ignition INFINITI QX50 2020 Manual Online

INTELLIGENT ALL-WHEEL
DRIVE (AWD) DRIVING SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS (if so equipped)
WARNING
∙ Replacing tires with those not originallyspecified by INFINITI could affect the
proper operation of the TPMS.
∙ Always use tires of the same type, size, brand, construction (bias, bias-belted or
radial), and tread pattern on all four
wheels. Install tire chains on the front
wheels when driving on slippery roads
and drive carefully.
∙ This vehicle is not designed for off-road (rough road) use. Do not drive on sandy or
muddy roads that tires may get stuck in.
∙ For AWD equipped vehicles, do not at- tempt to raise two wheels off the ground
and shift the transmission to any D
(Drive) or R (Reverse) position with the
engine running. Doing so may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in serious
vehicle damage or personal injury. ∙ Do not attempt to test an AWD 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 AWD before it is
placed on a dynamometer. Using the
wrong test equipment may result in
drivetrain damage or unexpected vehicle
movement which could result in serious
vehicle damage or personal injury.
∙ When a wheel is off the ground due to an unlevel surface, do not spin the wheel
excessively.
WARNING
Do not operate the push-button ignition
switch while driving the vehicle except in an
emergency. (The engine will stop when the
ignition switch is pushed three consecutive
times in quick succession 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.
PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH
Starting and driving5-13

When the ignition switch is pushed without
depressing the brake pedal, the ignition
switch will change as follows:
Push the ignition switch center:∙ Once to change to ON.
∙ Two times to change to OFF.
The ignition switch will automatically return
to the LOCK position when any door is either
opened or closed with the switch in the OFF
position. The ignition lock is designed so that the igni-
tion switch cannot be placed in the OFF po-
sition until the shift lever is in the P (Park)
position.
When the ignition switch cannot be placed in
the OFF position, proceed as follows:
1. Press the Park button to place the ve- hicle in the P (Park) position.
2. Push the ignition switch. The ignition switch position will change to the ON
position.
3. Push the ignition switch again to the OFF position.
The shift lever can be moved from the P
(Park) position if the ignition switch is in the
ON position and the brake pedal is de-
pressed.
If the battery of the vehicle is discharged, the
ignition switch cannot be moved from the
LOCK position.
Some indicators and warnings for operation
are displayed on the vehicle information dis-
play. For additional information, refer to “Ve-
hicle information display” in the “Instruments
and controls” section of this manual.OPERATING RANGE
The Intelligent Key functions can only be used
when the Intelligent Key is within the speci-
fied operating range.
When the Intelligent Key battery is almost
discharged or strong radio waves are present
near the operating location, the Intelligent
Key system’s operating range becomes nar-
rower and may not function properly.
If the Intelligent Key is within the operating
range, it is possible for anyone, even some-
one who does not carry the Intelligent Key, to
push the ignition switch to start the engine.
LSD2911LSD2020
5-14Starting and driving

The operating range of the engine start func-
tion is inside of the vehicle
1.
∙ The luggage area is not included in the operating range, but the Intelligent Key
may function.
∙ If the Intelligent Key is placed on the in- strument panel or inside the glove box,
storage bin or door pocket, the Intelligent
Key may not function.
∙ If the Intelligent Key is placed near the door or window outside the vehicle, the
Intelligent Key may function.
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
placed in the ON position while carrying the
Intelligent Key.
The ignition switch will lock when any door is
opened or closed with the ignition switched
off. ON (Normal operating position)
This position turns on the ignition system and
electrical accessories.
ON has a battery saver feature that will place
the ignition switch in the OFF position, if the
vehicle is not running, after some time under
the following conditions:
∙ All doors are closed.
∙ The shift lever is in P (Park).
The battery saver feature will be canceled if
any of the following occur: ∙ Any door is opened.
∙ The shift lever is moved out of the P (Park) position.
∙ The ignition switch changes position.
CAUTION
Do not leave the vehicle with the ignition
switch in the ON position when the engine
is not running for an extended period. This
can discharge the battery. OFF
The ignition switch is in the OFF position
when the engine is turned off using the igni-
tion switch. No lights will illuminate on the
ignition switch.
AUTO ACC
With the vehicle in the P (Park) position, the
Intelligent Key with you and the ignition
switch placed from the ON position to the
OFF position, the radio can still be used for a
period of time, or until the driver’s door is
opened.
After a period of time, functions such as ra-
dio, navigation, and Bluetooth® Hands-Free
Phone System may be restarted by pressing
the POWER button/VOLUME control knob
or the key fob unlock button. For additional
information, refer to the “Monitor, climate,
audio, phone and voice recognition systems”
section of this manual.
Starting and driving5-15

EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUT OFF
To shut off the engine in an emergency situ-
ation while driving, perform the following
procedure:∙ Rapidly push the ignition switch three consecutive times in less than 1.5 sec-
onds, or
∙ Push and hold the ignition switch for more than 2 seconds.
INFINITI INTELLIGENT KEY
BATTERY DISCHARGE
If the battery of the Intelligent Key is dis-
charged or environmental conditions inter-
fere with the Intelligent Key operation, start
the engine according to the following proce-
dure:
1. Press the Park button to place the ve- hicle in the P (Park) position.
2. Firmly apply the foot brake.
3. Touch the ignition switch with the Intel- ligent Key as illustrated. (A chime will
sound.) 4. Push the ignition switch while depress-
ing the brake pedal within 10 seconds
after the chime sounds. The engine will
start.
After step 3 is performed, when the ignition
switch is pushed without depressing the
brake pedal, the ignition switch position will
change to ON.
NOTE: ∙ When the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position or the engine is started by
the above procedure, the Intelligent Key
battery discharge indicator may appear
in the vehicle information display even
when the Intelligent Key is inside the ve-
hicle. This is not a malfunction. To turn
off the Intelligent Key battery discharge
indicator, touch the ignition switch with
the Intelligent Key again.
∙ If the Intelligent Key battery discharge
indicator appears, replace the battery as
soon as possible. For additional informa-
tion, refer to “Battery replacement” in
the “Do-it-yourself” section of this
manual.
LSD3572
5-16Starting and driving

INFINITI VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER
SYSTEM
The INFINITI Vehicle Immobilizer System will
not allow the engine to start without the use
of the registered key.
If the engine fails to start using the registered
key, it may be due to interference caused by
another registered key, an automated toll
road device or automated payment device on
the key ring. Restart the engine using the
following procedures:1. Leave the ignition switch in the ON po- sition for approximately 5 seconds.
2. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position and wait approximately
5 seconds.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Restart the engine while holding the de- vice (which may have caused the inter-
ference) separate from the registered
key.
If the no start condition re-occurs, INFINITI
recommends placing the registered key on a
separate key ring to avoid interference from
other devices. ∙ Make sure the area around the vehicle is
clear.
∙ Check fluid levels such as engine oil, cool- ant, brake fluid, and windshield-washer
fluid as frequently as possible, or at least
whenever you refuel.
∙ Check that all windows and lights are clean.
∙ Visually inspect tires for their appearance and condition. Also check tires for proper
inflation.
∙ Check that all doors are closed.
∙ Position seat and adjust head restraints/headrests.
∙ Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
∙ Fasten seat belts and ask all passengers to do likewise.
∙ Check the operation of warning lights when the ignition switch is placed in the
ON position. For additional information,
refer to “Warning lights, indicator lights
and audible reminders” in the “Instru-
ments and controls” section of this
manual. 1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Press the Park button to place the ve-
hicle in P (Park) or move the shift lever to
N (Neutral). P (Park) is recommended.
The starter is designed not to operate if
the shift lever is in any of the driving
positions.
3. Push the ignition switch to the ON posi- tion. Depress the brake pedal and push
the ignition switch to start the engine.
To start the engine immediately, push
and release the ignition switch while de-
pressing the brake pedal with the ignition
switch in any position.
∙ If the engine is very hard to start in extremely cold weather or when re-
starting, depress the accelerator pedal
a little (approximately 1/3 to the floor)
and while holding, crank the engine.
Release the accelerator pedal when
the engine starts.
BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE STARTING THE ENGINE
Starting and driving5-17

∙ If the engine is very hard to start be-cause it is flooded, depress the accel-
erator pedal all the way to the floor
and hold it. Push the ignition switch to
the ON position to start cranking the
engine. After 5 or 6 seconds, stop
cranking by pushing the ignition switch
to the LOCK position. After cranking
the engine, release the accelerator
pedal. Crank the engine with your foot
off the accelerator pedal by depress-
ing the brake pedal and pushing the
ignition switch to start the engine. If
the engine starts, but fails to run, re-
peat the above procedure.
CAUTION
Do not operate the starter for more than
15 seconds at a time. If the engine does not
start, push the ignition switch to the OFF
position and wait 10 seconds before crank-
ing again, otherwise the starter could be
damaged. 4.
Warm-up:
Allow the engine to idle for at least
30 seconds after starting. Do not race
the engine while warming it up. Drive at a
moderate speed for a short distance
first, especially in cold weather. In cold
weather, keep the engine running for a
minimum of2-3minutes before shut-
ting it off. Starting and stopping the en-
gine over a short period of time may
make the vehicle more difficult to start.
5. To stop the engine, place the shift lever in the P (Park) position and push the
ignition switch to the OFF position.
NOTE:
Care should be taken to avoid situations
that can lead to potential battery discharge
and potential no-start conditions such as: 1. Installation or extended use of elec-
tronic accessories that consume battery
power when the engine is not running
(phone chargers, GPS, DVD players,
etc.).
2. The vehicle is not driven regularly
and/or only driven short distances. In
these cases, the battery may need to be
charged to maintain battery health.
REMOTE ENGINE START (if so
equipped)
Vehicles started with the Remote Engine
Start require the ignition switch to be placed
in the ON position before the shift lever can
be moved from the P (Park) position. To place
the ignition switch in the ON position, follow
these steps:
1. Make sure that the Intelligent Key is on you.
2. Apply the brake.
3. Push the ignition switch once to the ON position.
For additional information, refer to “INFINITI
Intelligent Key” in the “Pre-driving checks and
adjustments” section of this manual.
5-18Starting and driving

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE
TRANSMISSION (CVT)
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shift mode). Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
∙
Cold engine idle speed is high, so use cau-
tion when shifting into a forward or reverse
gear before the engine has warmed up.
∙ Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control.
∙ Never shift to either the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position while the vehicle is
moving forward and P (Park) or D (Drive)
position while the vehicle is reversing.
This could cause an accident or damage
the transmission.
∙ Except in an emergency, do not shift to the N (Neutral) position while driving.
Coasting with the transmission in the N
(Neutral) position may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
CAUTION
∙ To avoid possible damage to your vehicle,when stopping the vehicle on an uphill
grade, do not hold the vehicle by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal. The foot brake
should be used for this purpose.
∙ Do not hang items on the shift lever. This may cause an accident due to a sudden
start.
The CVT in your vehicle is electronically con-
trolled to produce maximum power and
smooth operation.
The recommended operating procedures for
this transmission are shown on the following
pages. Follow these procedures for maxi-
mum vehicle performance and driving enjoy-
ment.
Engine power may be automatically reduced
to protect the CVT if the engine speed in-
creases quickly when driving on slippery
roads or while being tested on some dyna-
mometers.
Starting the vehicle
1. After starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the
shift lever out of the P (Park) position.
This Continuously Variable Transmis- sion is designed so that the foot brake
pedal must be depressed before shifting
from P (Park) to any driving position
while the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
The shift lever cannot be moved out of
the P (Park) position and into any of the
other positions if the ignition switch is
placed in the OFF position.
2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift lever to a driving po-
sition.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal and then gradually start the
vehicle in motion.
WARNING
∙ Do not depress the accelerator pedalwhile shifting from P (Park) or N (Neu-
tral) to R (Reverse), D (Drive), or M
(Manual shift mode). Always depress the
brake pedal until shifting is completed.
Failure to do so could cause you to lose
control and have an accident.
∙ Cold engine idle speed is high, so use cau- tion when shifting into a forward or re-
verse gear before the engine has warmed
up.
DRIVING THE VEHICLE
Starting and driving5-19

– Moving the shift lever to the D (Drive)position when reversing.
If these operations are attempted, a chime
sounds and the vehicle shifts to the N (Neu-
tral) position.
P (Park)
CAUTION
∙ To prevent transmission damage, use the P (Park) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped.
∙ Do not slide the shift lever while pressing the Park button. This may damage the
shift control system.
Use this position when the vehicle is parked
or starting the engine. Always make sure that
the vehicle is completely stopped before
pressing the Park button
1to engage the P
(Park) position. For maximum safety, the
brake pedal must be depressed before en-
gaging the P (Park) position. Use this position
together with the parking brake. When park-
ing on a hill, first depress the brake pedal,
apply the parking brake and then engage the
P (Park) position. The parking lock should not
be used as a brake when parking. In order to secure the vehicle, always apply the elec-
tronic parking brake in addition to the parking
lock.
In the event of a malfunction of the vehicle’s
electronics, the transmission may lock in the
P (Park) position. Have the vehicle’s electron-
ics checked immediately. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
The P (Park) position is automatically en-
gaged if:
∙ You switch off the ignition switch.
∙ You unfasten the driver’s seat belt and open the driver’s door when the vehicle is
stationary or driving at a very low speed
and the transmission is in the D (Drive)
position or R (Reverse) position.
R (Reverse)
CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the R
(Reverse) position only when the vehicle is
completely stopped. Use the R (Reverse) position to back up. Make
sure the vehicle is completely stopped before
selecting the R (Reverse) position.
The brake
pedal must be depressed and the shift lever
button pressed to move the shift lever from
the idle position to R (Reverse).
If the vehicle is placed in the R (Reverse)
position while forwarding, the chime will
sound and the vehicle will switch into the N
(Neutral) position.
N (Neutral)
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You
may shift to N (Neutral) and restart a stalled
engine while the vehicle is moving. You can
select this position to hold the shift lever at
this position for 0.5 seconds.
D (Drive)
Use this position for all normal forward driv-
ing. The CVT changes gears automatically. All
forward gears are available. If the vehicle is
placed in the D (Drive) position while revers-
ing, the chime will sound and the vehicle will
switch into the N (Neutral) position.
Starting and driving5-21

∙ Remember not to drive at high speeds forextended periods of time in lower than
8th gear. This reduces fuel economy.
When shifting up
Use the + (up) side paddle shifter. (Shifts to
higher range.)
When shifting down
Use the (down) side paddle shifter. (Shifts
to lower range.)
∙ The transmission will automatically downshift the gears. (For example, if you
select the 3rd range, the transmission will
shift down between the 3rd and 1st
gears.)
∙ Moving the shift lever rapidly to the same side twice will shift the ranges in succes-
sion.
When canceling the manual shift mode
Move the shift lever to the D (Drive) position
to return the transmission to the normal driv-
ing mode. ∙ In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may not shift to the selected gear.
This helps maintain driving performance
and reduces the chance of vehicle dam-
age or loss of control. ∙
When this situation occurs, the Continu-
ously Variable Transmission (CVT) posi-
tion indicator will blink and the chime
will sound.
∙ In the manual shift mode, the transmis-
sion may shift up automatically to a
higher range than selected if the engine
speed is too high. When the vehicle
speed decreases, the transmission auto-
matically shifts down and shifts to 1st
gear before the vehicle comes to a stop.
∙ CVT operation is limited to automatic drive mode when CVT fluid temperature
is extremely low even if manual shift
mode is selected. This is not a malfunc-
tion. When CVT fluid warms up, manual
mode can be selected.
∙ When the CVT fluid temperature is high, the shift range may upshift in lower rpm
than usual. This is not a malfunction.
Accelerator downshift
— in D (Drive) position —
For passing or hill climbing, depress the ac-
celerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into a lower gear, de-
pending on the vehicle speed.
High fluid temperature protection
mode
This transmission has a high fluid tempera-
ture protection mode. If the fluid temperature
becomes too high (for example, when climb-
ing steep grades in high temperatures with
heavy loads, such as when towing a trailer),
engine power and, under some conditions,
vehicle speed will be decreased automatically
to reduce the chance of transmission dam-
age. Vehicle speed can be controlled with the
accelerator pedal, but the engine and vehicle
speed may be limited.
Fail-safe
When the fail-safe operation occurs, the
Continuously Variable Transmission will not
be shifted into the selected driving position.
If the vehicle is driven under extreme condi-
tions, such as excessive wheel spinning and
subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe sys-
tem may be activated. The Malfunction Indi-
cator Light (MIL) may come on to indicate
the fail-safe mode is activated. For addi-
tional information, refer to “Malfunction In-
dicator Light (MIL)” in the “Instruments and
controls” section of this manual. This will oc-
cur even if all electrical circuits are function-
ing properly. In this case, place the ignition
Starting and driving5-23

switch in the OFF position and wait for
10 seconds. Then place the ignition switch
back in the ON position. The vehicle should
return to its normal operating condition. If it
does not return to its normal operating con-
dition, have the transmission checked and
repaired, if necessary. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protec-
tion mode or fail-safe operation occurs, ve-
hicle speed may be gradually reduced. The
reduced speed may be lower than other
traffic, which could increase the chance of a
collision. Be especially careful when driving.
If necessary, pull to the side of the road at a
safe place and allow the transmission to re-
turn to normal operation, or have it re-
paired if necessary.
WARNING
∙ Be sure the parking brake is fully releasedbefore driving. Failure to do so can cause
brake failure and lead to an accident.
∙ Do not release the parking brake from outside the vehicle.
∙ Do not use the shift lever in place of the parking brake. When parking, be sure the
parking brake is fully engaged. ∙ To help avoid risk of injury or death
through unintended operation of the ve-
hicle and/or its systems, do not leave
children, people who require the assis-
tance of others or pets unattended in
your vehicle. Additionally, the tempera-
ture inside a closed vehicle on a warm day
can quickly become high enough to cause
a significant risk of injury or death to
people and pets.
The electronic parking brake can be applied
or released automatically or by operating the
parking brake switch.
AUTOMATIC OPERATION
The electronic parking brake will apply auto-
matically if the ignition switch is placed in the
OFF position when the brake force is main-
tained by the automatic brake hold function.
The electronic parking brake is automatically
released as soon as the vehicle starts and the
accelerator pedal is depressed.
The driver’s seat belt needs to be fastened.
LSD2915
ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE
5-24Starting and driving