brakes INFINITI QX56 2013 Owner's Guide

9-24Technical and consumer information
weight transferred through the frame and
pushing down on the front wheels. This
gives stability to the tow vehicle.
A weight-distributing hitch system (Class
IV) is recommended if you plan to tow
trailers with a maximum weight over 5,000
lbs (2,267 kg). Check with the trailer and
towing equipment manufacturers to deter-
mine if they recommend the use of a
weight-distributing hitch system.
NOTE:
A weight-distributing hitch system may
affect the operation of trailer surge brakes.
If you are considering use of a weight-
distributing hitch system with a surge
brake-equipped trailer, check with the
surge brake, hitch or trailer manufacturer
to determine if and how this can be done.
Follow the instructions provided by the
manufacturer for installing and using the
weight-distributing hitch system.
General set-up instructions are as follows:
1. Park unloaded vehicle on a level sur-face. With the ignition switch in the ON
position and the doors closed, allow
the vehicle to stand for several minutes
so that it can level. 2. Measure the height of a reference point
on the front and rear bumpers at the
center of the vehicle.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust the hitch equalizers so that the
front bumper height is within 0 - .5
inches (0 - 13 mm) of the reference
height measured in step 2. The rear
bumper should be no higher than the
reference height measured in step 2.
WARNING
Properly adjust the weight distributing hitch
so the rear of the bumper is no higher than
the measured reference height when the
trailer is attached. If the rear bumper is
higher than the measured reference height
when loaded, the vehicle may handle
unpredictably which could cause a loss of
vehicle control and cause serious personal
injury or property damage.
Sway control device
Sudden maneuvers, wind gusts and buffet-
ing caused by other vehicles can affect
trailer handling. Sway control devices may
be used to help control these affects. If you choose to use one, contact a reputable
trailer hitch supplier to make sure the sway
control device will work with the vehicle,
hitch, trailer and the trailer’s brake system.
Follow the instructions provided by the
manufacturer for installing and using the
sway control device.
Class I hitch
Class I trailer hitch equipment (receiver,
ball mount and hitch ball) can be used to
tow trailers of a maximum weight of 2,000
lb (907 kg).
Class II hitch
Class II trailer hitch equipment (receiver,
ball mount and hitch ball) can be used to
tow trailers of a maximum weight of 3,500
lb (1,588 kg).
Class III hitch
Class III trailer hitch equipment (receiver,
ball mount and hitch ball) can be used to
tow trailers of a maximum weight of 5,000
lb (2,267 kg).
Class IV hitch
Class IV trailer hitch equipment (receiver,
ball mount and hitch ball) can be used to
tow trailers of a maximum weight of

9-26Technical and consumer information
using the vehicle tail light, stoplight and
turn signal circuits as a signal source.
The module/converter must draw no
more than 15 milliamps from the stop
and tail lamp circuits. Using a module/
converter that exceeds these power
requirements may damage the vehicle’s
electrical system. See a reputable trailer
retailer to obtain the proper equipment
and to have it installed.
. Do not connect electrical devices that
draw more than 40 amps to the vehicle.
The fusible link may melt.
Trailer lights should comply with federal
and/or local regulations. For assistance in
hooking up trailer lights, contact an
INFINITI retailer or reputable trailer retailer.
Trailer brakes
When towing a trailer load of 3,500 lbs.
(1,587 kg) or more, trailers with a brake
system MUST be used. However, most
states require a separate braking system
on trailers with a loaded weight above a
specific amount. Make sure the trailer
meets the local regulations and the regula-
tions where you plan to tow.
Several types of braking systems are available.
Surge Brakes -
The surge brake actuator is
mounted on the trailer tongue with a
hydraulic line running to each trailer
wheel. Surge brakes are activated by the
trailer pushing against the hitch ball when
the tow vehicle is braking. Hydraulic surge
brakes are common on rental trailers and
some boat trailers. In this type of system,
there is no hydraulic or electric connection
for brake operation between the tow
vehicle and the trailer.
Electric Trailer Brakes - Electric braking
systems are activated by an electronic
signal sent from a trailer brake controller
(special brake sensing module).
Have a professional supplier of towing
equipment make sure the trailer brakes are
properly installed and demonstrate proper
brake function testing.
WARNING
Never connect a trailer brake system directly
to the vehicle brake system.
Pre-towing tips
. Be certain your vehicle maintains a level
position when a loaded or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive the
vehicle if it has an abnormal nose-up
or nose-down condition; check for
improper tongue load, overload, worn
suspension or other possible causes of
either condition.
. Always secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
. Keep the cargo load as low as possible
in the trailer to keep the trailer center of
gravity low.
. Load the trailer so approximately 60%
of the trailer load is in the front half and
40% is in the back half. Also make sure
the load is balanced side to side.
. Check your hitch, trailer tire pressure,
vehicle tire pressure, trailer light opera-
tion, and trailer wheel lug nuts every
time you attach a trailer to the vehicle.
. Be certain your rearview mirrors con-
form to all federal, state or local
regulations. If not, install any mirrors
required for towing before driving the
vehicle.
. Determine the overall height of the
vehicle and trailer so the required

clearance is known.
Trailer towing tips
In order to gain skill and an understanding
of the vehicle’s behavior, you should
practice turning, stopping and backing up
in an area which is free from traffic.
Steering stability, and braking perfor-
mance will be somewhat different than
under normal driving conditions.
. Always secure items in the trailer to
prevent load shift while driving.
. Lock the trailer hitch coupler with a pin
or lock to prevent the coupler from
inadvertently becoming unlatched.
. Avoid abrupt starts, acceleration or
stops.
. Avoid sharp turns or lane changes.
. Always drive your vehicle at a moderate
speed. Some states or provinces have
specific speed limits for vehicles that
are towing trailers. Obey the local
speed limits.
. When backing up, hold the bottom of
the steering wheel with one hand.
Move your hand in the direction in
which you want the trailer to go. Make
small corrections and back up slowly. If
possible, have someone guide you when you are backing up.
Always block the wheels on both vehicle
and trailer when parking. Parking on a
slope is not recommended; however, if you
must do so:
CAUTION
If you move the shift lever to the P (Park)
position before blocking the wheels and
applying the parking brake, transmission
damage could occur.
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Have someone place blocks on the downhill side of the vehicle and trailer
wheels.
3. After the wheel blocks are in place, slowly release the brake pedal until the
blocks absorb the vehicle load.
4. Apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transmission into P (Park).
6. Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) models:
Make sure that the 4WD shift switch is
engaged in the AUTO, 4HI or 4LO
position and the Automatic Transmis-
sion (AT) park warning light is turned off.
7. Turn off the engine.
To drive away:
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift the transmission into gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Drive slowly until the vehicle and trailer are clear from the blocks.
6. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
7. Have someone retrieve and store the blocks.
. While going downhill, the weight of the
trailer pushing on the tow vehicle may
decrease overall stability. Therefore, to
maintain adequate control, reduce your
speed and shift to a lower gear. Avoid
long or repeated use of the brakes
when descending a hill, as this reduces
their effectiveness and could cause
overheating. Shifting to a lower gear
instead provides “engine braking” and
reduces the need to brake as fre-
quently.
. If the engine coolant temperature rises
to a high temperature, see “If your
vehicle overheats” in the“6. In case of
Technical and consumer information9-27

9-28Technical and consumer information
emergency”section.
. Trailer towing requires more fuel than
normal circumstances.
. Avoid towing a trailer for your vehicle’s
first 500 miles (800 km).
. Have your vehicle serviced more often
than at intervals specified in the
recommended maintenance schedule
in the INFINITI Service and Maintenance
Guide.
. When making a turn, your trailer wheels
will be closer to the inside of the turn
than your vehicle wheels. To compen-
sate for this, make a larger than normal
turning radius during the turn.
. Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect vehicle/trailer handling,
possibly causing vehicle sway. When
being passed by larger vehicles, be
prepared for possible changes in cross-
winds that could affect vehicle hand-
ling.
Do the following if the trailer begins to
sway:
1. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal to allow the vehicle to coast and steer
as straight ahead as the road condi-
tions allow. This combination will help
stabilize the vehicle..Do not correct trailer sway by steer-ing or applying the brakes.
2. When the trailer sway stops, gently apply the brakes and pull to the side of
the road in a safe area.
3. Try to rearrange the trailer load so it is balanced as described earlier in this
section.
. Be careful when passing other vehicles.
Passing while towing a trailer requires
considerably more distance than nor-
mal passing. Remember the length of
the trailer must also pass the other
vehicle before you can safely change
lanes.
. Use the Tow mode or downshift the
transmission to a lower gear for engine
braking when driving down steep or
long hills. This will help slow the
vehicle without applying the brakes.
. Avoid holding the brake pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could cause
the brakes to overheat, resulting in
reduced braking efficiency.
. Increase your following distance to
allow for greater stopping distances
while towing a trailer. Anticipate stops
and brake gradually. .
INFINITI recommends that the cruise
control not be used while towing a
trailer.
. While towing a trailer, do not use the
following systems (if so equipped):
— the Lane Departure Prevention (LDP)
system
— the Blind Spot Warning (BSW) sys-
tem
— the Blind Spot Intervention system
— the Back-up Collision Intervention
(BCI) system (if so equipped)
— the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)
system
— the Distance Control Assist (DCA)
system
— the Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)
system
. Some states or provinces have specific
regulations and speed limits for vehi-
cles that are towing trailers. Obey the
local speed limits.
. Check your hitch, trailer wiring harness
connections, and trailer wheel lug nuts
after 50 miles (80 km) of travel and at
every break.
. When launching a boat, do not allow
the water level to go over the exhaust