engine overheat INFINITI QX50 2020 Owner's Manual

TACHOMETER
The tachometer indicates engine speed in
revolutions per minute (rpm). Do not rev the
engine into the red zone
1.
CAUTION
When engine speed approaches the red
zone, reduce engine speed. Operating the
engine in the red zone may cause serious
engine damage.
ENGINE COOLANT
TEMPERATURE GAUGE
The gauge indicates the engine coolant tem-
perature. The engine coolant temperature is
within the normal range
1when the gauge
needle points within the zone shown in the
illustration.
The engine coolant temperature varies with
the outside air temperature and driving con-
ditions.
CAUTION
If the gauge indicates coolant temperature
near the hot (H) end of the normal range,
reduce vehicle speed to decrease tempera-
ture. If the gauge is over the normal range,
stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible. If
the engine is overheated, continued opera-
tion of the vehicle may seriously damage
the engine. For additional information, re-
fer to “If your vehicle overheats” in the “In
case of emergency” section of this manual
for immediate action required.
LIC3849LIC3850
2-6Instruments and controls

WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use the
climate controlled seats if you or the occu-
pants cannot monitor seat temperatures or
have an inability to feel pain in those body
parts in contact with the seat. Use of the
climate controlled seats by such people
could result in serious injury.
CAUTION
∙ The battery could run down if the climatecontrol seat is operated while the engine
is not running.
∙ Do not use the climate control seat for extended periods or when no one is using
the seat.
∙ Do not put anything on the seat which insulates heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
seat cover, etc. Otherwise, the seat may
become overheated.
∙ Do not place anything hard or heavy on the seat or pierce it with a pin or similar
objects. This may result in damage to the
climate controlled seat.
∙ Any liquid spilled on the seat should be removed immediately with a dry cloth.
∙ When cleaning the seat, never use gaso- line, benzine, thinner, or any similar
materials.
∙ If any malfunctions are found or the cli- mate controlled seat does not operate,
turn the switch off and have the system
checked. It is recommended that you visit
an INFINITI retailer for this service. The climate controlled seat cools down the
front seat by blowing cool air from under the
surface of the seat. The climate control
switch is located on the center console.
The climate controlled seat can be operated
as follows:
1. Place the ignition switch in the ON posi- tion.
2. Push the climate controlled seat switches to cool the seat. The indicator
light on the corresponding switch will
illuminate.
3. Adjust the desired amount of air by pushing the switch again. The climate
controlled seat blower remains on low
speed for approximately 60 seconds af-
ter pushing the switch on.
4. When the vehicle’s interior is warmed or cooled, or before you leave the vehicle,
be sure to turn off the climate controlled
seats. To turn off the climate controlled
seats, push the switch until the indicator
light does not illuminate.
LIC3905
CLIMATE CONTROLLED SEAT
SWITCHES (if so equipped)
Instruments and controls2-47

WARNING
Do not use or allow occupants to use the
seat heater if you or the occupants cannot
monitor elevated seat temperatures or
have an inability to feel pain in body parts
that contact the seat. Use of the seat
heater by such people could result in serious
injury.
CAUTION
∙ The battery could run down if the seatheater is operated while the engine is not
running.
∙ Do not use the seat heater for extended periods or when no one is using the seat.
∙ Do not put anything on the seat which insulates heat, such as a blanket, cushion,
seat cover, etc. Otherwise, the seat may
become overheated.
∙ Do not place anything hard or heavy on the seat or pierce it with a pin or similar
object. This may result in damage to the
heater.
∙ Any liquid spilled on the heated seat should be removed immediately with a
dry cloth.
∙ When cleaning the seat, never use gaso- line, benzine, thinner, or any similar
materials.
∙ If any malfunctions are found or the heated seat does not operate, turn the
switch off and have the system checked.
It is recommended that you visit an
INFINITI retailer for this service.
LIC3906LHA5300
HEATED SEATS (if so equipped)
2-48Instruments and controls

CAUTION
∙ Do not use leaded gasoline. Depositsfrom leaded gasoline will seriously reduce
the three-way catalyst’s ability to help
reduce exhaust pollutants.
∙ Keep your engine tuned up. Malfunctions in the ignition, fuel injection, or electrical
systems can cause over rich fuel flow into
the three-way catalyst, causing it to
overheat. Do not keep driving if the en-
gine misfires, or if noticeable loss of per-
formance or other unusual operating
conditions are detected. Have the vehicle
inspected promptly. It is recommended
that you visit an INFINITI retailer for this
service.
∙ Avoid driving with an extremely low fuel level. Running out of fuel could cause the
engine to misfire, damaging the three-
way catalyst.
∙ Do not race the engine while warming it up.
∙ Do not push or tow your vehicle to start the engine.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM (TPMS)
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label.
(If your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitor-
ing System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check all your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation
also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the system
detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence will
continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as
long as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may
occur for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one
or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to en-
sure that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
Starting and driving5-5

INFINITI is committed to safe driving. How-
ever, you must choose not to drive under the
influence of alcohol. Every year thousands of
people are injured or killed in alcohol-related
accidents. Although the local laws vary on
what is considered to be legally intoxicated,
the fact is that alcohol affects all people dif-
ferently and most people underestimate the
effects of alcohol.
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 condition.
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
designed for leisure use, unlike a conventional
off-road vehicle.
Remember that 2-Wheel Drive (2WD) mod-
els are less capable than All-Wheel Drive
(AWD) models for rough road driving and
extrication when stuck in deep snow or mud,
or the like.Please observe the following precautions:
WARNING
∙ Spinning the front wheels on slippery
surfaces may cause the AWD warning
message to display and the AWD system
to automatically switch from the AWD to
the 2WD mode. This could reduce the
traction. Be especially careful when tow-
ing a trailer (AWD models).
∙ 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 driving 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
sideways much more easily than they can
forward 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 gears while driving on down-
hill grades as this could cause loss of con-
trol 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.
∙ If your engine stalls or you cannot make it to the top of a steep hill, never attempt to
turn around. Your vehicle could tip or roll
over. Always back straight down in R
(Reverse) gear and apply brakes to con-
trol your speed.
∙ Heavy braking going down a hill could cause your brakes to overheat and fade,
resulting in loss of control and an acci-
dent. Apply brakes lightly and use a low
gear to control your speed.
∙ Unsecured cargo can be thrown around when driving over rough terrain. Prop-
erly secure all cargo so it will not be
thrown forward and cause injury to you
or your passengers.
∙ Secure heavy loads in the cargo area as far forward and as low as possible. Do not
equip the vehicle with tires larger than
specified in this manual. This could cause
your vehicle to roll over.
Starting and driving5-11

∙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

∙ HEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL,NO CURB
C:
Turn the wheels toward the side of the
road so the vehicle will move away from
the center of the road if it moves.
4. Place the ignition switch in the LOCK position.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.
POWER STEERING
Starting and driving5-177

Under the following conditions, the steering
wheel may turn slightly even when driving on
a straight road. This is due to a protection
mechanism for Direct Adaptive Steering. The
steering wheel will return to the normal posi-
tion after the protection mechanism is deac-
tivated.
Condition A:∙ When the engine is stalled or likely to be stalled
∙ When the steering wheel is held in the full lock position or when the front tire
touches an obstruction
∙ When the battery is discharged
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and stop operating the steering wheel. Then
drive the vehicle for a short period of time.
Condition B: ∙ When the steering wheel is operated re- peatedly or continuously while parking or
driving at a very low speed. In this case,
the power assist for the steering wheel
will be reduced.
To return the steering wheel to the normal
position, stop the vehicle in a safe location
and wait for a period of time, without oper- ating the steering wheel, until the tempera-
ture of Direct Adaptive Steering cools down.
Avoid repeated steering wheel operations
that could cause Direct Adaptive Steering to
overheat.
When the vehicle is tested on the 2–wheel
dynamometer, the power steering warning
light may illuminate. To turn off the power
steering warning light, stop the vehicle in a
safe location, turn the engine off, restart the
engine, and then drive the vehicle for a period
of time.
The following conditions do not indicate a
malfunction of Direct Adaptive Steering:
∙ You may notice wider steering play when the ignition switch is in the OFF or AUTO
ACC position compared to when it is in
the ON position.
∙ After the engine is started, the steering wheel may turn slightly even when driving
a straight road. To return to the normal
position, drive the vehicle on a straight
road for a period of time.
∙ After the engine is started, the steering wheel may move if the steering wheel
was turned to the fully locked position
while the ignition switch was in the OFF
position. ∙ After the vehicle is tested on the 4–wheel
dynamometer, the steering wheel may
turn slightly even when driving on a
straight road. To return the steering
wheel to the normal position, drive the
vehicle on a straight road for a period of
time.
You may hear a noise under the following
conditions. However, this is not a malfunc-
tion. ∙ When the engine is started or stopped.
∙ When the steering wheel is turned in the full lock position.
Starting and driving5-179

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, becareful 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. This procedure is described in the INFINITI
Service Manual. It is recommended that you
visit an INFINITI retailer for this service.
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM
(ABS)
WARNING
∙ The ABS is a sophisticated device, but it
cannot prevent accidents resulting from
careless or dangerous driving techniques.
It can help maintain vehicle control dur-
ing braking on slippery surfaces. Remem-
ber that stopping distances on slippery
surfaces will be longer than on normal
surfaces even with ABS. Stopping dis-
tances may also be longer on rough,
gravel or snow covered roads, or if you
are using tire chains. Always maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front of
you. Ultimately, the driver is responsible
for safety.
∙ Tire type and condition may also affect braking effectiveness.
– When replacing tires, install the speci- fied size of tires on all four wheels.
BRAKE SYSTEM
5-180Starting and driving

6 In case of emergency
Hazard warning flasher switch....................6-2
Roadside assistance program .....................6-2
Emergency engine shut off .......................6-3
Flat tire ..........................................6-3
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) .......6-3
Run-flat tires ..................................6-4 Jump starting
....................................6-5
Push starting .....................................6-7
If your vehicle overheats ..........................6-7
Towing your vehicle ..............................6-8
Towing recommended by INFINITI .............6-8
Vehicle recovery (freeing a stuck vehicle) ......6-11