2003 NISSAN FRONTIER transmission

cAccelerating quickly from a stop after
shifting from two-wheel drive to four-
wheel drive may not allow engagement
of the auto-locking free-running hubs
and may cause a clattering noise. If this
occurs, release the accelerator pedal to
reduce the engine speed or stop the
vehicle. Continued use of the vehicle
with this noise may damage the hub
lock.
cIf the auto-locking hubs make a clatter-
ing noise after shifting from four-wheel
drive to two-wheel drive, stop and move
the vehicle in reverse gear, in a straight
line, about 7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 m) .
cUnder extremely cold conditions [below
5°F (-15°C)], the front axle shafts may
rotate even with the transfer lever in the
2H position. If this occurs, the auto-
locking hubs may make a clattering
noise. To avoid this, drive first in four-
wheel drive to warm up the vehicle and
differential gear oil. Then, shift to two-
wheel drive.
cIn cold weather, it may be necessary to
reduce speed or stop the vehicle in or-
der to shift from two-wheel drive to
four-wheel drive.cWhen shifting into or out of four-wheel
drive while driving, do not stop shift
lever movement midway. An incomplete
shift may cause a clattering noise from
the auto-locking hubs. Continued use
of the vehicle with this noise may dam-
age the hub lock. Drive in four-wheel
drive to stop the noise. Shift to two-
wheel drive as described.
For Automatic transmission models:
When moving the transfer lever from 4H or 4L to
4L or 4H, you must always move it quickly
through the N position. If you are slow to shift, the
engine idle speed will allow the transfer gears to
speed up and gear clashing will occur.
Do not move the transfer lever from 4H or 4L to
4L or 4H, from 2H to 4L and from 4L to 2H with
the engine turned off. Otherwise, you may have
difficulty in moving the transfer lever to the de-
sired position.
Do not leave the transfer lever in the N position
with the engine running. Stopping with the trans-
fer case in the N position may cause gear grind-
ing when selecting another gear. Changing the
transfer case gear quickly and smoothly will elimi-
nate this.
Starting and driving5-23
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TO SHIFT
TRANSFER CASESHIFT PROCEDURE FOR AUTO-LOCK FREE RUNNING HUBS
From 2H to 4H Move the transfer case shift lever to 4H at speeds below 25 MPH (40 km/h) . It is not necessary to depress the clutch pedal. Perform this operation when
driving straight, not while cornering.
From 4H to 2H1. Move the transfer case shift lever to 2H. This can be done at any speed, and it is not necessary to depress the clutch pedal. Perform this operation when
driving straight, not while cornering.
2. Disengage the AUTO-LOCK hubs following the procedure outlined below.
NOTE: The 4WD indicator light may not turn off immediately under certain driving conditions, such as when the vehicle is driven uphill.
This is normal and it will shut off as the vehicle is driven further.
AUTO-LOCK HUB DISENGAGEMENT (FREE MODE)
The AUTO-LOCK hubs will not disengage until the vehicle is completely stopped and is then moved in a straight line, approxi-
mately 7-10 ft (2-3 m) , in the opposite direction of travel. For example:
If you were driving the vehicle forward, stop and move the vehicle 7-10 ft (2-3 m) backward.
If you were driving the vehicle in reverse, stop and move the vehicle 7-10 ft (2-3 m) forward.
It is not necessary to immediately return the AUTO-LOCK hubs to FREE MODE when shifting from 4H to 2H. The vehicle may
be operated under normal 2H conditions with the AUTO-LOCK hubs engaged. However, disengaging the AUTO-LOCK hubs
will allow for better fuel economy, quieter ride and less component wear. Leaving the hubs locked while driving in 2H may be
desirable so that you can easily shift to 4H at speeds greater than 25 MPH (40 km/h) .
From 4H to 4L or 4L to
4H1. Stop the vehicle.
Keep the engine running.
2. Depress the clutch pedal, or place the transmission selector lever in the N (Neutral) position.
3. Depress the transfer case shift lever and move it to the 4L or 4H position. Change gears quickly and smoothly.
From 2H to 4L1. Stop the vehicle.
Keep the engine running.
2. Depress the clutch pedal, or place the transmission selector lever in the N (Neutral) position.
3. Depress the transfer case shift lever and move it to the 4L position. Change gears quickly and smoothly.
From 4L to 2H1. Stop the vehicle.
Keep the engine running.
2. Depress the clutch pedal, or place the transmission selector lever in the N (Neutral) position.
3. Depress the transfer case shift lever and move it to the 2H position. Change gears quickly and smoothly.
4. Disengage the AUTO-LOCK hubs following the procedure outlined above.
5-24Starting and driving
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WARNING
cDo not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials such as dry grass,
waste paper or rags. They may ignite
and cause a fire.
c
The transfer control lever must
be in the 2H, 4H or 4L position and the
parking brake set to prevent the vehicle
from rolling.cNever place the transfer control lever in
the N (Neutral) position. Otherwise, the
vehicle could roll unexpectedly even if
the manual transmission is in gear or
the automatic transmission is in the P
(Park) position. This could result in se-
rious injury or property damage.cSafe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into P (Park) for
automatic transmission models or in an
appropriate gear for manual transmis-
sion models. Failure to do so could
cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly
or roll away and result in an accident.
Make sure the shift lever has been
pushed as far forward as it can go and
cannot be moved without depressing
the foot brake pedal.
cNever leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.
cDo not leave children unattended inside
the vehicle. They could unknowingly ac-
tivate switches or controls. Unattended
children could become involved in seri-
ous accidents.
cIf the ATP lamp is ON, this indicates that
the automatic transmission P (Park) po-
sition will not function and the transfer
control shift lever is in the N (Neutral)
position. Failure to engage the transfer
control lever in the 2H, 4H or 4L position
could result in the vehicle moving unex-
pectedly, resulting in serious personal
injury or property damage.
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
WSD0050
PARKING/PARKING ON HILLS
Starting and driving5-25
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2.Manual transmission models:
Place the shift lever in the R (Reverse) posi-
tion. When parking on an uphill grade, place
the shift lever in 1st gear.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the shift selector lever to the P (Park)
position.
3. To help prevent the vehicle from rolling into
traffic when parked on an incline, it is a good
practice to turn the wheels as illustrated.
cHEADED DOWNHILL WITH CURB:
s1
Turn the wheels into the curb and move the
vehicle forward until the curb side wheel gen-
tly touches the curb.
cHEADED UPHILL WITH CURB:
s2
Turn the wheels away from the curb and move
the vehicle back until the curb side wheel
gently touches the curb.
cHEADED UPHILL OR DOWNHILL, NO
CURB:
s3
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. Turn the ignition key to the LOCK position
and remove the key.The power assisted steering is designed to use a
hydraulic pump, driven by the engine, to assist
steering.
If the engine stops or the drive belt breaks, you
will still have control of the vehicle. However,
much greater steering effort is needed, especially
in sharp turns and at low speeds.
WARNING
If the engine is not running or is turned off
while driving, the power assist for the
steering will not work. Steering will be
much harder to operate.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 engine
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 vehicle and stopping dis-
tance 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 linings and 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.
POWER STEERING BRAKE SYSTEM
5-26Starting and driving
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CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
If you have a flat tire, follow the instructions be-
low.
Stopping the vehicle
1. Safely move the vehicle off the road and
away from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking
brake. Shift the manual transmission into R
(Reverse) , or the automatic transmission
into P (Park) .
WARNING
cThe transfer control lever must
be in the 2H, 4H or 4L position.
cDo not leave the transfer control lever in
the N (Neutral) position. Otherwise, the
vehicle could roll unexpectedly even if
the manual transmission is in any gear
or the automatic transmission is in the
P (Park) position. This could result in
serious personal injury or property
damage.
4. Turn off the engine.5. Raise the hood to warn other traffic and to
signal professional road assistance person-
nel that you need assistance.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle
and stand in a safe place, away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING
cMake sure the parking brake is securely
applied and the manual transmission is
shifted into R (Reverse) , or the auto-
matic transmission into P (Park) .
cNever change tires when the vehicle is
on a slope, ice or slippery areas. This is
hazardous.
cNever change tires if oncoming traffic is
close to your vehicle. Wait for profes-
sional road assistance.
cWhen a spare tire is mounted or a wheel
is replaced, the low tire pressure warn-
ing system will not function. Contact
your NISSAN dealer as soon possible
for tire replacement and/or system re-
setting. (For models with the low tire
pressure warning system)
Blocking wheels
Place suitable blockss1at both the front and
back of the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire
s2to prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is
jacked up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the vehicle
may move and result in personal injury.
WCE0044
In case of emergency6-3
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WARNING
Always follow the instructions below.
Failure to do so could result in damage to
the charging system and cause personal
injury.
1. If the booster battery is in another vehicle,
position the two vehicles to bring their bat-
teries near each other.
Do not allow the two vehicles to touch.2. Apply the parking brake. Move the shift lever
to N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (automatic transmission) . Switch off
all unnecessary electrical systems (lights,
heater, air conditioner, etc.) .
3. Remove vent caps on the battery (if so
equipped) . Cover the battery with an old
cloth to reduce explosion hazard.
4. Connect jumper cables in the sequence il-
lustrated (
sA,sB,sC,sD).
CAUTION
cAlways connect positive (1) to positive
(1) and negative (2) to body ground (for
example, strut mounting bolt, engine
lift bracket, etc.) — not to the battery.
cMake sure the jumper cables do not
touch moving parts in the engine com-
partment and that the cable clamps do
not contact any other metal.
5. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and
let it run for a few minutes.
6. Keep the engine speed of the booster ve-
hicle at about 2,000 rpm, and start the en-
gine of the vehicle being jump started.
WARNING
Do not keep the starter motor engaged for
more than 10 seconds. If the engine does
not start right away, turn the key off and
wait 3 to 4 seconds before trying again.
7. After starting the engine, carefully discon-
nect the negative cable and then the positive
cable.
8. Replace the vent caps (if so equipped) . Be
sure to dispose of the cloth used to cover
the vent holes as it may be contaminated
with corrosive acid.
WCE0066
6-10In case of emergency
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WARNING
cAutomatic transmission models cannot
be push-started or tow-started. This
may cause transmission or other ve-
hicle damage.
cThree-way catalyst equipped models
should not be started by pushing. The
three-way catalyst may be damaged.
cNever try to start the vehicle by towing
it. When the engine starts, the forward
surge could cause the vehicle to collide
with the tow vehicle.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.
WARNING
cDo not continue to drive if your vehicle
overheats. Doing so could cause a ve-
hicle fire.
cTo avoid the danger of being scalded,
never remove the radiator cap while the
engine is still hot. When the radiator
cap is removed, pressurized hot water
will spurt out, possibly causing serious
injury.
cDo not open the hood if steam is com-
ing out.
1. Move the vehicle safely off the road, apply
the parking brake and move the shift lever to
N (Neutral) (manual transmission) or to P
(Park) (automatic transmission) .
Do not stop the engine.
2. Turn off the air conditioner (if so equipped) .
Open all the windows, move the heater or air
conditioner temperature control to maximum
hot and fan control to high speed.3. If engine overheating is caused by climbing a
long hill on a hot day, run the engine at a fast
idle (approximately 1,500 r/min) until the
temperature gauge indicator returns to nor-
mal.
4. Get out of the vehicle. Look and listen for
steam or coolant escaping from the radiator
before opening the hood. Wait until no
steam or coolant can be seen before pro-
ceeding.
5. Open the engine hood.
WARNING
If steam or water is coming from the en-
gine, stand clear to prevent getting
burned.
6. 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 leaking,
the water pump belt is missing or loose, or
the cooling fan does not run, stop the en-
gine.
PUSH STARTING IF YOUR VEHICLE OVERHEATS
In case of emergency6-11
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TOWING RECOMMENDED BY
NISSAN
Two-wheel drive models
NISSAN recommends that your vehicle be towed
with the driving (rear) wheels off the ground or
place the vehicle on a flat bed truck as illustrated.
CAUTION
cNever tow automatic transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground or four wheels on the ground
(forward or backward) , as this may
cause serious and expensive damage to
the transmission. If it is necessary to
tow the vehicle with the front wheels
raised always use towing dollies under
the rear wheels.
cWhen towing automatic or manual
transmission models with the front
wheels on the ground or on towing
dollies:– Turn the ignition key to the OFF posi-
tion, and secure the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position with a rope or
similar device. Never secure the steer-
ing wheel by turning the ignition key to
the LOCK position. This may damage
the steering lock mechanism.
cIf you have to tow manual transmission
models with the rear wheels on the
ground (if you do not use towing dol-
lies) or four wheels on the ground:
cAlways release the parking brake.
cMove the transmission shift lever to
the N (Neutral) position.
cObserve the following restricted tow-
ing speeds and distances for manual
transmission models only:
Speed: Below 60 MPH (97 km/h)
Distance: Less than 500 miles (805
km)
If the speed or distance must necessarily be
greater, remove the propeller shaft before towing
to prevent damage to the transmission.
Four-wheel drive models
NISSAN recommends that towing dollies be
used when towing your vehicle or place the ve-
hicle on a flat bed truck as illustrated.
ACE0705
In case of emergency6-13
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