequent braking may result in
overheating the brakes)
– On repeated uphill and downhill roads
– When traffic conditions make it diffi- cult to keep a proper distance be-
tween vehicles because of frequent
acceleration or deceleration
– Interference by other radar sources
∙ Do not use the ICC system if you are tow- ing a trailer. The system may not detect a
vehicle ahead.
5-96Starting and driving

ICC system limitations
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations for
the ICC system. Failure to operate the ve-
hicle in accordance with these system limi-
tations could result in serious injury or
death:
∙ The ICC system is primarily intended foruse on straight, dry, open roads with light
traffic. It is not advisable to use the ICC
system in city traffic or congested areas.
∙ The ICC system will not adapt automati- cally to road conditions. This system
should be used in evenly flowing traffic.
Do not use the system on roads with
sharp curves or on icy roads, in heavy rain
or in fog. ∙ As there is a performance limit to the dis-
tance control function, never rely solely
on the ICC system. This system does not
correct careless, inattentive or absent-
minded driving or overcome poor visibil-
ity in rain, fog, or other bad weather. De-
celerate the vehicle speed by depressing
the brake pedal, depending on the dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead and the sur-
rounding circumstances in order to main-
tain a safe distance between vehicles.
∙ When the ICC system automatically brings the car to a stop, your vehicle can
automatically accelerate if the vehicle is
stopped for less than approximately
3 seconds. Be prepared to stop your ve-
hicle if necessary.
∙ Always pay attention to the operation of the vehicle and be ready to manually con-
trol the proper following distance. The
ICC system may not be able to maintain
the selected distance between vehicles
(following distance) or selected vehicle
speed under some circumstances.
∙ The system may not detect the vehicle in front of you in certain road or weather
conditions. To avoid accidents, never use
the ICC system under the following
conditions: – On roads with heavy, high-speed traf-
fic or sharp curves
– On slippery road surfaces such as on ice or snow, etc.
– During bad weather (rain, fog, snow, etc.)
– When rain, snow or dirt adhere to the bumper around the distance sensor
– On steep downhill roads (the vehicle may go beyond the set vehicle speed
and frequent braking may result in
overheating the brakes)
– On repeated uphill and downhill roads
– When traffic conditions make it diffi- cult to keep a proper distance be-
tween vehicles because of frequent
acceleration or deceleration
– Interference by other radar sources.
∙ Do not use the ICC system if you are tow- ing a trailer. The system may not detect a
vehicle ahead.
Starting and driving5-123

DCA SYSTEM LIMITATIONS
WARNING
Listed below are the system limitations of
the DCA system. Failure to operate the ve-
hicle in accordance with these system limi-
tations could result in serious injury or
death.
∙ This system will not adapt automaticallyto road conditions. Do not use the system
on roads with sharp curves, or on icy
roads, in heavy rain or in fog.
∙ The DCA system will not apply brake control while the driver’s foot is on the
accelerator pedal.
∙ As there is a performance limit to the dis- tance control function, never rely solely
on the DCA system. This system does not
correct careless, inattentive or absent-
minded driving, or overcome poor visibil-
ity in rain, fog, or other bad weather. De-
celerate the vehicle speed by depressing
the brake pedal, depending on the dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead and the sur-
rounding circumstances in order to main-
tain a safe distance between vehicles. ∙ The system may not detect the vehicle in
front of you in certain road or weather
conditions. To avoid accidents, never use
the DCA system under the following
conditions:
– On roads where the traffic is heavy or there are sharp curves
– On slippery road surfaces such as on ice or snow, etc.
– On off-road surfaces such as on sand or rock, etc.
– During bad weather (rain, fog, snow, etc.)
– When rain, snow or dirt adhere to the sensor area of the front bumper
– On steep downhill roads (frequent braking may result in overheating the
brakes)
– On repeated uphill and downhill roads
– When traffic conditions make it diffi- cult to keep a proper distance be-
tween vehicles because of frequent
acceleration or deceleration
– When towing a trailer or other vehicle
– Interference by other radar sources ∙ In some road or traffic conditions, a ve-
hicle or object can unexpectedly come
into the sensor detection zone and cause
automatic braking. You may need to con-
trol the distance from other vehicles us-
ing the accelerator pedal. Always stay
alert and avoid using the DCA system
when it is not recommended in this
section.
The radar sensor will not detect the following
objects: ∙ Stationary and slow moving vehicles
∙ Pedestrians or objects in the roadway
∙ Oncoming vehicles in the same lane
∙ Motorcycles traveling offset in the travel lane
The following are some conditions in which
the sensor cannot detect the signals: ∙ When the snow or road spray from trav- eling vehicles reduces the sensor’s visibil-
ity
∙ When excessively heavy baggage is loaded in the rear seat or the luggage
room of your vehicle
Starting and driving5-145

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING
TYPE
WARNING
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned offwhile driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
harder to operate.
∙ When the power steering warning light illuminates with the engine running,
there will be no power assist for the
steering. You will still have control of the
vehicle, but the steering will be harder to
operate. Have the power steering system
checked. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service.
The power steering system is designed to
provide power assist while driving to operate
the steering wheel with light force.
When the steering wheel is operated repeat-
edly or continuously while parking or driving
at a very low speed, the power assist for the
steering wheel will be reduced. This is to pre-
vent overheating of the power steering sys-
tem and protect it from getting damaged.
While the power assist is reduced, steering
wheel operation will become heavy. When
the temperature of the power steering sys-
tem goes down, the power assist level will return to normal. Avoid repeating such steer-
ing wheel operations that could cause the
power steering system to overheat.
You may hear a sound when the steering
wheel is operated quickly. However, this is
not a malfunction.
If the power steering warning light illumi-
nates while the engine is running, it may indi-
cate the power steering system is not func-
tioning properly and may need servicing.
Have the power steering system checked. It is
recommended that you visit an INFINITI re-
tailer for this service.
When the power steering warning light illu-
minates with the engine running, there will be
no power assist for the steering, but you will
still have control of the vehicle. At this time,
greater steering effort is required to operate
the steering wheel, especially in sharp turns
and at low speeds.
For additional information, refer to “Power
steering warning light” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.
DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING®
TYPE
WARNING
∙ When the power steering warning light
illuminates with the engine running, the
power assist for the steering will cease
operation. You will still have control of
the vehicle, but the steering will be
harder to operate.
∙ If wheels or tires other than the INFINITI recommended ones are used, Direct
Adaptive Steering® may not operate
properly and the power steering warning
light may illuminate.
∙ Do not modify the vehicle’s suspension parts such as chock absorbers, struts,
springs, stabilizer bars, bushings and
wheels are not INFINITI recommended
for your vehicle or are extremely deterio-
rated, Direct Adaptive Steering may not
operate properly and the power steering
warning light may illuminate.
POWER STEERING
5-176Starting and driving

∙When the INFINITI InTouch™ system
malfunctions or does not operate nor-
mally.
∙ While driving (the vehicle is not
stopped). The brake system has two separate hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit malfunctions, you will
still have braking at two wheels.
BRAKE PRECAUTIONS
Vacuum assisted brakes
The brake booster aids braking by using en-
gine vacuum. If the engine stops, you can
stop the vehicle by depressing the brake
pedal. However, greater foot pressure on the
brake pedal will be required to stop the ve-
hicle and stopping distance will be longer.
Using the brakes
Avoid resting your foot on the brake pedal
while driving. This will overheat the brakes,
wear out the brake pads faster, and reduce
gas mileage.
To help reduce brake wear and to prevent the
brakes from overheating, reduce speed and
downshift to a lower gear before going down
a slope or long grade. Overheated brakes
may reduce braking performance and could
result in loss of vehicle control.
WARNING
∙ While driving on a slippery surface, be
careful when braking, accelerating or
downshifting. Abrupt braking or acceler-
ating could cause the wheels to skid and
result in an accident.
∙ If the engine is not running or is turned off while driving, the power assist for the
brakes will not work. Braking will be
harder.
Wet brakes
When the vehicle is washed or driven through
water, the brakes may get wet. As a result,
your braking distance will be longer and the
vehicle may pull to one side during braking.
To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at a safe
speed while lightly pressing the brake pedal
to heat up the brakes. Do this until the brakes
return to normal. Avoid driving the vehicle at
high speeds until the brakes function cor-
rectly.
Parking brake break-in
Break in the parking brake shoes whenever
the stopping effect of the parking brake is
weakened or whenever the parking brake
shoes and/or rotors are replaced, in order to
assure the best brake performance.
BRAKE SYSTEM
Starting and driving5-179

CAUTION
∙ Continuously Variable Transmission(CVT) models cannot be push-started or
tow-started. Attempting to do so may
cause transmission damage.
∙ Do not push start this vehicle. The three- way catalyst may be damaged.
WARNING
∙ Do not continue to drive if your vehicleoverheats. Doing so could cause engine
damage or a vehicle fire.
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded, never remove the radiator or coolant res-
ervoir cap while the engine is still hot.
When the radiator or coolant reservoir
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 engage the
P (Park) position.
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner. Open all the windows, move the heater or air condi-
tioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed. 3. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the ra-
diator 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.
4. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the engine,
stand clear to prevent getting burned.
5. 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 leak-
ing, the water pump belt is missing or
loose, 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.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-7

CHECKING ENGINE COOLANT
LEVEL
Check the coolant levelin the reservoir when
the engine is cold. If the coolant level is below
the MIN level
B, add coolant to the MAX
level
A. If the reservoir 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 opening and also add it to the reser-
voir up to the MAX level
A. This vehicle contains Genuine NISSAN Long
Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue). The life ex-
pectancy of the factory-fill coolant is
105,000 miles (168,000 km) or 7 years.
Mixing any other type of coolant or the use of
non-distilled water will reduce the life expec-
tancy of the factory-fill coolant. For addi-
tional information, refer to the "Maintenance
and schedules" section of this manual.
If the cooling system frequently requires
coolant, have it checked. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
For additional information on the location of
the engine coolant reservoir, refer to “Engine
compartment check locations” in this section.
CHANGING ENGINE COOLANT
An INFINITI retailer can change the engine
coolant. The service procedure can be found
in the INFINITI Service Manual.
Improper servicing can result in reduced
heater performance and engine overheating.
WARNING
∙ To avoid the danger of being scalded,
never change the coolant when the en-
gine is hot.
∙ Never remove the radiator or engine coolant reservoir 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 cool- ant. If skin contact is made, wash thor-
oughly with soap or hand cleaner as soon
as possible.
∙ Keep coolant out of the reach of children and pets.
Engine coolant must be disposed of properly.
Check your local regulations.
LDI3157
Do-it-yourself8-5

and black label with the common abbrevia-
tion or the appropriate percentage for that
region.
E–85 fuel
E-85 fuel is a mixture of approximately 85%
fuel ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline.
E-85 can only be used in a Flexible Fuel Ve-
hicle (FFV). Do not use E-85 in your vehicle.
U.S. government regulations require fuel
ethanol dispensing pumps to be identified by
a small, square, orange and black label with
the common abbreviation or the appropriate
percentage for that region.
Fuel containing MMT
MMT, or methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl, is an octane boosting additive.
INFINITI does not recommend the use of fuel
containing MMT. Such fuel may adversely
affect vehicle performance, including the
emissions control system. Note that while
some fuel pumps label MMT content, not all
do, so you may have to consult your gasoline
retailer for more details.
Aftermarket fuel additives
INFINITI does not recommend the use of any
aftermarket fuel additives (for example, fuel
injector cleaner, octane booster, intake valve
deposit removers, etc.) which are sold com-
mercially. Many of these additives intended
for gum, varnish or deposit removal may con-
tain active solvents or similar ingredients that
can be harmful to the fuel system and engine.
Octane rating tips
Using unleaded gasoline with an octane rat-
ing lower than recommended can cause per-
sistent, heavy “spark knock.” (“Spark knock”
is a metallic rapping noise.) If severe, this can
lead to engine damage. If you detect a per-
sistent heavy spark knock even when using
gasoline of the stated octane rating, or if you
hear steady spark knock while holding a
steady speed on level roads, it is recom-
mended that you have an INFINITI retailer
correct the condition. Failure to correct the
condition is misuse of the vehicle, for which
INFINITI is not responsible.Incorrect ignition timing may result in spark
knock, after-run and/or overheating, which
may cause excessive fuel consumption or en-
gine damage. If any of the above symptoms
are encountered, have your vehicle checked.
It is recommended that you visit an INFINITI
retailer.
However, now and then you may notice light
spark knock for a short time while accelerat-
ing or driving up hills. This is not a cause for
concern, because you get the greatest fuel
benefit when there is light spark knock for a
short time under heavy engine load.
Technical and consumer information10-5

CAUTION
If your vehicle is equipped with the Lifestyle
Receiver to avoid damage to your vehicle
do not tow a trailer with your vehicle.
Do not tow a trailer with your vehicle with the
Lifestyle Receiver (if so equipped). The Life-
style Receiver should be used for receiver-
mounted accessories only. The Lifestyle Re-
ceiver is designed for carrying bikes, snow
boards/skis, camping gear and various other
bulky items.
MAXIMUM LOAD LIMITS
Maximum trailer loads
Never allow the total trailer load to exceed
the value specified in the following Towing
Load/Specification Chart found in this sec-
tion. The total trailer load equals trailer
weight plus its cargo weight.
The maximum Gross Combined Weight Rat-
ing (GCWR) should not exceed the value
specified in the following Towing
Load/Specification Chart. The GCWR equals the combined weight of
the towing vehicle (including passengers and
cargo) plus the total trailer load. Towing
loads greater than these or using improper
towing equipment could adversely affect ve-
hicle handling, braking and performance.
The ability of your vehicle to tow a trailer is
not only related to the maximum trailer loads,
but also the places you plan to tow. Tow
weights appropriate for level highway driving
may have to be reduced for low traction situ-
ations (for example, on slippery boat ramps).
Temperature conditions can also affect tow-
ing. For example, towing a heavy trailer in
high outside temperatures on graded roadscan affect engine performance and cause
overheating. The engine protection mode,
which helps reduce the chance of engine
damage, could activate and automatically
decrease engine power. Vehicle speed may
decrease under high load. Plan your trip care-
fully to account for trailer and vehicle load,
weather and road conditions.
WARNING
Overheating can result in reduced engine
power and vehicle speed. The reduced
speed may be lower than other traffic,
which could increase the chance of a colli-
sion. Be especially careful when driving. If
the vehicle cannot maintain a safe driving
speed, pull to the side of the road in a safe
area. Allow the engine to cool and return to
normal operation. For additional informa-
tion, refer to “If your vehicle overheats” in
the “In case of emergency” section of this
manual.
CAUTION
Vehicle damage resulting from improper
towing procedures is not covered by
INFINITI warranties.
LTI2030
Technical and consumer information10-19