Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)

The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) in your vehicle is electronically controlled to produce maximum power and smooth operation.

The recommended operating procedures for this transmission are shown on the following pages.

Follow these procedures for maximum vehicle performance and driving enjoyment.

Engine power may be automatically reduced to protect the CVT if the engine speed increases quickly when driving on slippery roads or while being tested on some dynamometers.

Starting the vehicle

1. After starting the engine, fully depress the foot brake pedal before moving the shift selector out of the P (Park) position.

This CVT 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 selector cannot be moved out of the P (Park) position and into any of the other positions if the ignition switch is placed in the LOCK, OFF or ACC position.

2. Keep the foot brake pedal depressed and move the shift selector to a driving position.
3. Release the parking brake and foot brake pedal, and then gradually start the vehicle in motion.

WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator pedal while shifting from P (Park) or N (Neutral) to R (Reverse) or D (Drive) position.

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 caution when shifting into a forward or reverse gear before the engine has warmed up.
● Never shift to P (Park) or R (Reverse) while vehicle is moving. Failure to do so could cause you to lose control and have an accident.
● Except in an emergency, do not shift to the N (Neutral) position while driving.

Doing so can cause a loss of engine braking which may result in a collision, serious personal injury or death. In addition, coasting with the transmission in the N (Neutral) position may cause serious damage to the transmission.

CAUTION
● When stopping the vehicle on an uphill grade, do not hold the vehicle by depressing the accelerator pedal. The foot brake should be used for this purpose.
● Do not downshift abruptly on slippery roads. This may cause a loss of control.

Shifting

Press the button A while depressing the brake pedal
Press the button A to shift
Shift without pressing A button

After starting the engine, fully depress the brake pedal, push the press the shift selector button and move the shift selector from the P (Park) position to any of the desired shift positions.

WARNING
Apply the parking brake if the shift selector is in any position while the engine is not running. Failure to do so could cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly or roll away and result in serious personal injury or property damage.

CAUTION
Use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when the vehicle is completely stopped.

P (Park):

CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the P (Park) or R (Reverse) position only when the vehicle is completely stopped.

Use the P (Park) shift selector position when the vehicle is parked or when starting the engine.

Make sure the vehicle is completely stopped.

The brake pedal must be depressed and the shift selector button pushed in to move the shift selector from N (Neutral) or any drive position to P (Park). Apply the parking brake. When parking on a hill, apply the parking brake first, then move the shift selector into the P (Park) position.

R (Reverse):

CAUTION
To prevent transmission damage, use the P (Park) or 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 selector button pushed in to move the shift selector from P (Park), N (Neutral) or any drive position to R (Reverse)

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.

D (Drive):

Use this position for all normal forward driving.

Manual shift mode

When the shift selector is in the manual shift gate, the transmission is ready for the manual shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manually by moving the shift selector up or down. To cancel manual shift mode, return shift selector to the D (Drive) position. The transmission returns to automatic driving mode.

When the shift selector is shifted from D (Drive) to the manual shift gate with the vehicle stopped or while driving, the transmission enters the manual shift mode. Shift ranges can be selected manually. In the manual shift mode, the shift range is displayed on the position indicator in the meter.

When shifting the shift selector to the manual shift gate, the position indicator displays 1 (first) up to 6 (sixth) depending on vehicle speed.

Shift ranges up or down one by one as follows:

1⇔ 2 ⇔ 3 ⇔ 4 ⇔ 5 ⇔ 6

6 (6th)

Use this position for all normal forward driving at highway speeds.

5 (5th)

Use this position when driving up long slopes, or for engine braking when driving down long slopes.

4 (4th), 3 (3rd) and 2 (2nd)

Use these positions for hill climbing or engine braking on downhill grades.

1 (1st)

Use this position when climbing steep hills slowly or when driving slowly, or for maximum engine braking on steep downhill grades.

● Remember not to drive at high speeds for extended periods of time in lower than 6th gear. This reduces fuel economy.

When shifting up:

Move the shift selector to the + (up) side. (Shifts to higher range.)

When shifting down:

Move the shift selector to the (down) side.

(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 selector rapidly to the same side twice will shift the ranges in succession.

When canceling the manual shift mode:

Return the shift selector to the D (Drive) position to return the transmission to the normal driving mode.

● In the manual shift mode, the transmission may not shift to the selected gear.

This helps maintain driving performance and reduces the chance of vehicle damage or loss of control.
● In the manual shift mode, the transmission may shift up automatically to a higher range than selected if the engine speed is too high. When the vehicle speed decreases, the transmission automatically 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 malfunction. 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.

Shift lock release

If the battery charge is low or discharged, the shift selector may not be moved from the P (Park) position even with the brake pedal depressed and the shift selector button pushed. To move the shift selector, perform the following procedure:

1. Place the ignition switch in the OFF or LOCK position.
2. Apply the parking brake.
3. Remove the shift lock release cover A using a suitable tool.
4. Push down the shift lock release B using a suitable tool.
5. Press the shift selector button C and move the shift selector to the N (Neutral) position D while holding down the shift lock release.

The vehicle may be moved to the desired location. Replace the removed shift lock release cover after the operation. If the shift selector cannot be moved out of the P (Park) position, have an INFINITI retailer check the CVT system as soon as possible.

WARNING
If the shift selector cannot be moved from the P (Park) position while the engine is running and the brake pedal is depressed, the stop lights may not work. Malfunctioning stop lights could cause an accident injuring yourself and others.

Accelerator downshift

— in D position —

For passing or hill climbing, depress the accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the transmission down into a lower gear, depending on the vehicle speed.

High fluid temperature protection mode

This transmission has a high fluid temperature protection mode. If the fluid temperature becomes too high (for example, when climbing steep grades in high temperature 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 damage. Vehicle speed can be controlled with the accelerator pedal, but the engine and vehicle speed may be limited.

Fail-safe

If the vehicle is driven under extreme conditions, such as excessive wheel spinning and subsequent hard braking, the fail-safe system may be activated. The MIL may illuminate to indicate the fail-safe mode is activated, see “Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL)” in the “Instrument and controls” section.

This will occur even if all electrical circuits are functioning properly. In this case, place the ignition switch in the OFF position and wait for 10 seconds. Then turn the switch back to the ON position. The vehicle should return to its normal operating condition. If it does not return to its normal operating condition, have an INFINITI retailer check the transmission and repair if necessary.

WARNING
When the high fluid temperature protection mode or fail-safe operation occurs, vehicle 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 return to normal operation, or have it repaired if necessary.