2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER parking brake

ShiftingPush the button to shift into P, R or from D to 2.
All other positions can be selected without
pushing the button.
P (Park):
Use this 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 selector
lever button pushed in to move the selec-
tor lever from N(Neutral) or any drive
position to P (Park).Apply the parking brake.
When parking on a hill, apply the parking brakefirst, then move the lever to the P (Park) position.
R (Reverse):
Use this position to back up. Always be sure the
vehicle is completely stopped before selecting R
(Reverse).The brake pedal must be de-
pressed and selector lever button pushed
in to move the selector lever from P (Park),
N(Neutral) or any drive position to R (Re-
verse).
N(Neutral):
Neither forward nor reverse gear is engaged.
The engine can be started in this position. You
may shift to N and restart a stalled engine while
the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive):
Use this position for all normal forward driving.
2 (Second gear):
Use for hill climbing, effective engine braking on
downhill grades or starting on slippery roads.
Do not downshift into the 2 position at speeds
over the following speeds and do not exceed the
following speeds in the 2 position:
Two wheel drive:
60 MPH (95 km/h)Four wheel drive:
(Part time)
2H and 4H positions 50 MPH (80 km/h)
4L position 19 MPH (30 km/h)
(All-mode)
2WD and AUTO positions
60 MPH (95 km/h)
4H position 50 MPH (80 km/h)
4LO position 22 MPH (35 km/h)
1 (Low gear):
Use this position when climbing steep hills
slowly or driving slowly through deep snow,
sand or mud, or for maximum engine braking on
steep downhill grades.
Do not shift into 1 position at speeds over the
following speeds:
Two wheel drive:
60 MPH (95 km/h)
Four wheel drive:
(Part time)
2H and 4H positions 50 MPH (80 km/h)
4L position 19 MPH (30 km/h)
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Shift lock releaseIf the battery charge is low, the select lever may
not be moved from the P position even with the
brake pedal depressed and the select lever
button pushed.
To move the select lever, remove the shift lock
cover using a flat-bladed screwdriver, and push
the shift lock release button and select lever
button with the parking brake securely applied
and the brake pedal firmly depressed. The select
lever can be moved to N (Neutral).
To push the shift lock release button, follow the
procedure as illustrated.
If the lever cannot be moved out of P (Park) have
your NISSAN dealer check the automatic trans-
mission system as soon as possible.
WARNING
If the selector lever cannot be moved
from the P position while the engine is
running and the brake pedal is de-
pressed, the stop lights may not work.
Malfunctioning stop lights could cause
an accident injuring yourself and others.
Accelerator downshift
— In D position —For rapid passing or hill climbing, fully depress
the accelerator pedal to the floor. This shifts the
transmission down into second gear or first gear,
depending on the vehicle speed.
Overdrive switchEach time your vehicle is started, the transmis-
sion is automatically reset to overdrive on.
ON: For normal driving the overdrive switch
is engaged. The transmission is up-
shifted into overdrive as the vehicle
speed increases.
The overdrive does not engage until the
engine has warmed up.
OFF: For driving up and down long slopes
where engine braking would be advan-
tageous, push the overdrive switch. The
O/D OFF light illuminates. When cruis-
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When the vehicle is stopped for a
period of time, for example at a stop
light, shift to N(Neutral) and release
the clutch pedal with the foot brake
applied.
To apply:pull the lever up.
To release:
1. Firmly apply foot brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the gearshift lever in the N (Neutral)
position.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the selector lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion.
3. While pulling up on the lever slightly, push
the button and lower completely.4. Before driving, be sure the brake warning
light goes out.
WARNING

Be sure the parking brake is fully
released before 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 gear shift in place of
the parking brake. When parking, be
sure the parking brake is fully en-
gaged.

Do not leave children unattended in a
vehicle. They could release the park-
ing brake and cause an accident.
PD1001M
PARKING BRAKE
Starting and driving
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03.1.28/R50-D/V5


Follow the recommended periodic mainte-
nance schedule.

Keep the tires inflated at the correct pres-
sure. Low pressure will increase tire wear and
waste fuel.

Keep the front wheels in correct alignment.
Improper alignment will cause increased tire
wear and lower fuel economy.

Air conditioner operation lowers fuel
economy. Use the air conditioner only when
necessary.

When cruising at highway speeds, it is more
economical to use the air conditioner and
leave the windows closed to reduce drag.


Use 4H or 4L position only when necessary.
Four wheel drive operation lowers fuel
economy.2H— (2WD, high range) Only the rear wheels
are driven. Use for driving under the same
conditions as standard 2WD vehicle, or state
dynamometer I/M testing.
4H— (4WD, high range) Four wheels are driven.
Use when driving on roads where it is difficult to
drive in the 2H position (i.e., driving at normal
speeds on snow covered, icy, wet, muddy or
sandy roads).
The 4H position provides greater power
and traction. Avoid excessive speed, as it
will cause increased fuel consumption and
higher oil temperature, and could damage
drivetrain components. Speeds over 50MPH (80 km/h) in 4H are not recom-
mended.
4L— (4WD, low range) Four wheels are driven.
Use when climbing or descending steep hills, or
during hard driving in sand, mud or deep snow.
The 4L position provides maximum power
and traction. Avoid raising vehicle speed
excessively, as the maximum speed is ap-
proximately 30 MPH (50 km/h).
N— No wheels are driven. Always keep the
transfer lever out of the N position. Shift the lever
quickly and smoothly when moving across the N
position with the vehicle stopped.
WARNING

When parking the vehicle, apply the
parking brake and shift the transfer
control lever in the 2H, 4H or 4L
position.

Do not leave the transfer control le-
ver in the Nposition. Otherwise, the
vehicle could roll unexpectedly even
if the manual transmission is in any
gear or the automatic transmission in
the P position. If the ATP light is on,
this indicates that the automatic
SSD0128
USING PART TIME FOUR WHEEL
DRIVE (4WD)
Starting and driving
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03.1.28/R50-D/V5


*1:
The transfer 4LO position indicator light
may blink. Stop the vehicle. Be sure to
shift the 4WD shift switch after the auto-
matic transmission lever has been shifted
to the N position. If the indicator light
keeps blinking after the 4WD shift proce-
dure in the previous page, drive slowly
without abrupt maneuvers for a while.
Then the light will turn on or off.

Avoid making a turn or abrupt starts while
shifting to 4LO. Otherwise gears may
grind, damaging the drive system.
*2: Make sure the transfer 4LO position indicator
light turns on when you shift the 4WD shift
switch to 4LO.
The transfer case 4WD shift switch is used to
select either 2WD or 4WD depending on the
driving conditions. There are four types of drive
modes available, AUTO, 2WD, 4H and 4LO.
The 4WD shift switch electronically controls the
transfer case operation. Rotate the switch to
move between each mode, 2WD, AUTO, 4H
and 4LO.
You must push the switch in to select 4LO,
and the vehicle MUST be stationary and
the automatic transmission selector lever
is in the Nposition when changing into or
out of 4LO.
WARNING
When parking, apply the parking brake
before stopping the engine and make
sure that the 4WD shift indicator light is
on and the ATP warning light goes off.
Otherwise, the vehicle could unexpect-
edly move even if the automatic trans-
mission is in the P position.
CAUTION

Never shift the 4WD shift switch be-
tween 4LO and 4H while driving.

The 4H position provides greater
power and traction. Avoid excessive
speed, as it will cause increased fuel
consumption and higher oil tempera-
ture, and could damage drivetrain
components. Speeds over 50 MPH
(80 km/h) in 4H are not recom-
mended.

The 4LO position provides maximum
power and traction. Avoid raising ve-hicle speed excessively, as the maxi-
mum speed is approximately 30 MPH
(50 km/h).

When driving straight, shift the 4WD
shift switch to the 2WD, AUTO or 4H
position. Do not move the 4WD shift
switch when making a turn or revers-
ing.

Do not shift the 4WD shift switch
(between 2WD, AUTO and 4H) while
driving on steep downhill grades. Use
the engine brake.

Do not operate the 4WD shift switch
(between 2WD, AUTO and 4H) with
the rear wheels spinning.

Do not drive on dry hard surface
roads in the 4H or 4LO position. Driv-
ing on dry hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO
may cause unnecessary noise and
tire wear. We recommend driving in
the 2WD or AUTO position under
these conditions.

Vehicles equipped with a limited slip
differential (LSD) have improved driv-
Starting and driving
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WARNING

Do not stop or park the vehicle over
flammable materials, such as dry
grass, waste paper, or rags. They may
ignite and cause a fire.


The transfer shift lever must
be in the 2H, 4H or 4L position and
the parking brake must be set to
prevent the vehicle from rolling.

Never place the transfer shift lever inthe Nposition, otherwise, the vehicle
could roll unexpectedly even if the
manual transmission is in gear or the
automatic transmission is in the P
position. This could result in serious
personal injury or property damage.

Never leave the engine running while
the vehicle is unattended.

Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2.Manual transmission models:
Place the shift lever in the R (Reverse) posi-
tion. When parking on an uphill grade, place
the gearshift lever in the 1st position.
Automatic transmission models:
Move the selector lever to the P (Park) posi-
tion.
WARNING

Safe parking procedures require that
both the parking brake be set and the
transmission placed into the P (Park)
for automatic transmission models
or in an appropriate gear for manual
transmission models. Failure to do
so could cause the vehicle to move
unexpectedly or roll away and result
in an accident.

Make sure the automatic transmis-
sion selector lever has been pushed
as far forward as it can go and cannot
be moved without depressing the
button at the end of the lever.
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LOW TIRE PRESSURE WARNING
SYSTEM (if so equipped)The low tire pressure warning system monitors
tire pressure of all wheels (except the spare tire).
If the vehicle is being driven with very low tire
pressure (lower than 25 psi, 171 kPa), the low
tire pressure warning system will activate and
warn you of it by the low tire pressure warning
light. This system will activate only when the
vehicle is driven at speeds above 20 MPH (32
km/h). For more details, please refer to
“Warning/indicator lights and audible remind-
ers” in the “2. Instruments and controls” section,
and “Low tire pressure warning system” in the
“5. Starting and driving” section.
WARNING

If the low tire pressure warning light
illuminates while driving, avoid sud-
den steering maneuvers or abrupt
braking, reduce vehicle speed, pull
off the road to a safe location and
stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Serious vehicle damage could occur
and may lead to an accident and
could result in serious personal in-jury. Check the tire pressure for all
four wheels and adjust the pressure
to the COLD tire pressure shown on
the tire placard. If you have a flat tire,
replace it with a spare tire as soon as
possible.

When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel is replaced, the low tire pres-
sure warning system will not func-
tion. Contact your NISSAN dealer as
soon as possible for tire replacement
and/or system resetting.

Do not inject any tire liquid or aerosol
tire sealant into the tires, as this may
cause a malfunction of the tire pres-
sure sensors.
CHANGING A FLAT TIREIf you have a flat tire, follow the instructions
below.Stopping the vehicle1. Safely move the vehicle off the road away
from traffic.
2. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.3. Park on a level surface and apply the parking
brake. Shift the manual transmission into
reverse (automatic transmission in P).
WARNING


The transfer control lever
must be in the 2H, 4H or 4L position.

Never place the transfer control lever
in the Nposition. Otherwise, the ve-
hicle could roll unexpectedly even if
the manual transmission is in gear or
the automatic transmission is in the
P position. This could result in seri-
ous personal injury or property dam-
age.
All-mode 4WD models:

Make sure the 4WD shift indicator
and/or transfer 4LO position indica-
tor light remains illuminated before
stopping the engine.

Make sure the ATP light is off before
stopping the engine. Otherwise, the
vehicle could roll unexpectedly even
if the automatic transmission is in
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03.1.28/R50-D/V5


the P 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 help.
6. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle
and stand in a safe place away from traffic
and clear of the vehicle.
WARNING

Make sure that the parking brake is
securely applied and the manual
transmission is shifted into R (re-
verse), on the automatic transmis-
sion in P (Park).

Never change tires when the vehicle
is on a slope, ice or a slippery area.
This is hazardous.

Never change tires if oncoming trafficis close to your vehicle. Wait for pro-
fessional road assistance.

When a spare tire is mounted or a
wheel is replaced, the low tire pres-
sure warning system will not func-
tion. Contact your NISSAN dealer as
soon as possible for tire replacement
and/or system resetting. (For models
with the low tire pressure warning
system)
Blocking wheelsPlace suitable blocks at both the front and back
of the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire to
prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is jacked
up.
WARNING
Be sure to block the wheel as the ve-
hicle may move and could cause per-
sonal injury.
MCE0001
In case of emergency
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